by Diana Pando
On Thursday, April 28, The Resurrection Project (TRP) hosted a community celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the grand opening of Casa Hidalgo, its first full-service office in the Back of the Yards neighborhood.
Families, community leaders, partner organizations, along with Aldermen Willie B. Cochran (20th Ward), Alderman Raymond Lopez (15th Ward), and principals Nora Cadenas (Seward Academy) and Rhonda Hoskins (Daley Elementary Academy) joined TRP at the new office at 4600 S. Wood Street. The event was free and open to the public, and residents had an opportunity to tour the facility and speak to TRP staff about the many services now available in Back of the Yards.
The opening of the Casa Hidalgo office is an important step in TRP’s Vision 2020 strategic plan. Through this initiative, TRP will deepen its commitment to communities like Back of the Yards and expand its service area to new communities. Over the next five years, TRP will leverage more than $460 million in community investments to help create vibrant communities.
The Resurrection Project has been working in the Back of the Yards neighborhood since the late 1990’s and has invested $17.7 million through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, Casa Hidalgo, and the Paulo Freire Center.
However, the new Casa Hidalgo office marks the first time TRP opens a full-service office outside of the Pilsen neighborhood. Through the Casa Hidalgo office, TRP will provide a full range of TRP services, including financial wellness programs, immigration services, and community safety programming. The new location features a computer room, a community conference room, and additional work areas.
“We are excited to deepen our commitment to the Back of the Yards families through the services and resources we will provide through this office,” said Raul Raymundo, CEO of TRP. “The Resurrection Project is also committed to doing more in five years than we’ve done in 25 years by working with community leaders to address key issues such as affordable housing, community safety, financial wellness, and much more.”
“The Resurrection Project has been a consistent, positive vehicle for change in Latino communities,” said Alderman Raymond Lopez (15th Ward). “I am proud to work with them now and in the years to come.”
“The Resurrection Project has a 25-year proven track record of helping build healthy communities by creating solutions to neighborhood problems such as affordable housing, economic development, and community safety,” said Alderman Willie B. Cochran (20th Ward). “This new community asset in Back of the Yards will be a valuable resource to many individuals and families and we hope people will take advantage of the many services they will be providing.”