AT NO COST TO YOU, GET FUNDING FOR Albany Park Community Center WHEN YOU:
Buy a Home / Sell a Home / Lease Commercial Property

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Your Future Real Estate Transaction can Support Albany Park Community Center

As a member of Investing In Communities®, Albany Park Community Center can receive funding as a result of any brokered real estate transaction – home sales, home purchases, or commercial leases. As more supporters use this platform, before engaging a real estate agent, APCC will have more resources to continue to help members of the community to be successful.

Mission, Vision, and Accomplishments

For more than 45 years APCC has made it our mission to educate, empower, transform and support community members as they determine their own path towards growth and success. Since 1975 we have operated as the largest community-based organization serving the multi-ethnic Chicago neighborhood of Albany Park and its surrounding communities. We operate a wide range of programs and services that are tailored to meet the unique challenges that residents in Albany Park face. 

APCC envisions a healthy community where members respect, honor and celebrate our community’s cultural diversity and mixed heritage. Our members use their skills and talents not only to help themselves, but also for the good of each other and our community. We aim to provide access to high quality and affordable childcare, after school programs, bi-lingual mental health services and counseling, adult education courses, workforce development services and business development assistance for local business owners and entrepreneurs. Through these programs we empower members of our community to realize their hopes for a better future while acting as a catalyst for upward social mobility.

Improving Lives in Albany Park

Albany Park has a high percentage of low-income, multi-ethnic families, children and youth who face a variety of socio-economic challenges. In a 2013 a mental health study published by Expanding Mental Health Services of Chicago (EHMS) found that in Albany Park and its surrounding communities, (Irving Park, North Park, Forrest Glen) residents described depression as the most common mental health issue affecting them. Additionally, the study reported concern about finances was the biggest stressor for adults, while stress related to family conflicts was the biggest mental health issue facing young children. For local residents, families and business owners who are categorized as low-income, undocumented, uninsured or underinsured, social service organizations like APCC are critically important to improving quality of life for residents in our community. By providing a diverse range of services for all age groups, APCC takes a holistic approach to community development by improving access to free and low-cost services that empower individuals, families and businesses to thrive. 

History and Evolution of APCC

Once a predominantly upper-working class Jewish community, the Albany Park neighborhood has undergone dramatic socio-economic and demographic change over the years. As early as 1970 Albany Park established itself as port of entry for many Asian and Latin American immigrants arriving in America. By the early 1990’s the community had earned a reputation as the City of Chicago’s largest population center for Korean, Filipino and Guatemalan residents. Albany Park continues to be one of the City’s most ethnically and culturally diverse communities with mor than 88 languages spoken among its residents. This can be observed as you travel down Lawrence Ave. from Kedzie to Pulaski. As the neighborhoods primary commercial corridor, it serves a home to many minority owned ethnic restaurants, grocery stores, laundry mats and small businesses. It is estimated that nearly 63% of households in Albany Park speak a language other than English, with Spanish being the predominant language spoke among 40% of its residents. A variety of Slavic and Indo-European languages can be heard among residents in addition to commonly spoke languages like Arabic, Tagalog and Korean.

Albany Park has a high percentage of low-income, multi-ethnic families, children and youth who face a variety of complex psychological stressors, social pressures, and mental health issues. Many residents have expressed that financial concerns are the leading stressor effecting their families.  as the Youth in our community face many risk factors due to poverty and, for those who are immigrants, adjusting to a new culture that can lead to significant challenges. 

Under the leadership of Frank Albanese, APCC was incorporated on September 24, 1975 and is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors operating under a Charter from the State of Illinois and the Board’s By-Laws. In 1976 the Board of Directors applied to become a member of the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago and was accepted as a two-year provisional member in 1977. Based on the agency’s excellent first year performance, United Way waived the second year of provisional membership and accepted the Center as a regular and full member in 1978.

While originally founded as a childcare provider, APCC has grown to become the largest and most diverse social service agency in Chicago’s Albany Park neighborhood. Over the years APCC has significantly expanded our scope of service by expanding access to Adult Education, Citizenship and career bridge courses, Workforce Development programs; Business Planning & Development assistance and Counseling & Mentoring programs.

APCC currently operates two facilities while expanding our school-based counseling and mentoring programs at a number CPS schools throughout the City of Chicago. In response to COVID-19 our agency has continued to deliver vital services to clients both in-person and virtually.

Early Childhood Education

For more than 45 years, APCC’s Early Childhood Education program has set thousands of children from Albany Park on the right path towards personal growth and development. On an annual basis our organization serves as many as 117 children between the ages of 2 and 5 years old. Through our Early Education program APCC fosters the social-emotional, cognitive and physical development of each child through a full-day childcare program that is both that is robust and affordable for working families. Teachers work with children and families to develop a deep understanding of each child’s needs, while implementing teaching strategies in the classroom. Through a comprehensive play-based curriculum and classroom engagement with teachers and peers, children are well prepared to continue their education as the enter kindergarten. 83% of 4 year old’s in our Head Start program are meeting or exceeding expectations in social-emotional, cognitive, language, literacy and physical development.

After School and Youth Development

As children age out of our Early Education program, APCC continues to support them by offering robust afterschool enrichment and youth development programs for school-aged youth ages 5-12. Our year afterschool program serves as many as 120 youth on an annual basis while providing a safe space where youth participate in choice-based clubs, activities and recreation. Additionally, youth benefit from homework help, nutritious meals and snacks as well as access to individual counseling sessions and mental health services provided at no cost to youth ages 10-24. 95% percent of participants who received counseling services at APCC indicted that their lives improved due to counseling intervention and support. For parents, APCC’s afterschool program provides peace of mind that their children are well attended during afterschool and recieveing the academic support and enrichment opportunities they need to flourish. Working families and parents also benefit from full-day programming on days of CPS non-attendance as well as full-day youth camps during spring and summer break. 

Anti Gun Violence and Community Outreach

APCC provides a number of other programs that contribute more broadly to improving the overall quality of life in Albany Park, including adult education,business development, and workforce development.

Your Real Estate Purchase, Sale, or Lease Helps Support APCC

At no cost to themselves, anyone who cares about improving lives in Albany Park can turn virtually any brokered real estate transaction into funding for APCC. For example, the purchase or sale of a $300,000 home can result in about $1,300 of free funding. Support APCC’s mission by using IIC’s free platform to make arrangements with an agent you already have in mind. Or use IIC to find and choose among real estate agents that are appropriate for the specifics of your residential or commercial real estate needs.