Throughout its history, the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago has sought to transcend the racial and socio-economic chasm preventing many from reaching their full potential. For 40 years, the church has focused its community outreach on its neighbors in the Cabrini community, forging a strong bond with its neighbors and facilitating fellowship across the barriers of ethnicity and economics.

In an effort to overcome decades of economic hardships, injustice, and missed opportunities, Mayor Richard M. Daley and the Chicago Housing Authority have developed an ambitious plan to transform Cabrini-Green into a racially and economically diverse community.

The members of Fourth Church are committed to the goals and ideals of redevelopment. To help ensure the success of the transformation of Cabrini-Green, we plan to build a facility for community outreach in the developing Near North neighborhood. We envision a bridge between differing populations, serving as a positive community anchor and providing desired community programs. An important part of this vision is a physical presence in the community and to that end, the development of a state-of-the-art facility on Chicago Avenue.

As the Cabrini-Green area develops into a mixed income community, Fourth Church will be an important stakeholder in this process and will play a critical role insuring that Chicago Housing Authority residents are not cast aside and that the creation of a diverse community is realized. The Chicago Avenue center is a bold initiative dedicated to enabling and enriching the neighborhood in historic and profound ways.