Our 2025 Community Impact Report is Out!
New data brings encouraging news for the West Side. From 2023 to 2024, life expectancy increased in every West Side neighborhood, with an average increase of 1.7 years. These findings show that our communities are recovering from the life expectancy drop during the COVID-19 pandemic and may also be making meaningful improvements in health outcomes. However, there is still much more work to do.
From the rich history of Madison Street to the new community spaces opening their doors to residents, there is much to celebrate! West Side community members and partners are leading a West Side renaissance, rooted in health, opportunity, and neighborhood pride. Our 2025 Community Impact Report celebrates that momentum through the stories and partnerships that are bringing this vision to life.
Through our Thrive West Side initiatives, our anchor partners spent $51M with West Side businesses and hired more than 1,200 residents in 2025.
Since 2018, these partnerships have garnered $258M in local spending and 7,732 West Side hires. We also hosted three hiring events that engaged more than 700 residents, with 520 jobseekers securing an interview with an employer.
Our Live Healthy West Side programs connected residents with resources. In partnership with Lurie Children’s, West Side Healthy Parents and Babies served 132 West Side families, connecting expecting mothers with doulas, consultants, and social support services.
We also launched the COLLAB Network and provided training, technical assistance, and $800,000 in grants to 20 community-based organizations working to improve food access across the West side.
These accomplishments reflect the efforts of our partners and community members who are working together to eliminate the life expectancy gap. As we look toward our 2030 strategic plan, we will build on this work to advance economic mobility, community investment, and health access. Read the full report to learn more about the partnerships, stories, and impacts behind our shared progress!