Gov. Pritzker Cuts Ribbon at New Brighton Park Neighborhood Council Service Center

CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker today joined community leaders to cut the ribbon at the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council’s (BPNC) new service center. The new facility will allow BPNC and network partners to support families through youth programming, family services, and other community engagement efforts in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood. The State of Illinois provided $3 million in capital grant funding for the new facility.

“BPNC is beacon of hope and resilience in the Brighton Park neighborhood. This new facility gives BPNC and dozens of network partners a new home — and an even greater capacity to serve,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “The launch of this new service center deepens our commitment to Brighton Park and residents across the Southwest Side.”

The new facility will act as the headquarters of the Brighton Park Neighborhood Network (BPNN), a network of organizations that includes social service providers, schools, and local businesses. The space will host various public services ranging from youth mentoring and housing counseling to clinical and legal services. The service center will also include a community kitchen and a youth basketball court. BPNC will fully transition to the new space this summer.

“BPNC is thrilled to celebrate the opening of our new service center in heart of the Brighton Park community,” said BPNC Executive Director Patrick Brosnan. “This achievement could not have happened were it not for the steadfast leadership and support from the Governor and our state legislators, Senator Villanueva, Senator Cervantes, Representative Mah, Representative Gonzalez, and Representative Ortiz. This center represents what's possible when the community comes together, confident in the strength of our partnerships and in the belief in the dignity and rights of all people!”

The Governor visited BPNC in September during “Operation Midway Blitz,” meeting with BPNC’s rapid response team and other essential staff helping the community. With the Trump Administration cutting social services for Illinoisans, community organizations like BPNC have taken on a greater role in providing community members with vital resources.

“I have been a supporter of the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council for many years and attended this service center’s groundbreaking ceremony in 2024, so this is a full-circle moment for me,” said State Senator Javier Cervantes (D-Chicago). “Helping people in the communities that I represent, especially working families, is something I strive for every day — and the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council does the same thing.”

“Illinois wins when we support every family in every community, and our capital investment in this new service center is proof we are not backing down from this promise,” said State Rep. Edgar Gonzalez (D-Chicago). “We’ve got more work to do to support working and immigrant families, and I am committed to doing exactly that.”

“This service center is going to be a lifeline for the thousands of families in Brighton Park who depend on wrap-around youth, family, and community services to support them in their everyday lives,” said State Rep. Theresa Mah (D-Chicago). “Our capital investment in this new center will help further support these services and the organizations committed to uplifting area families.”

“Brighton Park is home to hardworking families who don’t want to just get by, but get ahead,” said State Rep. Aaron Ortiz (D-Chicago). “BPNC’s new service center and our investments in truly holistic family-focused services will help further support area families as they build their futures.”

“For years, our community members have demanded a space that is not only safe, but also inclusive of all people and groups, and the opening of the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council Service Center will meet residents’ demands tenfold with a facility supported by, built by, and run by other community members,” said State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago). “Today’s ribbon cutting marks a pivotal moment — for our youth, for working families, and for this neighborhood as a whole — and I have been honored to act in partnership with the BPNC, stakeholders, community members, and other elected officials to ensure our residents have an equitable, welcoming space to offer them holistic support.”

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