September 2024

A Letter From Us:

September is already gone and we now enter the busy holiday season! That…escalated quickly.

We hope that your family is happy and healthy going into the end of the year, and that you will consider joining us at our October events. These events are always free and fun. They’re meant to provide activities for youth and adults alike, and to encourage folks to meet their neighbors. Because, whether you worship, work or are active in a specific school community, we want to be sure you have the chance to meet new friends who you may not otherwise meet. And, coming out of the pandemic, it’s more important than ever to provide social opportunities for our children and teens. So come out and play!

As always, ?thank you for your continued support and interest. We hope you are able to join us this month in whichever capacity you can, be it through attending our events, providing resources, or simply sharing our posts, we appreciate the support from all our neighbors.

In Solidarity,

Adriana, Diane, Renee, Mayra & Jaime

The Southwest Collective Board of Directors

IMPORTANT: Elected School Board Candidate Forum

Now that the current appointed school board has resigned ahead of the election next month, we must closely review the candidates for the Elected School Board. There have not been many opportunities for our districts’ candidates to clarify their positions on the issues, so we are hosting a forum for them to do so. Please join us at Curie High School on October 17 at 6pm.

RECAP: Pulaski Road Safety Forum

Did you miss our Pulaski Road Safety Forum at Curie? You can catch the recap here, or download the infographics to use on social media. Please share them widely - especially when people suggest more of the same preventative measures that are costly and not currently working as intended.

EVENT: Annual Dia de Muertos Celebration

Please join us once again for our annual Dia de Muertos themed event. We will be at Vicinity Credit Union, 4444 S Pulaski Rd., in the south parking lot, from 12-2pm on October 26.

The event will feature a community altar, which we diligently maintain, and you can light a (battery operated) candle to mourn the loss of neighbors, family and friends.

The event is absolutely free of charge, and all are welcome to join. Arts and crafts, an activity from the Field Museum, snacks, and a trunk or treat will be available too, so please bring your family for the afternoon.

Thank you to our sponsors, for helping us make this a welcoming event: Vicinity Credit Union, Lizneyland Learning Center, Adelante Con Fetch, Target, Teatro Taraikuri, FIELD Museum, Importmex, Inc., the 14th Ward office and the office of the Cook County Commissioner.

UPDATE: Freebies for Families events

Freebies for Families will return once more in 2024, on December 14. Please note that we do not have diapers or other supplies on hand in between these events, and cannot accommodate appointments.

Many people are referred to us by a hospital or doctor office, for free diapers or food. Unfortunately, due to our small size, we don't provide this service on a regular basis. We are only able to share resources at our Freebies for Families events, because we do not have access to dedicated storage for donations or diapers.

AVAILABLE: Free Trees

We’re proud to be working hard alongside partners like Chicago Region Trees Initiative, The Morton Arboretum, and the Chicago Department of Public Health to increase the city’s tree canopy - especially in our heavily industrial neighborhoods. You can request a FREE TREE from the City via the 311 app. Simply navigate to Create New Service Request>Parks, Trees and Environment>Tree Planting Request.

Help For Your Small Business

If you own or are planning to start a small business, there is a free resource you should know about! Take advantage of FREE APPOINTMENTS with the Cook County Source to get help with licensing, legal issues, grant applications and much more. Make an appointment today.