Esperanza Health Centers

In June 2018, CDF provided $10 million in NMTC allocation to Esperanza Health Centers to support the construction of a new 26,100-square-foot medical home for the community. The project is located at 4700 S. California Avenue in Brighton Park and includes 30 exam rooms, counseling rooms, a community garden, a teaching kitchen, and a playground. Esperanza was founded in 2004 by community members and Saint Anthony Hospital administrators to improve healthcare delivery on the Southwest side. It operates three other Federally Qualified Health Centers serving over 18,500 patients annually. The project also includes a pharmacy and space for Mujeres Latinas en Acción, an organization founded in 1973 that focuses on empowering Latinas and their families.

The provides nearly 26,000 unique patients annually with adult and pediatric primary care, behavioral health, and OBGYN services. Esperanza is designated as a National Quality Leader by HRSA and ranks in the top 3% of health centers nationwide for quality of care. Mujeres Latinas en Acción, in addition to locating its primary offices at the project, will grow to serve 4,800 individuals each year on site while offering violence prevention programming and providing a safe space for supervised parental visitation. The pharmacy component will provide discounted prescriptions to approximately 5,400 individuals annually. The project supports over 100 permanent FTEs across all partners, and construction supported approximately 65 temporary FTEs.

Raza Development Fund provided $6 million in NMTC allocation for the project while PNC bank provided NMTC equity and an additional $2 million in NMTC allocation.