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Enlace Raising $3.2 Million for 3-Story Safe Haven in Little Village

By Erica Demarest | August 14, 2015 9:33am | Updated on August 14, 2015 9:48am
 The Little Village nonprofit wants to create a computer lab, community garden and safe spaces for teens.
The Little Village nonprofit wants to create a computer lab, community garden and safe spaces for teens.
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Enlace

LITTLE VILLAGE — Enlace Chicago has launched a $3.2 million fundraising campaign to build a three-story facility on the west side of Little Village by 2017.

"We don't have a dedicated safe space on the west side" of the neighborhood, said Mike Rodriguez, executive director of the longstanding nonprofit, which runs educational, legal and economic programming in Little Village.

The goal is to create a 7,800-square-foot building with a computer lab, community garden and ample office space. It would serve as a safe haven for youth and augment existing programs, the organization said.

Rodriguez hopes to break ground in spring 2016 and open Casa Destino, as the building is called, by spring 2017.

Right now, Enlace's main hub is a home-turned-office at 2756 S. Harding Ave.

There are only three rooms with closed doors — two offices and a closet — which becomes problematic when Enlace runs its regular legal clinics on Tuesday and Friday afternoons, Rodriguez said.

To provide privacy, the staffers who work in the offices have to leave, and several locals end up meeting their lawyers in a closet.

"We would love to have a respectable place for our staff to be able to provide services for the neighborhood," Rodriguez said.

Another goal is to offer a modern, welcoming space for youth with weekend and after-school activities. And undocumented students who hope to attend college would get extra help navigating university and scholarship applications in a new computer lab, according to staffers.

Rodriguez said he hopes the facility will allow Enlace to become certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

That would open up new resources and funding to help first-time home-buyers, people dealing with foreclosures and people who need information on renters' rights and refinancing options, he said.

Right now, Enlace doesn't have enough space to get that type of certification.

The organization is seeking private donations and hosting several fundraisers.

First up is a kick-off reception on Tuesday night at 1871, a start-up incubator at 222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza. Tickets cost $50 and include cocktails and appetizers. The deadline to register online for the event is Friday, but tickets can also be purchased at the door. Call 773-419-8967 or email vanessa@figueroastratcom.com for more information.

Additional fundraisers include one on Sept. 18, when Jesus "Chuy" Garcia (yes, that Chuy Garcia), who served as Enlace's first executive director, will host a comedy night. And the nonprofit has "a big soiree" planned for December, Rodriguez said.

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