The Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC) strongly supports The Focal Point Community Campus project, and its partnership with Saint Anthony Hospital, a well respected institution that has always selflessly extended a helping hand to the Chicago Hispanic community.
The IHCC recognizes the great interest our community has for this project at 31st Street and Kedzie Ave.
We believe that The Focal Point Community Campus is in line with the vision of solidarity and opportunity for economic development that Mayor Lori Lightfoot has been promoting in the south and west sides of Chicago.
In the short term, this project will generate more jobs in the area than any other development in the last ten years, benefiting mainly Latino and African American residents, many of them small business owners that use IHCC services.
The Focal Point Community Campus will also serve as a symbol of equity and diversity, which exemplifies the City of Chicago’s commitment to cultural inclusiveness.
IHCC is beholden to St. Anthony Hospital for its involvement in this project. We recognize, first and foremost, St. Anthony Hospital’s unrelenting commitment to improving the emotional and physical well being of the nearly half a million residents it serves. This endeavor will provide more pediatric care, more outpatient diabetic services, nutrition and weight management clinics, plus a high-level surgical center, bringing sorely needed comprehensive and accessible care to our community.
We all agree that with better physical health comes reduced risk factors for deadly diseases, improved mental and emotional health, and better levels of prosperity. This is why we see this project as a unique opportunity to accelerate development in a community so long neglected,” said Jaime di Paulo, President & CEO of the IHCC.
The IHCC also wants to emphasize that The Focal Point Community Campus goes far beyond just offering more medical services. This project will include the construction of multiple recreational spaces that are gravely needed in the area.
Along with developers and community stakeholders, the IHCC commits itself to promote the creation of local small businesses. This will allow young, low-wage workers, the underemployed and formerly incarcerated, an opportunity to earn a better wage and improve the quality of life for all.
Finally, IHCC would like to emphasize that The Focal Point Community Campus will have a significant impact on job creation, anchoring its long-term goal of economic growth and sustainability for the area. It will achieve this through extensive offerings of small business programs, business incubation, and entrepreneurship training.
