An Exotic Adventure for at McCormick Elementary School
In addition to this animal exhibit, families were able to play games, win many prizes, and enjoy free food. Come check us out every Friday in the summer at McCormick School in Little Village, 2712 S. Sawyer from 5:30 to 8:00 pm.
We are transforming the neighborhood through basketball
Our Hoops in the Hood youth basketball league provides a safe space in our community for 4th to 8th graders and their families. This initiative aims to promote community development, respect, and teamwork. You can also participate every Thursday during the summer at McCormick Elementary School at 2712 S. Sawyer from 5:00 to 8:00 pm.
Hoops in the Hood brings community-centered while taking back streets that have experienced violence, creating safe spaces for youth and adults to build positive relationships, and fostering a sense of community.
New Life Centers is officially an Illinois Welcome Center: Offering appointments in Little Village and Midway
We are now an Illinois Welcome Center and have begun booking appointments in Little Village and Midway. This program will provide comprehensive services to all Illinois immigrants.
Through this service, we will provide case management, general information and referrals, translation and interpretation of non-legal documents, crisis support, and hold information sessions for access to other services.
Our appointments will be:
Mondays and Tuesdays
8:00 am to 4:00 pm
New Life Centers-Midway
5101 S Keeler Ave,
Chicago, Il 60632.
Thursdays and Fridays
8:00 am to 4:00 pm
New Life Centers- Little Village
657 S. Lawndale Ave
Chicago IL, 60623
To book an appointment go to:
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For La Villita - https://calendly.com/d/cn86-6zt-f4r/cita-de-asesoramiento-la-villita
The goal of our Welcome Center is to give information about social services state agencies offer to help immigrants reach their full potential in Illinois.
Kermes On the Block brings together Little Village families
Families from Little Village gathered on 28th and Karlov last week for a family festival on the block. The event provided a space for families to enjoy free games, activities, raffles, music and food!. This activity gives parents and children the opportunity to create memories this summer season.
The Kermes event will take place again on July 24th and 31st, at 4111 W 28th St, Chicago IL 60623.
Leaders from the Southern Border Learned About Our Work with New Migrants
We recently hosted a group of leaders from the southern border who toured our various locations to see the work first-hand. We ended with a forum in partnership with other local organizations that have been addressing an immigration crisis since 2022.
This exchange was promoted by The National Dignity for Families Fund, to help members learn and understand the experience of local organizations and how they have been contributing. The activity also aims to strengthen alliances between these leaders as families continue to arrive to Chicago from the southern border.
“The spirit of loving community shines through the work of New Life Centers and inspires usto continue working together. Today, New Life Centers offered us a look at their daily work at a very practical level: from providing shelter in a safe place, to making community commitments and
Somers added she couldn't think of a better place than New Life Centers as a partner to carry out this exchange between organizations.
“Your work of loving the community and addressing the needs of other vulnerable groups should inspire us to support these efforts,” Aryah concluded.
Living the dream: Deybi Espinoza’s Story
Every migrant has a story and a reason behind wanting to reach the United States, regardless of the risks and dangers. Their desperation and longing to survive is greater.
An Inspiring Story
Deybi Espinoza is a 32-year-old Venezuelan husband and father of three children. His story is full of sacrifice and trauma after crossing the wild jungle of Darién, his first major obstacle to overcome.
“When you've lived through a crisis like we did in Venezuela, it is worth every effort and sacrifice to get to the United States”, Deybi tells us laughing and intertwining his hands while he reminisces.
Deybi is from Aragua, Venezuela, and arrived in New York in November 2022 with his wife Carolina Escobar, 31 years old, and their three children Joel (16), Yerbis (10) and David (7). There, they lived in a shelter for four months.
“I first arrived with my wife and kids in New York, where we faced difficulties because I didn’t have a work permit. My wife's brother suggested I come to Chicago because there were more job opportunities here. It wasn’t easy here either, but many in New Life Centers quickly supported us. One of those people was Matt DeMateo, CEO of New Life Centers in La Villita and Freddy Fret,” Deybi says.
Deybi was recently invited to speak about his experience at Northern Illinois University (NIU), to more than 15 students from this prestigious university, through a Q&A session. For ninety minutes, Deiby responded to questions about the difficult and inhumane journey he went through to reach the United States, as well as the socioeconomic situation in Venezuela.
The purpose of this forum was for students to hear directly from a Venezuelan migrant about the risks involved, the adaptation to a new culture and the work New Life Centers does to bring hope to thousands of migrants who have arrived to Chicago since 2022. As
"It never crossed my mind to come to the United States." Deybi admits it was not part of his plans to come to the USA, but he was forced to leave Venezuela due to the crisis it has been immersed in for more than a decade.
“Things in the country were difficult every day; there was no work, no food and the streets were more and more unsafe. Additionally, I thought about the lack of educational opportunities my children had.” adds Deybi with a shaky voice.
Although Deybi’s story is like other migrants', he has very important priorities for him and his family. “Being here has been challenging. I've had to get used to a new culture and work hard to provide an education for my children, and more importantly, create a healthy home for my children,” he tells us with a hopeful smile.
“I have felt very welcome here. I obviously miss some things about my country, my traditions, the food and some family members. But it’s comforting to know we have opportunities for a better future for our children and to evolve and continue growing. In Venezuela it is impossible to obtain that,” Deybi tells students with a longing face.
New Life Centers and Deybi’s dreams
Since Deybi arrived in Chicago, he quickly connected with the vision and work of New Life Centers. At the end of 2023, New Life Centers made efforts to help unify two of his children. “I am very grateful to New Life Centers for all the support they have given my family. From the moment we contacted their leaders, we felt very safe to approach them, and everything they have done for my family means a lot,” says Deybi.
In April, Deybi and his wife were hired by New Life Centers as part of the New Vecinos team and are committed to supporting other new compatriots who are arriving and have also left the country to fulfill their goals and dreams. “I feel very happy to be part of this great family of God and we hope to help other brothers the same way they have supported us. Today I feel that my dreams of having a decent job are beginning to come true,” Deiby tells us with a face full of hope.
Students give their opinion
For Dr. Nancy Dominguez, professor at Northern Illinois University-NIU, and host of this Q&A session with the students, the activity represents a valuable opportunity to share positive points of view
About New Vecinos program
This New Vecinos program began in May 2023 in order to respond to the immigration crisis that Chicago is facing. We partner with Catholic Charities and the State of Illinois, to help newly arrived families get settled in apartments and help furnish their homes. We are serving newly arrived migrant families at the “landing zone”, where they can get help reuniting with their relatives in other cities or be placed in a shelter. We also support them by connecting them with other programs, such as food delivery in our food distribution centers and help connect them to community resources.
CCS Fundraising Group creates over 2,000 kits for migrant families at the landing zone
We are incredibly grateful for CCS Fundraising volunteers, as they braved the extreme heat to contribute to our cause and have a positive impact on the lives of many vulnerable people and groups.
About CCS Fundraising: CCS is a strategic fundraising consulting firm that partners with nonprofits to raise funds and strengthen organizations. As leading consulting experts in campaign and development strategy, they plan and implement fundraising initiatives to help nonprofit organizations make a bigger impact--locally, nationally, and globally.
#NewVecinosChicago #CCSFundraising #Volunteering #NewArrivals #MigrantFamilies
Book Author Shares Immigration Experience with Shelter Residents
In a day full of joy and laughter, more than 40 children and their families enjoyed a fun morning at the Little Village-Pulaski migrant 
The activity consisted of a storybook reading titled “Gregorina in Chicago”, written and illustrated by Milagros Wallace. She is a writer of Venezuelan origin who has lived in Chicago for thirty years and is an expert in children's literature. The purpose of the event was to promote children's reading and reduce emotional stress after a long journey to Chicago.
The exciting adventure of “Gregorina in Chicago” describes the many challenges the writer faced thirty years ago, like adapting to a new culture, learning a new language and traditions, and adapting to unpredictable seasons like the bitter winter. During the event, the writer shared her life story with the families through questions and answers. She dramatized some chapters of the story book “Gregorina” and gave autographed books to every child who participated.
This storybook offers a variety of scenarios about life in Chicago and is an enjoyable read. It helps start conversations with children about sudden changes like experiencing a new culture, nature, and how these factors affect people.
About the Writer: Milagros Wallace was born on November 23, 1967, in Cumaná, Venezuela. She started her education career as a student at the University of Carabobo in Venezuela. In the early nineties, she got married and moved to the city of Chicago, where she continued her studies and obtained several postgraduate and master's degrees. Wallace currently works as a Bilingual Special Education teacher and ventured into bilingual children’s literature writing 5 years ago. She has written five children’s literature books. In addition to her passion for literature, Milagros enjoys spending time with family and sharing her experiences with other Venezuelan nationals.
Creating Safe Spaces in Little Village Throughout the Summer
This is part of a city-wide initiative called Light in the Night. The purpose is to help community members reclaim public areas as safe spaces and take back their communities to build peace.
West of McCormick Elementary School, we had various youth compete at a basketball tournament Hoops in the Hood! This was launched many years ago as a response to Chicago's violence by providing young people a place to play basketball safely.
Celebrating Graduations with Youth in Little Village and Humboldt Park
