Here are some more mission statements from the featured charities that OakParkApartments.com’s anniversary contest is promoting. All of the charities are truly a vital part of our community and are organizations that Oak Park Apartments and its’ owners have been committed to throughout their 25 years in business.
Hephzibah Children’s Association: Hephzibah is Oak Park’s oldest charity—founded in 1897 when Mary Wessels opened her home to children from a nearby orphanage that had been destroyed by fire. Responding to a need in the community, Mary continued to welcome youngsters into her home and made it her mission to “care for society’s most vulnerable children.” Today, Hephzibah’s services are many and they are continually developing new innovative programs while staying true to their mission and meeting the needs of the community.
Historical Society of Oak Park & River Forest: To bring together people who are interested in Oak Park and River Forest, to study and provide means and facilities for the study of the history of Oak Park and River Forest, to acquire, collect, preserve and display materials and literature relevant to the history of the Oak Park and River Forest areas, to assist in the designation and preservation of buildings, monuments, and other sites significant to the history of the area, to publish and disseminate materials and information relative to the history of the area, and to operate an archive, library and museum for future generations.
L’Arche Chicago: L’Arche is an international federation of intentional communities in which people with and without intellectual disabilities live, work, play and pray together, creating home. Core members – persons with disabilities – make up the heart of our communities. Those who live and share life with them are called assistants. Each L’Arche community is unique and autonomous but internationally federated. We all share a common vision of the basic dignity of each human person and the centrality of mutual relationship between God and each person and between persons of all races, religions, cultures and abilities. We seek to create home and provide meaningful work for all our community members and to witness to a way of life where everyone is recognized as being of equal and infinite value.
Literacy Volunteers Western Cook County: LVWCC is a not-for-profit agency that provides free tutoring services and literacy programs to adults in western Chicago and suburban Cook County through its network of trained volunteers. Established in 1986, LVWCC currently serves approximately 200 students per year.
Oak Leyden Developmental Services: Helping people with developmental disabilities meet life’s challenges and reach their highest potential. To accomplish this mission, Oak-Leyden has developed seven core values and will consistently: Recognize the dignity of each individual, support personal choices whenever possible and safe, promote the inclusion of each individual served within the larger community, facilitate and encourage family involvement and participation in support of the individual served, strive to discover new and innovative programs to enhance the lives of people with disabilities, provide individually-designed programs that empower individuals served, use resources in a manner that provides the maximum benefit for individuals served.
Oak Park Area Arts Council: Believes art is intrinsic to the quality of life in the community, the Oak Park Area Arts Council celebrates, supports and promotes artists and arts organizations in Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park. By raising funds for the arts, and advocating for policies that promote the arts, they enhance the social, economic, and cultural foundations of the its’ communities.
