Albany Park Community Center

The Albany Park Community Center (APCC) is a nonprofit organization that serves Albany Park residents. With its three locations, APCC is able to serve about 9,000 residents per year. The programs provided are separated into three categories: children and youth development, adult education programs and community development programs. The APCC was incorporated on Sept. 24, 1975 to serve the diverse population of the Albany Park neighborhood. APCC receives oversight from a volunteer board of directors. The center opened as a response to the growing cultural changes of the neighborhood in the seventies. In the sixties Albany Park was a predominantly working to upper class Jewish neighborhood but now Albany Park is one of the most culturally diverse neighborhoods in the United States. The center's mission is to "educate and support members of the community as they determine their own path of growth and development, by providing diverse programs and services for individuals, families, groups and businesses. " ... APCC's main location at 5121 N. Kimball Ave. offers community development programs such as business planning and development, CeaseFire, food pantry, parent education and workforce development. This location also offers adult education programs, among which are classes for English as a second language, GED courses, citizenship classes and adult literacy tutoring. Under their children and youth development programs APCC has a child care facility located on the southwest corner of Kimball and Ainslie. Among the programs offered in this location is the Head Start full-day preschool, which provides a federally and state funded program accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children that runs on a full-year schedule. For a child to be eligible for this program his or her parents have to be either working full-time or be full-time students. Right now there are job openings for development associate, educational coordinator and mental health/disabilities coordinator. If you are a student look- ing to get involved in the surrounding neighborhood, APCC also appreciates volunteers to help out with their many programs. This is a great opportunity to give back to the community around NEIU, as well as a chance to build your resume. For more information about job openings and volunteer opportunities visit http://www.apcc-chgo.org/get-involved.