Our founding principle and the core of our mission is responsiveness to community needs. From urgent Covid-19 relief to organizing around critical neighborhood issues, we respond with agility, dedication, and open hearts.

Strong relationships advance and enhance our work. From individual housing counseling, to financial coaching, to workforce development, we forge deep personal connections and prioritize one-on-one interactions with our clients.

Residents steer our work and comprise our board and staff. Clients and community members often go on to take leadership roles within the organization, ensuring that community needs and input remain at the forefront of our work.

Innovative programs drive our work, connecting community members with people and resources they need. Our robust community organizing initiatives—backed by a keen understanding of current events and legislation—empower residents to drive change.

We use data from the community to plan and inform all of our work. Our programs address the needs of the community as validated through collected evidence and feedback, ensuring that our expertise consistently aligns with everything we do.

Our work affirmatively seeks to reduce racial inequity through building the power of residents who, as a result of systemic oppression and racism, face pressing issues and a lack of resources on Chicago's Northwest Side. In particular, NWC's programs and organizing campaigns prioritize work with residents who are part of historically marginalized communities such as Black, Latinx, undocumented, and low-income residents, and who are located primarily in Belmont Cragin.