A letter from the Executive Director

Dear Northwest Center Community,

With deep gratitude, I am writing to share that I am planning to leave my position as Executive Director at Northwest Center by the end of this year and will support the organization through a transition to new leadership in the coming months. For the past eleven plus years, working as part of the Northwest Center team has been the joy and privilege of my life. Moving to Chicago and starting at the Northwest Center in 2012 at the age of 24 helped define who I am today as I “grew up" professionally as part of the NWC and Belmont Cragin community. I am beyond proud of my time at the organization and am honored to stand by all the amazing work that NWC has collectively accomplished together over the years. From helping build a new school home for Belmont Cragin Elementary School to address overcrowding, to re-purposing 9.6 million dollars in public funds through the Northwest Home Equity Assurance Program, to getting over 13 miles of bike lanes and 11 Divvy Stations in the community, to getting a new crosswalk for our older adults, our work has made a tangible and lasting impact in the Belmont Cragin community.

When I started at NWC in May 2012, I told myself I would give it three years. Three soon became five, which then became seven, and in 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic happened. The pandemic presented some of the greatest leadership and work challenges of my life. I am proud of NWC’s ability to pivot our work and vaccinate over 20,000 Belmont Cragin residents receiving national attention for our work from the NYTimes, USA Today, and receiving funding from both Oprah and Rihanna.

Despite the numerous accolades and accomplishments, I also told myself that I would know when my time at NWC was coming to an end and that I would step back when I felt it was time for someone else to lead the organization. For many reasons, some personal and some professional, I now believe that 2023 is that time. The organization is in a strong financial position with several multi-year grants, and our CDC office/second floor expansion is underway with an additional $1.3 million dollar City of Chicago grant to help cover the cost. The organization is also finishing up its next five-year strategic plan in June 2023 to guide the work and the incoming Executive Director. As I conclude my time at NWC, my goal is to continue leading the organization through continuing to build NWC and Belmont Cragin’s power, as well as supporting the internal NWC team through 2023. I am beyond grateful for this life changing opportunity.

With love,

James Rudyk