Last week Team South Chicago met with Rich Melendrez who
runs the South Chicago Neighborhood House. We caught him on an off week while
he was preparing the building for the following week's summer program. As we
walked in I was surprised by all the space. Not only was there a basketball
court inside for exercise and different activities there was also a game room and
two kitchens. From the outside I would never have guessed how large the
facilities were and all the activities that were occurring in it. Rich
mentioned that the basketball court not only serves as a place to play
basketball but a dance room, a conference room, and a general location for them
to hold activities, and the kitchen’s were not only a place to prepare snacks
but a location to teach nutrition classes. Perhaps most exciting was hearing
from Rich that the center is run completely by volunteers who then are able to
find jobs after working with the Neighborhood House. Not only is the center
helping the kids in the neighborhood providing a safe space for them to learn
and have fun outside of school, but it is also helping adults find work in a
difficult job market. I can not wait to go back and see the Neighborhood House
in action.
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