Humboldt Park medical center brings accessible health care to an underserved community

The Humboldt Park community celebrated the opening of a $30 million wellness center Tuesday, marking a significant step toward addressing health inequities in one of Chicago's most diverse and underserved neighborhoods.

Located at the corner of Division and Richmond streets, just south of Humboldt Park, the Humboldt Park Health Wellness Center is the latest initiative aimed at providing accessible care and promoting wellness for residents.

“This center represents health equity in action,” said Diego Sanchez, chief executive of Humboldt Park Health, at the opening. “We are continuing to address the social determinants of health in our community by having a center like this one.”

The event brought together community leaders, residents and public officials, including Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and state Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, who played a pivotal role in securing state funding for the project.

“For too long, this community has been ignored, but today, we are living the tagline of the renewed Humboldt Park Health.” Aquino said. “This is what health equity looks like — an investment of $30 million right here in the heart of the people and community on the West Side of Chicago.”

Humboldt Park, home to a vibrant Puerto Rican community and other communities of color, has long grappled with systemic health disparities. The pandemic underscored these challenges, with the neighborhood experiencing a disproportionately high number of cases and deaths compared with other areas of Chicago.

A 2018 survey by the Sinai Urban Health Institute found that 47% of Humboldt Park adults are obese, compared with 29.5% nationally. Diabetes affects 13% of residents, above the 9% national average, and 18% of adults experience symptoms of depression, more than double the national rate of 7%.

“Much like this community, my family has roots here,” Aquino said. “This center is a lifeline for a neighborhood that was an epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic and remains disproportionately affected by preventable health issues.”

The three-story, 45,500-square-foot wellness center offers a variety of services, including nutritional counseling, physical therapy and other programs focused on improving overall community health. It also features amenities such as an indoor track, fitness center and swimming pool.

“By providing health resources like diabetes education, nutritional counseling and access to a gym at an affordable cost, we’re addressing this directly with the community,” Diego Lopez, vice president of professional services at Humboldt Park Health, told the Chicago Sun-Times. “When we officially open our doors, I expect there to be a significant increase in memberships and an increase in diabetes education programming, nutritional counseling and access to wellness resources for the community.”

Beyond healthcare, Sanchez announced plans to build 100 units of affordable housing to combat gentrification and displacement in the neighborhood.

“This is just the beginning of a master plan for the development of this community,” Sanchez said. “We are continuing to address the social determinants of health by having a center like this one, while also focusing on food security, safety, and, of course, housing.”