El Hogar Del Nino Strives to Provide Opportunities For Pilsen Families

	By Elizabeth Aburto, Reporter, The Real Chi

Chicago is home to over seventy  different communities, each striving to impact their youth and families. In the Pilsen neighborhood, a non-profit organization named  El Hogar Del Nino, strives to do just that. 

El Hogar Del Nino - Chicago, which translates to the home of the child, was first established in 1972 by several working mothers living in the Pilsen community hoping to provide a safe  and educational environment for children. The program has grown tremendously since first starting at a local church basement. 

I was fortunate enough to visit the organization and speak with El Hogar Del Nino managing director Rosaura Arellano. Arellano spoke about current program operations, the various services the organization offers, and how they are keeping true to the program's original mission:

“El Hogar del Nino lights the path for children and their families to reach their fullest potential in nurturing, culturally sensitive learning environments.”

When discussing the various services they offer, Arellano explained that although they're primarily known as a daycare, they have expanded to much more than that. 

El Hogar also has other early childhood courses and programs such as tutoring, social work, and a home visit program that allows families in the neighborhood to receive assistance with applying for medical care, mental health services and other resources available to them. 

The program is also in partnership with other locals such as City Colleges of Chicago and University of Illinois medicine. Although the organization is state funded, these partnerships have helped create many networking opportunities for both their own programs and bigger corporations to help branch out smaller organizations. 

Arellano pointed out that organizations need to "have commitment and love, strive for a healthy community, and family life," when it comes to being involved with their communities.  

El Hogar is very involved in the community, as they take part in various social events in the neighborhood such as the day of the dead and Mexican independence day parades. 

It's important that other communities provide a community center or organization such as El Hogar Del Nino. The first five years of a child's life are so important and while speaking to Ms. Angelica Hernandez, a Pre- K teacher who has been with the organization for eighteen years, she said,  “Children need mirrors in a community , to provide children a safe educational program and to have a place to feel at home where they feel their value. When provided a safe space, they learn to trust and advocate for themselves.”