
July 16, 2025
2025 National Justice Convening
Chicago Beyond's National Justice Convening, a National Conversation on Holistic Safety in Corrections will be held on October 29-30, 2025 in Chicago. Thi
Read MoreWith widespread support, the South Side’s first birthing center is a year ahead of schedule on its fundraising. That gives its leaders more breathing room to plan and expand its birthing, maternity, reproductive and other health services, they said.
A project led by local women of color to bring sorely needed maternal services to the South Side just received millions in city funding to cover construction costs, which is expected to free up time and money to expand the birth center’s reach.
The Chicago South Side Birth Center, 8301 S. South Shore Drive, was awarded a $3.3 million Community Development Grant by the city on May 29.
The $7.7 million project will renovate the former Morning Star Bible Baptist Church into three birthing suites and a reproductive health clinic with culturally relevant midwifery care. It’s expected to be completed by next summer.
The city grant covers “literally all the [remaining] construction needs that we have,” according to founder and lead steward Jeanine Logan. It will be used on everything from plumbing and electrical repairs to environmental, concrete and landscape work, she told Block Club this week.
The birth center expected to finish fundraising for renovations by June 2026 and project leaders said the recent city grant puts the project a year ahead of its financial schedule.
“Because of the divine timing, we’re able to dream bigger [and] dream longer,” Lesley Kennedy, the center’s director of strategy and organizational development, said Tuesday. “Because this level of the fundraising feels more complete, it allows us to think longer-term on strategy, implementation and actually opening, which is really cool.”
July 16, 2025
Chicago Beyond's National Justice Convening, a National Conversation on Holistic Safety in Corrections will be held on October 29-30, 2025 in Chicago. Thi
Read MoreJuly 3, 2025
Soraya DosSantos received a three-year, unrestricted investment through Chicago Beyond’s Fellowship for Black Maternal Health, she can deepen her work, expand her vision, and continue raising awareness for the gaps in care many women and families are fa
Read MoreJune 17, 2025
Chicago Beyond, a national philanthropic organization that addresses systemic inequity by backing solutions led by those closest to the issues, hosted birth justice leaders as part of its Fellowship for Black Maternal Health in Chicago, IL.
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