Our History

Northside Community Resources was founded in 1952 as the Rogers Park Community Council (RPCC) when neighbors joined together to stop the private development of the lakefront area. A small, committed group of people banded together and formed a corporation that worked with neighbors to resolve community problems. RPCC's first "win" was to motivate the City of Chicago to purchase a total of 13 street-end beaches. These beach areas were to be used as public lands, as they remain today.

After this initial success, RPCC directed its energies to preserving and improving neighborhood housing. In 1971, RPCC established the Housing Resource Center in order to monitor the quality of existing housing stock and advocate for responsible development.

Soon afterward, the Community Awareness and Pride Program was established as the organizing arm of RPCC, helping to stage demonstrative actions and formulating plans for the future development of Rogers Park. Over the years, RPCC has taken public stands on issues of zoning, recreational land use, and open housing. In 1990, we led a citywide coalition that improved procedures for issuing and renewing liquor licenses. In 1993, we were a leader in the effort to bring community policing to Rogers Park, organized the Rogers Park Block Organization Network.

In 1985, RPCC established the Victim Advocacy & Support Program (VASP) to assist survivors of all violent crime. Over the years, VASP evolved to become a key resource for victims of domestic violence across the city.  At the end of 2014, NCR conducted a reorganization and transitioned this program over to Between Friends, a local domestic violence service agency which specializes in serving survivors of domestic violence. 

In 1987 came RPCC's Youth Intervention Program, which mobilized community members around issues of gang violence and advocated for children and teens at risk of falling under gang influence. In 1995, we facilitated the founding of the 24th District Youth Network to coordinate comprehensive youth services and after-school programming. The Youth Network served youth until 2009, when funding shortages necessitated the program's closing.
 
In 1993, the Rogers Park Home Repair Program was established to assist senior and disabled residents with home repairs and modifications. The program still exists today under the banner of SARFS: Small Accessibility Repairs for Seniors.

Three years later, RPCC ventured into the domain of journalism with the Rogers Park 2000. This free newspaper was published quarterly until 2010, when costs became too prohibitive to continue production. Rogers Park residents now stay abreast of community developments via a host of electronic and social media outlets localized to the neighborhood.

In January 1997, the RPCC established a new subsidiary corporation, the Rogers Park Community Development Corporation (RPCDC).

The most recent addition to our spate of programs is the Multicultural Resource Program, which provides our immigrant and refugee neighbors with benefits assistance; culturally sensitive advocacy, and direct referrals to educational resources.

Today, our housing, seniors and immigrant services programming reflects a diverse client base, with needs that are equally diverse. As our reach now extends beyond the borders of Rogers Park, we renamed the organization Northside Community Resources in March of 2012. Under this new banner, we are re-committed to serving the people of our city's great north-side communities.