For over 70 years, the Salvation Army Freedom Center has served the needs of people living in the greater Chicago area. Previously operating out of a dilapidated building, the Freedom Center recently relocated to Chicago’s west side Humboldt Park neighborhood. Cinnaire has invested $9M in New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) to help finance the brand new, 188,000 sq. ft. facility. The three interconnected buildings allow the Salvation Army to serve nearly 25,000 people a year.
The Freedom Center is home to the Harbor Light Center, one of the Salvation Army’s largest substance abuse recovery programs in the United States. For over 70 years, they have provided comprehensive, specialized services to persons seeking to overcome the disease of substance and alcohol abuse.
Pathway Forward, the Freedom Center’s residential work-release program, helps men and women who have been imprisoned successfully re-enter society. Pathway not only provides valuable services to those individuals but also benefits society by reducing crime and preventing recidivism. The program provides residential, social, and vocational programming for up to 210 men and women.
The Harbor Lights Corps Community Center features a chapel, computer lab, and a gymnasium. The center provides a space for the community to gather, worship, and enjoy recreational activities together. The Corps Center serves as a gateway to many Salvation Army programs, such as feeding families, emergency assistance, and job training programs.
The Freedom Center is also the base of operations for the Salvation Army’s outreach ministry – Mobile Feeding and Mobile Outreach. Every day, the mobile feeding unit makes 24 stops throughout Chicago, providing hot meals for homeless men, women, and children. The mobile outreach teams provide emergency transportation to shelters, enrollment in Salvation Army programs, or referral to services needed, such as medical care.