MISSION & FOCUS

Mission Statement

Our mission? To bring together residents with businesses, officials, and relevant agencies and develop practical, positive, and productive ways to improve our area for all who live, play, learn, and do business here.

Committees

See something that piques your interest? Let us know how you’d like to take part in these efforts.

  • Beautification & Better Streets
  • Business Preservation & Development
  • Schools & Parks
  • Events
  • Social Connections

Organizational Activities & Programs: Current & Future Plans

Business support efforts:

  • Our Block Star Business program recognizes responsible area merchants who keep storefronts tidy and set a good example for others. We crowdsource nominations and votes and give these businesses a promotions bump and a hearty thank you.
  • In addition, we also raise awareness about zoning proposals within our service area and invite entrepreneurs to make their case at our public meetings.
  • We work to identify gaps in our community’s commercial landscape and connect existing business owners with information to improve their market position, as well as engage entrepreneurs from outside the area to consider Albany Park.

Community Education:

  • We aim to connect residents with timely information about events in and news about our community through daily and monthly communications tools.
  • We have a vibrant social-media presence on Facebook with nearly 700 members where we post on topics ranging from lost pets to local school council elections to art openings. In our monthly newsletter distributed via email and hosted on our website, we disseminate additional information, such as dates of CAPS meetings, park advisory council meetings, and more.
  • We’ve collaborated with other area groups to present fora for candidates and elected officials, to increase political engagement in our neighborhood. (Note: we do not endorse any candidates.)
  • We’ve crowdsourced informational guides, such as a dining and grocery shopping guide, which we’ve shared online and on our Facebook page. In addition to these crowdsourced guides, we’ve also developed a resources section with info on community policing, schools, entertainment outlets and more, all within the Albany Park community. We would prefer to print and distribute these in multiple languages.

Clean-Ups and Beautification:

  • Our group organizes regular neighborhood clean ups and litter-abatement efforts. We also extend these opportunities to school groups, such as Roosevelt HIgh School’s BuildON team, for service-learning hours
  • We have also distributed information on how to keep litter at bay to local stores.
  • We plan to work with seasoned arts groups to install and maintain murals and other beautification tools in high-impact locations, such as common spots for graffiti, planters, and more.

Neighborhood Connection:

  • We hold events that help neighbors meet other neighbors. Our annual meet and greet is a casual affair held at a local restaurant where we get to know one another while sourcing ideas for how to improve the neighborhood and recruit resourceful neighbors.
  • Albany Park Neighbors has also organized corner positive-loitering events to combat crime in high-incident areas.
  • We plan to hold more casual gatherings in restaurants and bars this year, to drive traffic to local businesses but also provide more chances to meet neighbors.