Yesterday, Impact staff and board members gathered with community stakeholders to officially break ground on a new 16-unit apartment building in downtown Skokie, IL. Attendees at the groundbreaking included State Senator Laura Fine, Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen, Skokie Chamber of Commerce CEO Howard Meyer, representatives from the Village of Skokie and Synergy Construction Group, Skokie Impact Board president Kathleen Gillespie, board member Renee Lanam, and members of Impact’s leadership team and staff.

Funding for the new building comes from the Illinois Housing and Development Authority (IHDA) and multinational digital infrastructure company Equinix, which has collaborated with Impact on the project since 2017. “Equinix has been part of this project from the beginning,” says Sujata Narayan, Equinix Director of Corporate Citizenship. “We are thrilled that this innovative public-private partnership will increase the availability of affordable housing and help Impact house even more at-risk individuals.”

The building in downtown Skokie will provide supportive housing for individuals living with disabilities. Additionally, the site is within walking distance to amenities including the library, shopping, and public transit. “We are incredibly grateful for the support of our funders and of the Skokie community,” says Patti Capouch, Impact’s Executive Director. “Downtown Skokie is a great location, and we know our residents will thrive here.”

Impact serves over 300 individuals with mental illness per year through its Housing, Clinical, and Employment services throughout Chicago and its northern suburbs, with a steady increase in the number of participants served every year. Furthermore, all of Impact’s participants are low-income and the majority struggle with homelessness and housing insecurity. The new apartment building will address a critical need in the community for affordable, long-term housing for a vulnerable population.