The Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative (GPRWC)

The Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative (GPRWC) is a group of residents, faith-based and health care institutions, nonprofits and other stakeholders that work and live in Garfield Park.

We have come together to identify, promote and implement strategies to increase health and wellness in Garfield Park.

Our Mission

Cultivate Black Culture Wellness by addressing the spiritual, socioeconomic, political and physical needs of Garfield Park through engaged cooperative participation among all community residents and stakeholders.

Our Vision

GPRWC envisions a vibrant community and culture where legacy and future residents experience the highest quality of life.

Our Values

Respect
Unity
Self-Determination
Collective Work and Responsibility Cooperative Economics
Purpose
Creativity
Faith

GPRWC's Five (5) Core Focal Points:

Focus 1

Create and Implement a comprehensive, resident focused Quality of Life Plan for (West) Garfield Park.

Focus 2

Organize and facilitate large scale community participation in the planning and development of the (West) Garfield Park Sankofa Wellness Village.

Focus 3

Create and implement a Corridor Plan for the Madison and Pulaski Street Corridor.

Focus 4

Promote and reinforce healthy behavior change to enhance community health and individual wellness via the Rite To Wellness campaign.

Focus 5

Organize and implement a neighborhood activation plan to increase safety and community ownership.

Our Practice
Sankofa: Black Culture Wellness

Sankofa: An ancient, Ghanian Akan concept meaning “to move forward, we must first go back and recover the valuable things we’ve lost.”

Black Culture Wellness (BCW) states that the unique, authentic expression of the values and principles self-determined by the Black community will lend to the long term health and well-being of the Black community.

It involves the promotion and practice of life affirming values, principles, evidenced based elements and focused outcomes that celebrate the best of the Black community via our institutions, edifices, interactions, entertainment and expressions.

The Sankofa Wellness Village

Click here for more info

The Collaborative gazette is distributed in high traffic areas and on select blocks throughout Garfield Park.

We invite you to build with us in a way that serves the residents of Garfield Park in the best way possible.

We are actively recruiting individuals, organizations and other community stakeholders to become full partners in the Collaborative.

Join the Movement

Share your vision for West Garfield Park.

We need your help in creating a Quality of Life plan for (West) Garfield Park.

Click here to get involved!

Our Board of Collaborators:

Bethel New Life
Bobby E. Wright CBHC
The Community Builders
Garfield Park Community Council
Habilitative Systems, Inc.
Institute of Nonviolence
MAAFA Redemption Project
Nation Builders Construction Group
New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church
Project Forward
Rush University Medical Center
United for Better Living
West Side United
YMCA