In the heart of West Garfield Park, where residents face one of Chicago’s starkest life expectancy gaps, a transformative vision is taking shape. The Sankofa Wellness Village represents more than just new construction — it embodies a community’s determination to rewrite its narrative and reclaim its future.
Confronting the Statistics
The numbers paint a sobering picture. West Garfield Park residents have a life expectancy of just 69 years, creating a dramatic 16-year gap with Loop residents who live to an average age of 85.
This disparity isn’t just a statistic; it represents decades of systemic disinvestment that have left communities like West Garfield Park struggling with limited access to healthcare, healthy food options, and economic opportunities. The broader context reveals that Chicago’s health disparities are among the nation’s most severe, with some neighborhoods separated by just nine miles showing a 30-year life expectancy difference.
The Birth of Sankofa
The Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative (GPRWC) emerged from this stark reality with a clear mission: to improve the health, wellness, and quality of life for residents of Garfield Park.
The name “Sankofa,” derived from an Akan concept meaning “to retrieve” or “to go back and get it,” perfectly captures the project’s essence — honoring the community’s past while building toward a healthier future.
The Sankofa Wellness Village consists of interconnected capital and social investments along the Madison/Pulaski commercial corridor. This walkable village will create unprecedented access to health, wellness, and recreation services, alongside finance, entrepreneurship support, business development, healthy food options, and the arts. The development connects the Madison-Pulaski corridor with other investments, including the Garfield Park Community Plaza and Outdoor Roller Rink, creating a comprehensive ecosystem of community resources.
Historic Significance
What makes the Sankofa Wellness Village particularly remarkable is its place in history. This development represents the first major new construction in West Garfield Park since the late 1960s, when the last significant buildings were erected in the area. For nearly six decades, the community has watched as other neighborhoods grew and flourished while it remained largely overlooked by major development initiatives.
The historical context deepens the significance. West Garfield Park’s story mirrors that of many urban communities that experienced white flight, disinvestment, and the challenges of urban renewal policies. After thriving as a diverse, middle-class neighborhood in the early to mid-20th century, the area faced decades of decline. The Sankofa Wellness Village marks a pivotal moment, not just as new construction, but as a symbol of renewal and community-driven investment.
A Comprehensive Vision
The Village encompasses several key components, each designed to address specific community needs.
The Sankofa Village Wellness Center will serve as the anchor facility. This center represents the physical manifestation of the community’s commitment to health and wellness, providing services that have been historically inaccessible to many residents.
The MAC (MAAFA and New Mount Pilgrim Church) will serve as headquarters for the MAAFA Redemption Project and function as a regional arts development and performance center. The center will provide cultural and educational opportunities that have been absent from the community for decades.
The “K” operates as a social innovation hub supporting the revitalization and financial well-being of West Garfield Park. It will support resident-owned businesses wanting to develop, own, and occupy real estate along the Madison-Pulaski Commercial Corridors. This facility addresses the critical need for economic development and entrepreneurship support.
The Westgate Community Grocer Initiative tackles food access directly, working to ensure that rehabilitated commercial spaces meet community needs while steering plans for new grocery options. This initiative addresses the food desert conditions that contribute to health disparities.
Community-Centered Development
What sets the Sankofa Wellness Village apart is its commitment to community-driven planning. The ongoing Quality of Life Plan process, which resumed in November 2024, ensures that residents’ voices shape the development. Through asset mapping, community narrative assessments, and extensive engagement sessions, the collaborative has created a planning process that honors existing community strengths while addressing identified needs.
The impressive list of funding partners — ncluding the Pritzker Traubert Family Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and numerous local foundations — demonstrates the broad support for this community-centered approach. However, the true strength lies in the resident leadership and community ownership of the vision.
Future Impact and Legacy
The Sankofa Wellness Village represents more than physical infrastructure; it embodies a community’s refusal to accept the status quo. By creating access to healthcare, wellness services, healthy food, economic opportunities, and cultural programming, the Village addresses multiple factors that contribute to health disparities.
The project’s impact extends beyond West Garfield Park. It serves as a model for community-driven development that prioritizes health equity and resident ownership. As the first major new construction in nearly six decades, it signals a new chapter for a community that has too long been defined by others’ narratives of decline.
The Sankofa Wellness Village stands as proof that with community vision, collaborative partnerships, and sustained commitment, even the most challenging health disparities can be addressed. It represents not just new buildings, but renewed hope — a tangible investment in the belief that every community deserves the opportunity to thrive.
For West Garfield Park residents, the Village offers something invaluable: the chance to “go back and get” the health, wellness, and prosperity that should have never been out of reach to begin with.
How to Help
The Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative works to improve the health, wellness, and quality of life for Garfield Park residents. You can support the Wellness Collaborative by donating to one of its founding organizations listed below or participating in one of its upcoming events.
Bethel New Life
Bobby E. Wright CBHC
The Community Builders
Garfield Park Community Council
Habilitative Systems, Inc.
The Institute for Nonviolence
The Leaders Network
MAAFA Redemption Project
Nation Builders Construction Group
New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church
Project Forward
Rush University Medical Center
United For A Better Living
West Side United
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