CYC has served the North Lawndale community since our founding in 1956, when our co-founder Sidney Epstein fought to save a North Lawndale youth club on the brink of closing. He started CYC to transform the lives of vulnerable children by providing them with a path toward upward mobility. In 2016, we renamed the Center in his honor. It is now the CYC-Sidney Epstein Youth Center (formerly CYC-ABC Polk Bros. Youth Center).

CYC-Sidney Epstein Youth Center is an epicenter for learning, with a cutting-edge Maker Lab, nationally-recognized community garden, computer labs, expertly-staffed classrooms, a fully-equipped gymnasium, and more. Each year, this Center serves more than 200 children in the North Lawndale community and helps them realize their potential and pursue success.

Serving Ages: 3-18 years

North Lawndale

From Benny Goodman, the "King of Swing," to Martin Luther King, Jr., North Lawndale is a community built upon some of the most significant historical contributions to Chicago. With roots stretching back to 1869, this area just four miles west of the Loop was carved out of a Midwest prairie landscape and populated with gray-stone homes that would become known as a Chicago architectural trademark. Between then and now, the neighborhood has served as the Midwest capital for 25 percent of the world’s Jewish population, the Route 66 hot spot, the national headquarters for Sears, Roebuck and Co., and the Chicago home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Today, North Lawndale suffers from high rates of violence and deep poverty, but its leaders are committed to creating change. CYC is proud to be part of this ongoing movement by North Lawndale community leaders, residents, and organizations to revitalize the neighborhood and invest in its future.

Contact

CYC - Sidney Epstein Youth Center
3415 W. 13th Place
Chicago, IL 60623
(773) 762-5655

Clarence Hogan
Center Director
clarence.hogan@chicagoyouthcenters.org

Tanya Staggers
Early Learning Child Care Director
tanya.staggers@chicagoyouthcenters.org