Community is a special word in Lawndale. We believe in community. We love our community. Our whole philosophy is rooted in community. And when it comes to health, we believe community cannot be separated from the individual; that God has called our community to holiness, to beauty, to creativity, to wholeness, to health. This is our mission – our high calling.

Lawndale Christian Health Center was founded in North Lawndale almost 40 years ago. In the decades since, that work has extended to the surrounding neighborhoods of South Lawndale (aka Little Village or La Villita), East and West Garfield Park, Archer Heights, and homeless shelters throughout Chicago.

Annexed to the city of Chicago in the late nineteenth century, North Lawndale has transformed multiple times over the decades. Originally a settlement along a French and Indian portage trail, it later became the heart of Jewish Chicago, and a major industrial corridor with the headquarters for Sears and Roebuck, and nearby factories for International Harvester and Western Electric. African Americans became a majority of the population by the 1960s, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lived in Lawndale for a time to draw attention to discriminatory housing practices. In the decades since, Lawndale has seen periods of revitalization and decline.

South Lawndale and our other neighborhoods have their own unique stories, with generations of Bohemians, Poles, Mexicans and other groups establishing themselves in particular neighborhoods as their numbers grew in Chicago, and then moving elsewhere as the city expanded.

A more detailed history of the health center and our neighborhood can be found here, but of course, community is best appreciated in person. We invite you to connect with us.

Lawndale Christian Health Center

Lawndale Christian Health Center (LCHC) is a faith-based, non-profit community health center on the West Side of Chicago and the sponsoring institution of the Lawndale Christian Family Medicine Residency. The mission of LCHC is to show and share the love of Jesus by promoting wellness and providing quality, affordable healthcare for Lawndale and the neighboring communities.

Founded in 1984 to address the lack of affordable, quality health care services in their community, LCHC has grown to serve over 70,000 patients each year through holistic primary care and community health services. 

Through this work, our team carries out LCHC’s calling — loving God and loving people. To learn more about LCHC and our history, check out our Annual Reports or visit www.Lawndale.org.

Made up of 77 unique neighborhoods, Chicago is brimming with life, diversity, and culture. Home to iconic architecture and world-class entertainment, you will also find warmth in handmade tamales sold on 26th Street, inspiration while cheering at a sporting event, and stillness in the Palm House at the Garfield Park Conservatory.

Chicago is a city that begs to be experienced with all the senses. You can swim, bike, and run along the lakefront or any of Chicago’s beautiful parks, soak in history and art at renowned museums, and enjoy cuisine from every corner of the world. In your time here, we hope you will come to know North & South Lawndale as your home and discover the many treasures this community holds.

There is so much to explore! For some ideas, check out Choose Chicago and TimeOut Chicago.