Greater Chicago-Northwest Indiana

Our Community

A Teach For America teacher leading a classroom of young students.

Join a community of hundreds of corps members and alumni working to give students the opportunity to live a life of their choosing.

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A big city with Midwestern friendliness, Chicago will never cease to surprise you. Chicago has long been a prominent destination for people looking for new opportunities, both from within the United States and abroad. The city exemplifies this history through its 77 distinctive neighborhoods, which are shaped by traditions brought from countries across the globe. Though it has all of the benefits of a major metropolis—an extensive public transit system, phenomenal theaters and museums, beautiful public parks—Chicago's neighborhoods, and the communities built within them, are the heart and soul of the city.

Northwest Indiana North Chicago provide corps members with the opportunity to be a part of a small, tight-knit community within the context of a large, urban region. In Northwest Indiana, we place corps members in Gary, a city of 80,000 residents. North Chicago, in Northern Illinois, is a city of 30,000 residents.

These communities in Chicago, North Chicago, and Northwest Indiana are deeply engaged in local politics and policy. Parents advocate for their students, teachers push politicians on issues of access and equity, and students make their voices heard. This dedication and passion has resulted in incredible progress for local school districts. Chicago is now the fastest improving urban school district in the country, but there is still much work to be done. Both within and outside of the classroom, there are countless opportunities for corps members looking to make a difference.

76%

CPS freshmen who say they want to graduate from college

18%

CPS students who earn a bachelor’s degree

“Something that’s been instrumental to VOCEL’s success is continuing to be connected to a growing alumni base of people who are committed to doing what’s best for children, and also being really innovative and urgent about getting there.”

Jesse Ilhardt

Co-Founder and Director of Programs, VOCEL

Neighborhood Highlights

Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, and you’ll never run out of different destinations to explore—whether you’re looking for your new favorite book store, your new favorite deep dish joint, or if you’re just on the hunt for the next Tina Fey/Amy Poehler duo. We’re pretty confident no matter how much time you spend here, you’ll never run out of things to do (some of them may even be free).

Our Regional Partners

We value our partnerships with local schools, districts, universities, businesses, and other organizations. Our partners play a critical role in creating opportunities for children in our communities.