For supporters
Fifteen apartments. One building. The hard part is already done.
At the back of our campus stands a 14,000 square foot former convent, three and a half stories, built in 1875. It is ours — owned outright, no mortgage, no debt. We are turning it into fifteen apartments for mothers and their children, with space for the programs that go with them.
Supporters have already carried this a long way. The design is finished. General contractors have walked the building and priced the work. About $350,000 has gone into pre-development. What is left is the construction itself.
Where the money goes
| Phase | What it covers | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Planning | Architects, permits, legal, contractor selection | $350,000 — substantially complete |
| Construction | Fifteen apartments, offices, program space, security, parking | $5,500,000 |
| Preparation | Hiring and training staff, programming, policies, furnishings | $400,000 |
| Operation | Annual running cost once the home is full | $500,000 per year |
Our current campaign is for the $5.5 million construction phase. Construction begins when the funding is secured.
The drawings
These are the architect’s plans for the building — not a sketch of what we hope to do, but the drawings the contractors priced. Every apartment, stair and service run on these sheets has a number attached to it. Click any sheet to open it full size.
Concept sheet
Ground
First floor
Second floor
Third floor
Basement
Roof
What we have proved so far
We did not wait for the building to start the work.
Our pilot opened in June 2026 in an apartment on the same campus. A mother lives there now. Our program director, Lori Lorgeree — a single mom herself and a trained, experienced caseworker who works with other mothers — runs it.
The pilot is how we learn to run fifteen apartments well. It also means your gift is not a bet on an idea. The model is running.
The building
The building we are renovating is 5522 S. LaSalle St., at the back of the former St. Anne's parish campus — renamed St. Charles Lwanga in 1971 and designated a Black Catholic church. Chicago City Life Center bought the campus after it closed in 1990 and has been restoring it since. The auditorium became a church and outreach center. The rectory became staff housing and now holds our pilot. A preschool for children from six weeks to five years runs across the street.
The Life House is the last building on the campus, and the last piece of a thirty-year restoration.
The Garfield Red Line station is across the street, buses run in front of the property, and the Dan Ryan is minutes away — which matters enormously to a mother without a car who needs to get to work, to class or to a doctor.
Clearing the building, 2022
Volunteers inside the shell
How to help
- Give — one time or monthly. Monthly giving is what lets us plan.
- Introduce us — to a foundation, a parish, a business or a family that funds construction. Most of what we have raised came through someone who knew someone.
- Bring your trade — if you work in construction, real estate, law or healthcare, tell us. Walk the building with us, look over a contract, or help us price a piece of the work.