Healthcare Anchor Network members Rush University System for Health and West Side United are being recognized for their role in addressing the persistent “death gap” between Chicago’s West Side and more affluent parts of the city. West Side United is an anchor collaborative that includes Rush University System for Health, Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, and Ascension, among other partners working to improve health outcomes by strengthening economic opportunity.
One initiative highlighted is the Sankofa Village Wellness Center, a more than $40 million community driven project on the West Side. Scheduled to open in the spring, the center will offer health care and wellness services, before and after school programming, and a new credit union designed to support residents’ economic security and mobility. The project is expected to create quality jobs in the neighborhood and reflects a holistic approach to health that connects medical care with education, financial stability, and community wellbeing. Community leaders and organizations, including West Side United, played a central role in shaping and advancing the center.
As reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, Dr. David Ansell of Rush University Medical Center has long witnessed how economic conditions contribute directly to poorer health outcomes on the West Side. “The lack of wealth translates into the lack of health,” he said, underscoring the connection between economic disadvantage and earlier mortality. The work has also drawn international attention. West Side United Executive Director Ayesha Jaco, who grew up in East Garfield Park, described the effort as deeply personal, shaped by her own family’s experience with preventable illness and loss.
Together, these efforts demonstrate how anchor institutions and community collaboratives can address health inequities at their roots. By investing in economic security, local infrastructure, and community led solutions, health systems can play a meaningful role in closing life expectancy gaps and building healthier futures.