The Wrightwood Neighbors Association (WNA) is a community group of neighbors and businesses working together to help improve our Lincoln Park neighborhood in Chicago, IL. We are an an all volunteer community group for all people living in the area bounded by Halsted and Fullerton, and Lakewood and Diversey.
IRS Determination letter and recent Form 990’s.
Please send any questions or inquiries to wrightwoodneighbors@gmail.com
Founded in 1962, and interchangeably known as the Wrightwood Neighbors Conservation Association [see bylaws] by neighborhood residents, the organization has done exactly that for decades. Some of Wrightwood Neighbors achievements include:
- Spearheaded the creation of Jonquil Park on a site that had been a cable car barn for more than 70 years. Jonquil Park has since become the center of the neighborhood for recreation and play.
- Continued to improve and maintain Jonquil Park, including helping fund creation of the Eagle Columns sculpture, re-sodding the field, replacing fencing, and creating a new playground with state-of-the-art surfaces and equipment, including a unique water feature. Wrightwood Neighbors provided funds to improve Supera Playlot as well.
- Led the creation of the first dog park in the city of Chicago, providing all funding for what became known as Wiggly Field in 1997. For the 23 years since then, Wrightwood Neighbors has continued to fund Wiggly Field’s upkeep, including a renovation in 2013.
- Puts on events that bring the community together, such as Movies in the Park, annual Easter egg hunt, holiday rides, Halloween events, music events, and more.
- Hosts open meetings that served as a forum for constructive discussion on important community issues, including crime, quality of life, and zoning issues (among many others), and allowed numerous local, state, and federal elected officials to address the community directly.
In addition, largely as a result of funds raised from our signature annual event, Taste of Lincoln Avenue, Wrightwood Neighbors has donated tens of thousands of dollars each year—and more than $1.3 million since 2009—to community organizations. These grants have benefited more than 40 different groups, such as:
- Neighborhood public schools, including Alcott, Agassiz, Mayer and Lincoln Park High, which used funds for drama, music, the arts, and libraries (one of which is named after Wrightwood Neighbors);
- Cultural institutions, including Victory Gardens Theater, Lookingglass Theatre, Joel Hall Dance Center, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Rochelle Lee/Boundless Readers/WITS, and Chicago Children’s Film Festival, among others;
- Local District Police Christmas programs, local fire house, and the Lincoln Park library;
- Human services organizations, including Lakeview Pantry, Dignity Diner, Edith Spurlock Sampson Apartments, Lincoln Park Community Shelter, Christopher House, and Lincoln Park Village/The Village: Chicago.
This is just a sample of the great work that Wrightwood Neighbors has done over the years.