The Campaign for the Children of Lawrence Hall
Action. Hope. Opportunity.

In more recent years, Lawrence Hall Youth Services has been seeing abused, neglected and special needs youth who have more severe psychological, behavioral, emotional and academic problems than children in years past. However, problems with our current facilities such as flooding, limited accessibility for people with disabilities, lack of therapeutic space and obsolete technology make it difficult for us to provide the level of care that our children need.

After careful planning, the Agency’s Board of Trustees, staff and community partners embarked on a strategic plan to redevelop its Campus and better address the needs of today’s troubled youngsters. The Campaign for the Children of Lawrence Hall, a $35M endeavor, will rebuild our aging facilities at our five-acre main campus located on Chicago’s northwest side. Central to our campaign is a new, technologically advanced Educational Center and state-of-the-art Residential Treatment Facility.

The new Residential Treatment Center’s distinctive architecture and design create a healing environment that is strengths based, outcomes driven and family focused. 

• Here, youth traumatized from past abuse and neglect are able to form attachments and bond with caring professionals while receiving support for their family connections.

• The 48 youth that live in the new Center, the 100 students enrolled in our Therapeutic Day School as well as their families utilize the Center’s highly specialized services to meet unique medical and therapeutic needs.

• Six upper floor apartment-style residences, appointed with calming colors and comfortable furnishings, offer a tranquil setting; each has eight private bedrooms; a computer workstation; an open kitchen; and dedicated space for individual, family and group therapy.

• The ground-floor Wellness Center and McCormick Tribune Medical Clinic, vocational culinary program, cafeteria, and communal dining hall foster a sense of community for our youth as they journey toward a proud productive adulthood.

Completion of the new Center marks the first of Lawrence Hall’s three-phased campus transformation project.