Since 1997, PODER’s objective has been to empower Spanish-speaking adult immigrants to create successful and fulfilling new lives in the United States. Through a deep commitment to the needs of the immigrant communities, PODER provides critical societal and workforce integration services with both immediate and long-term impacts for families, communities, and employers throughout the City of Chicago. Originally based in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, PODER discovered Chicago’s Latino community was moving out of Pilsen to communities further southwest.
Following the communities it serves, PODER’s headquarters, community center, and plaza was fully built in 2023 on Chicago’s Southwest Side, in Gage Park. It repurposes a former 1930s City of Chicago Bureau of Electricity facility, with the renovation designed by Chicago-based architecture firm FGP Atelier.
PODER empowers individuals with the necessary academic tools to promote human dignity, increase employment potential, and facilitate participation in the larger community.
