Taste of Community

PCC Community Wellness Center,
Austin

PCC Community Wellness Center,
Austin 

Overview

Taste of Community Programs

1. Chicago Botanic Garden,
Main Campus​

Community Stories and Recipes

2. Faith in Place​

3. Garfield Park Conservatory

4. Little Village Environmental Justice Organization​

5. National Museum of Mexican Art

6. Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association​

7. PCC Austin Family Health Center​

8. Chicago Botanic Garden,
Farm on Ogden Campus

PCC Community Wellness Center has long been a cornerstone of healthcare on Chicago’s West Side and in surrounding suburbs, delivering high-quality, accessible care to all—regardless of ability to pay. 

Last fall, PCC opened a new clinic at the site of the PCC Austin Farm, a collaboration with the Chicago Botanic Garden. This state-of-the-art facility features 24 exam rooms, behavioral health services, and the Assisted Recovery Care program. In a bold step toward whole-person care, PCC also introduced a Wellness Wing, which includes a fitness room, a classroom, and a teaching kitchen.

As exciting as this new addition is, PCC recognized that meaningful programming must reflect the voices of the community. To that end, we hosted Food + Nature + Culture, a special evening designed to listen deeply to the people we serve. Held in the Wellness Wing and catered by Chef Mychael Bonner of CMB Catering, the event brought together community members, PCC board and staff, Chicago Botanic Garden partners, and members of the Community Advisory Council.

The evening began with a powerful welcome from community resident Antonio Daniels, who shared the rich history of the Austin neighborhood to ground us in a shared understanding of where we’ve come from. A tour of the Wellness Wing followed, after which representatives from Austin Coming Together spoke about the Austin Quality of Life Plan and the Austin Eats initiative, offering a snapshot of the ongoing work around food justice in our neighborhood.

Over dessert, each table was invited to imagine the future. Through thoughtful conversations, ideas poured out—line dancing classes, yoga, cooking demonstrations, financial literacy workshops, and more. It was a night of inspiration, connection, and community-led visioning.

Like so many moments shared around a good meal, this evening reminded us of the power of coming together. We dreamed together—for the future of this space, for the health of our community, and for the wellness of our city.