Neighborhood Network Initiative

United Way of Metro Chicago is improving the lives of millions of people throughout Chicagoland.

For more than 80 years they’ve fought for the health, education, financial stability and safety of individuals and families throughout the region. Through corporate partnerships with leading businesses and individual donations by thousands of everyday people, United Way of Metro Chicago invests millions of dollars into more than 200 local nonprofit organizations each year. Combined with their ability to mobilize thousands of community volunteers, UWMC is a powerful force for good.

With that level of influence comes the responsibility to deliver thoughtful and effective programming that yields measurable results. United Way’s Neighborhood Network Initiative is a region-wide strategy that helps neighborhoods solve their most pressing problems through community-specific initiatives. UWMC convenes community stakeholders to identify challenges that the collective group works toward solving. United Way of Metro Chicago then funds and guides the work of the Neighborhood Network to achieve its collective goal.

UWMC asked us to create a short film explaining what the Neighbor Network Initiative is and the impact it can have. We decided that the best way to explain the initiative as a whole was to focus on the story of one of the Neighborhood Networks. We chose to focus on the Austin Neighborhood and spent a few days with the Executive Director of Austin Coming Together, Darnell Shields. We were touched by the kindness and generosity of Austin’s residents, and inspired by their commitment to transform their community.  Additionally, we filmed all over Chicagoland, capturing footage of our beloved city and its residents.

United Way’s Neighborhood Network Initiative is a compelling vision for how community members and nonprofit organizations can join together to transform a neighborhood. We hope that this film helps spread this important idea and catalyzes a national conversation about how to approach community development.