United Power is a non-partisan community organization composed of 40 religious congregations, not-for-profit groups, hospitals, health centers and civic organizations from across Cook County. Our volunteer leaders are our backbone; they are concerned citizens who consult with neighbors, shape goals and strategy to address pressing social problems and pressure people in power to seek positive, creative solutions.

United Power leaders, Loree Woodley and Nick Brunick were recently featured in a video about The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD).  United Power received a 2013 CCHD grant to support our work to create housing for people with disabilities. Click here to see the full video.

Our member organizations represent over 250,000 people —families, people of a variety of faiths, participants in secular community organizations — who live and work in the City of Chicago and the Cook County suburbs. We capitalize on the power of our diverse member organizations to work on common goals.

Since 1997, United Power has mobilized to achieve a range of victories for the common good.

• Nearly 900,000 Illinois residents gained access to health care because of our work to create and expand Kid Care and Family Care.
• Young Illinois adults are able to be covered by their parents insurance (now a national model).
• We helped secure $145 million in new state funding for affordable housing—a first for the state of Illinois.

We are part of the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) —the first and largest coalition of multi-faith organizations in the U.S.— with seven decades of experience winning tough battles across the country. Our Baltimore affiliate (BUILD) won the nation’s first living wage law and our Massachusetts counterpart (GBIO) helped create that state’s universal health care program.

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