Welcome to Benton House! Founded in 1907, serving the near South Side of Chicago, our purpose is to enrich the quality of life of both the individual residents and the neighborhood as a whole.  We exist to promote the stability, economic vitality and cultural growth of the community we serve.  We strive to provide an integrated, comprehensive array of individual social services to improve the health, educational, social, recreational, and cultural opportunities for individuals and their families.

Look for big changes in 2009 as our organization grows and continues to serve the community.  You can look forward to:

• an Organic Community Food Garden coming this summer!  This garden will not only be feeding our community, but will be a space for our youth and seniors to connect, to learn and to grow.
• our new Lifelong Learning program which will offer variety of classes including arts, recreation, job skills, parenting, toddler classes and more!
• a newly remodeled dining area for our seniors’ Golden Diners program!
• the new and improved Benton House Food Pantry!
• neighborhood concerts on our new Hope Garden outdoor stage!
• an independent music festival hosted by the teens in our Sound Alternative job training program!
• a new look and feel to our ARTPORT after school program!
• … and behind the scenes we are creating a new volunteer network to sustain all of these exciting initiatives!  WE NEED YOU!  Please contact our volunteer coordinator, Sophia Kortchmar, at bhkortchmar@gmail.com to get involved!

Benton House is located at 3052 S. Gratten, Chicago, IL 60608.  We are located one block east of Loomis, between Archer Avenue and 31st Street. Our phone number is 773-927-6420.

The Benton House Team:

Mark Lennon, Executive Director

mark@bentonhouse.org

Angela Rojas, Director of Programs/Artist in Residence

angela@bentonhouse.org

Ben Noetzel, Engineer/Artist In Residence

bnoetzel@gmail.com

Sophia Kortchmar, Volunteer Coordination Intern

bhkortchmar@gmail.com