In Brighton Park—a community on Chicago’s southwest side—access to healthcare had long been a major challenge. For years, residents struggled to find quality care nearby, often traveling across the city just to see a doctor.

That began to change in 2017, when Esperanza Health Centers identified three acres of land and envisioned building a comprehensive health center to serve the neighborhood’s needs.

Turning that vision into reality wasn’t easy. Esperanza didn’t own any buildings at the time, leaving them with little collateral to secure traditional financing.

That’s where RDF stepped in. We partnered with Esperanza to secure affordable capital, leveraging New Markets Tax Credits to help fill the gap where other lenders couldn’t.

By 2019, the first phase was complete: a modern facility with 30 exam rooms, a full-service pharmacy, and partnerships with social service providers. The response was immediate. Within a year, the space had reached full capacity—clear proof of the community’s need for local, quality healthcare.

RDF continued to support the effort, providing additional financing for a major expansion. The second phase added 36 exam rooms, a café, a senior center, a community garden, and a playground—all part of a holistic vision for health and wellness.

Today, Esperanza serves more than 62,000 patients annually with a team of over 100 physicians and nurse practitioners. A new family medicine residency program is now training the next generation of healthcare providers. And with a sliding-fee scale in place, no one is turned away because of financial hardship.

At RDF, we believe that healthcare is about more than treatment. It’s about building trust, providing support, and investing in the overall wellbeing of communities.