Lurie Children’s signs on as a client of Fillmore Linen Service, a locally-owned industrial laundry facility in North Lawndale

Lurie Children’s is among the first clients of North Lawndale’s Fillmore Linen Service, a new locally-owned, industrial-scale healthcare laundry facility expected to process an estimated 30 million pounds of laundry annually. Our commitment to Fillmore Linen Service aligns with our anchor mission to advance economic vitality by redirecting procurement and investment to historically disinvested community areas. As Mary Kate Daly, Senior Vice President and Chief of Community Health Partnerships & Transformation at Lurie Children’s, highlights, "Economic investment is crucial not only for fostering local growth and stability but also for advancing health equity. When communities thrive economically, they gain better access to healthcare, nutrition, and other vital resources, leading to improved health outcomes for all residents."

The establishment of Fillmore Linen Service will create over 175 jobs. By prioritizing residents who live near the new facility for these jobs, it will help drive both economic growth and stability on Chicago’s West Side. This initiative will boost median income in the community by providing job opportunities with potential for skills advancement. Currently, 15 percent of North Lawndale’s adult population is unemployed, and the median income is $33,608. In contrast, Chicago’s Near North Side has a 3 percent unemployment rate and a median income of $118,408.

In addition to economic benefits for the community, partnering with Fillmore Linen Service offers significant environmental advantages and cost savings for the hospital. Fillmore Linen Service's local operations will significantly reduce transportation costs and environmental impact, while ensuring quicker turnaround times and supporting the local economy. The facility's state-of-the-art equipment, designed to reduce energy and water consumption, makes it an eco-friendly choice for healthcare linen services.

Fillmore Linen Service is located in the Fillmore Center, a previously vacant building in North Lawndale purchased by the Steans Family Foundation in 2022. It was created through a collaboration of partners, including the Steans Family Foundation, North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council, North Lawndale Employment Network, West Side United, Skills for Chicagoland’s Future, Chicago CRED, and UCAN.

To learn more about the Fillmore Linen Service and the Fillmore Center, visit www.fillmorelinenservice.com.