CHATHAM — Lace up your gym shoes, bring your insurance questions and grab a neighbor, family member or friend: Block Club Chicago is hosting our South Side Health & Wellness Fest in just a few weeks, and you’re invited.

On Saturday, Nov. 7 at Shine Bright Community Center, 8560 S. Cottage Grove in Chatham, Block Club Chicago and more than 25 community partners will convene a day of resources, care and community spirit in service of our neighbors across the South Side.

The event is free and open to the public, and we encourage advance registration here. 

Following decades of disinvestment, Chicago’s South Side is challenged by wide health equity gaps leading to shorter life spans and lower quality of life. But it doesn’t have to stay this way.

Our South Side reporters constantly chronicle efforts by community members to build more health and wellness resources in their neighborhoods. And now, we want to get them — and you — together to celebrate. 

The event kicks off at 9 a.m. with a fun run/community walk with various distances and pace groups, led by Read & Run Chicago and Chicago Run around the Chatham neighborhood. Joabe Barbosa — the newly minted Guinness World Record holder for running on every single block in the city and gaining popularity on social media for his debunking of negative narratives of the South and West sides — will be on hand to get the fest started. 

South Side Sweats and Mycala Smith will lead free low- and high-impact exercise classes, and community healer Pilar Audain will offer two guided meditation sessions. 

From 10 a.m.-3 p.m., attendees can visit dozens of community partners to get their blood pressure tested, receive a cardiac ultrasound, review their options for insurance (including Medicaid and Medicare), learn about mental and behavioral health resources, pick up free dental items, meet local midwives, experience a free chair massage and more.

At noon, we will provide a free meal to up to 250 attendees. Juice and tea vendors will have samples for people to explore their products. And Chicago’s own Bubble Lady may make an appearance with her joyful bubble machine. 

All that we’re missing is you! Register for free today. 

Explore our full list of community partners below. We’re glad to welcome Rush University Medical Center and the Chicago Vein Institute as sponsors. Please reach out to christine@blockclubchi.org if you’d like to support this event. 

Healthcare & Insurance Partners

Northwestern Medicine – cardiac ultrasounds, blood pressure screenings

Rush University Medical Center

Heartland Alliance Health dental team

Cook County Health

South Side Healthy Community Organization

Lurie Children’s

Near North Health

Mental & Behavioral Health

Sinai

Trilogy

Dabney Behavioral Health

Pilar Audain – guided meditation sessions

Grocery & Food 

Southside Market co-op

Go Green Community Fresh Market

Maternal Care

Black Midwifery Collective

YWCA

Community Workout Groups

South Side Sweats

Mycala Smith 

Read & Run Chicago

Chicago Run

Joabe Barbosa – the first person to run on every single block in Chicago, per the Guinness Book of World Records

Others

Self Help Federal Credit Union

Alzheimer’s Association

Chicago Police Department Office of Victim Services

Blood Cancer United

Gift of Hope organ donation network

Chicago Spine and Joint Care – chair massages

Chicago Vein Institute

Vendors 

Jada Juice

Conscious Market – vegan food

Sippin’ with Sam

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