Center on Halsted

Center on Halsted is a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community center in Chicago, Illinois. It is the largest LGBT community center in the Midwest with more than 1,000 people walking through its doors every day.

The Center is located in the neighborhood of Lakeview, Chicago on the corner of Halsted and Waveland. It is open every day from 8am to 9pm. Patrons participate in the diverse public programs and social services offered at Center on Halsted - ranging from volleyball and cooking classes to rapid HIV testing and group therapy.

In 1973, Gay Horizons was established by a group of volunteers. Over time, the organization evolved and changed its name to Horizons Community Services, becoming a comprehensive LGBT social services agency. In 2003, Horizons Community Services was renamed Center on Halsted. The core programming of Horizons Community Services remained while new services were envisioned and realized.

After a $20 million capital campaign involving 2,000 donors, Center on Halsted opened its 175,000 sq. ft. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified building in 2007 with Whole Foods as an anchor tenant and two levels of underground parking. A major contributor was Miriam Hoover (of The Hoover Company) who donated $1 million.

Major funding for the center came through private/corporate donations, with additional funding and support from the City of Chicago. The support of Chicago’s then-Mayor was recognized by the construction of the Richard M. Daley Rooftop Garden.

Center on Halsted develops and hosts an array of public programs open to the public that provide fun, educational and enlightening opportunities for members of the LGBT community and allies. These include:

Center on Halsted works with city and state governments and an array of local providers to provide comprehensive social services to LGBT and ally community members in need including:

The Center works in collaboration with other Chicago nonprofits. Collaborators in the past have included the Museum of Contemporary Art, After School Matters, The Chicago Historical Society, The University of Chicago, The Chicago Architecture Foundation, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Garfield Park Conservatory, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Chicago Cubs.

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