History & Mission

The mission of Ada S. McKinley Community Services, Inc. is to empower, educate, and employ people to change lives and strengthen communities.

The agency was founded in 1919 by its namesake — a visionary school teacher and social reformer who invested all her time and personal resources to serve African American World War I veterans and support southern families fleeing to Chicago during the Great Migration. For over a century, Ada S. McKinley Community Services, Inc. has been a pillar of support for families and communities, primarily on Chicago’s South side.

Now in its 106th year of service, Ada S. McKinley is one the largest, most respected and impactful health care, education, and human service social enterprises in the Midwest. The agency serves more than 10,000 individuals annually at over 70 locations in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin through vital services that fall under the umbrella of child development and youth, employment and community support, and behavioral health and clinical.