The heart and soul of the Near Westside are the people who live and work here, as well as the organizations and businesses that serve the community, provide employment opportunities and bring life into the area.

For generations, the Near Westside has served as a melting pot and meeting place for people from all nationalities and backgrounds. The community of 8,400 residents today is even more diverse -- but as proud as ever. Creativity, passion and industriousness are a part of the neighborhood's fabric, and the Near Westside Initiative (NWSI) is serving to spotlight, enhance and nurture this spirit. Stop by St. Lucy's Church on a Sunday morning and you'll see it in full bloom. Show up at the Westside Family Reource Center's after-school program and you see it -- and the hope of a brighter future -- in the faces of the children. Attend one of the summertime soccer tournaments at Skiddy Park and you'll feel it, for sure. Listen to the voices of the people at places as diverse as the Huntington Family Center, Nojaim Brothers supermarket, The Welcome Inn, and you'll know this is a vibrant, passionate community.