What is the Resource Center?

The Resource Center continues to build on its legacy of pioneering work in resource recovery. Our mission is to develop sustainable local solutions by making practical use of the resources at hand—both human and material—and cultivating the connections within society to restore value where it has been withdrawn from both the environment and the community.

The programs that have evolved over more than thirty years of resource recovery are wide and varied, yet specifically designed to meet the needs of as many neighborhoods as possible, across geographical and socio-economic barriers:

• Recycling—The Resource Center is the largest non-profit recycling organization in the Chicago area.
• Food Rescue—It is unique because we deliver foods fresh to the recipients without any lag time.
• Urban Agriculture—We grow food right here in the heart of Chicago. The best part is that what we make our own compost using food scraps from area restaurants.
• Creative ReUse—Imagine the possibilities, and you can make great things. The best part is, it doesn’t have to cost a whole lot.