Family Focus is a Chicago-based nonprofit dedicated to strengthening families and supporting children through early childhood education, family support services, and community-centered programming across Chicago and Northeast Illinois. With a deep commitment to equity, dignity, and access, Family Focus works alongside families to remove barriers, build stability, and create pathways for long-term opportunity. Their approach is rooted in meeting people where they are and ensuring families have the tools and resources they need to thrive.
That shared commitment came to life when the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) and Family Focus partnered to host their first suburban N-400 citizenship workshop in Aurora on January 17th, expanding access to critical immigration services beyond the city limits. The purpose of these workshops are to support eligible permanent residents through the naturalization process, provide accurate information, and reduce the fear, cost, and confusion that often stand in the way of citizenship. By offering hands-on assistance with N-400 applications, these workshops help community members take an important step toward full civic participation and stability for their families.
Hosting this workshop in Aurora marked an important step in widening the reach of citizenship support. Too often, immigration services are inaccessible for suburban families. By coming together, SWOP and Family Focus demonstrated what’s possible when organizations collaborate across geography—bringing trusted resources directly into the communities where people live and work.
Both organizations were energized by the response from community members and are excited about the possibility of hosting additional suburban workshops in the future. This collaboration complements SWOP’s ongoing monthly N-400 citizenship workshops at Instituto Del Progreso Latino, reinforcing a broader commitment to ensuring immigrant families have consistent, welcoming, and reliable access to legal pathways and community support. Together, SWOP and Family Focus look forward to continuing this work—standing with families, building collective power, and expanding opportunities wherever they are needed most
