The Rectory is Renamed the Bridge Center
Photo courtesy of Growing Community Media/Wednesday Journal
How It All Began
Prentice Butler recalls that the former St. Catherine-St. Lucy rectory building at 38 N Austin was no longer used by the parish, and the question became, how could it remain active and beneficial to the community? The answer came from conversations with families in the Austin community and a desire to do something different, something supportive rather than redundant.
“With many nonprofits already in Austin, we didn’t want to duplicate services,” Butler explains. “Instead, we envisioned something that supports the schools in our portfolio, and that's how The Neighborhood Bridge was born.”
Serving the Community In New Ways
Inside the Bridge Center, both The Neighborhood Bridge and Housing Forward have offices and provide services to the community. The Neighborhood Bridge provides community members access to a spectrum of services: mental health referrals, financial literacy workshops, childcare support, employment services, and mentorship through the Advocate Program. Starting in August, TNB’s Essentials Pantry will start providing needed household and personal care products to families in their partner schools. This is real, intentional programming designed to uplift.
“Though it doesn’t serve as housing for the parish anymore, it still serves the community,” Butler says. “It’s evolved usage for the 21st century while honoring the legacy of helping people in need.”
More Than a Name
The Bridge Center isn’t just a title, it’s symbolic. It reflects TNB’s collaboration with Housing Forward and underscores how the space connects Austin and Oak Park.
“The Bridge Center is quite literally about bringing communities together,” Butler says. “It bridges the gap between Oak Park and Austin.”
Why It Matters—Now More Than Ever
The disparities between our two communities are stark.
“The mortality rate between Austin and Oak Park can differ by 40 years depending on your ZIP code,” Butler shares. “Median income in Austin is around $36,000, while in Oak Park, it’s nearly six figures.”
These differences shape outcomes in health, education, employment, and more. The Neighborhood Bridge is committed to helping bridge that gap of inequity.
“People know what they need to improve their lives, but often lack access to resources. That’s why we’re here—to bridge that gap. We don’t come in claiming to be saviors. We come in as partners on an equal playing field.”
Check out these slideshows of how the Bridge Center looked before renovations began and how the space was transformed into a community services center.