Organized Residents of DuPage United Are Telling a Story of Hope: Come Together, Build Together

 The organized residents of DuPage United have a story to tell of what can and does happen when the civic and government sectors work together to build together. On Sunday, February 1, 2026, more than 230 residents representing more than twenty dues-paying member institutions gathered at First Congregational Church of Glen Ellyn. Leaders and residents shared stories of DuPage United’s collective work and of the persistent need for affordable housing, improved pedestrian safety, and investment in the human infrastructure of DuPage County, including immigrant communities. 

Faith leaders from each of the Abrahamic faith traditions–Islam, Judaism, and Christianity–offered prayers for the people of DuPage County. The Rev. Kevin Caruso, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, shared that the issues of affordable housing and traffic and pedestrian safety may seem disconnected, but they’re not: “There’s a pattern. It’s all about a lack of infrastructure needed to help families thrive.” And there’s another pattern, too–a pattern of delays and a lack of urgency from local government officials. Caruso continued, “This lack of urgency is a problem because it keeps families from not only thriving but literally surviving. As DuPage United, rather than focus on what divides our communities, we’re focused on what can bring us together so that we can act and get results. We don’t come to [our elected officials] with problems. We come with solutions.”

In November, DuPage United leaders celebrated a five-year effort for village approval of an affordable housing development in Glen Ellyn; that took too long. DuPage United leader Clara Hughes challenged, “We cannot normalize a lack of urgency to build safe, affordable housing.” Like many places across the country, DuPage County continues to experience a housing shortage crisis. 

DuPage United leaders have also been working for more than three years to bring a traffic light to Roosevelt Road–an area with a history of collisions and pedestrian fatalities–so that Marian Park residents can safely cross to access the grocery store and other necessities. That’s taking too long. DuPage United leader Elsa Hailu shared, “We knew this wouldn’t happen overnight. We still have a ways to go, and I’m never going to give up. One day I will cross Roosevelt Road safely with my community.” 

DuPage United is a fiercely non-partisan organization of institutions that come together to build public relationships with the government and business sectors to act with urgency to improve the quality of life for people in DuPage County. At the assembly, leaders publicly recognized those officials who have worked with DuPage United. U.S. Congresswoman Delia Ramirez (D, IL-03), secured $750,000 in federal funding for the demolition of abandoned hotels at 640 Taft Ave in Glen Ellyn, which advanced the construction of forty-two units of affordable, accessible, supportive housing. State Senator Seth Lewis (R, 24th district) worked with DuPage United for the appropriation of $250,000 in 2024 for traffic safety infrastructure in Wheaton. Senator Lewis has also introduced Illinois Senate Bill 2807 to secure an additional $750,000 for this life-saving project. 

The assembly also celebrated twenty years of organizing by and with immigrant communities. DuPage United leader Debbie Fulks shared, “DuPage United’s strength depends on listening to one another so that we can build trust and act together in powerful ways. Twenty years ago, [a leader] from Muslim Society Incorporated came to other DuPage United leaders to ask that we help to preserve an after-school program at her elementary school.” Communication with school officials was a barrier for parents, and they wanted to learn English. DuPage United leaders communicated with parents, built relational power, and eventually acted together to preserve English classes–which served more than two thousand students–at the College of DuPage. “Relationships were established among students and tutors of different religions and from about twenty countries over the years. … Students have gone on to become citizens and essential participants in our communities: pharmacists, social workers, lab technicians, CNAs, business owners, and effective civic leaders,” Fulks stated.

DuPage United models a story of hope–a story where people are moving from powerless to “power with.” A story of people organizing on local, winnable issues. A story of what can happen when elected officials prioritize working together across political parties to get things done on issues that impact people’s quality of life and strengthen our economy. DuPage United leaders are listening to our communities. And we are asking our government officials: “Are you listening to us? Will you act with urgency for the benefit of DuPage County? Will you come together and build together?”