El Valor’s mission is to support our community to strive for excellence and engage fully in life. Through our programs, we create opportunities to build community, self-advocacy, and a deep sense of belonging within a supportive learning environment.
Our Story
In 1973, one woman saw a need.
Guadalupe Reyes’ son was born with a condition that led to intellectual and physical disabilities. She looked for help in her community and found none. With no resources or programs to turn to, she stepped up to create the support system her son needed.
Guadalupe soon discovered she was not alone. Other mothers in the community shared the same struggle, and they came together around a common purpose: finding a place where their children could learn, grow, and be seen for who they were. Word spread quickly. More families joined. The work moved from Guadalupe’s living room to the basement of a church. From there, a movement was born.
What started as a group of mothers fighting for their children became one of the largest Latino-serving organizations in the country. Over five decades, El Valor has grown from a circle of families into a pioneering organization that serves more than 4,000 children, adults with disabilities, and families across Chicago every year. The spirit of community that brought those first mothers together has never left.
Guadalupe’s belief was simple: every person deserves the chance to live with dignity, purpose, and belonging. That belief is still the heartbeat of everything we do.
El Valor means “courage” in Spanish, but it also means “value.” These are the principles that guide our work. Our name reflects our belief that every person has value, and everyone deserves a place where that value is recognized.
Children deserve classrooms where they are known by name and loved by heart.
Adults with disabilities deserve the chance to build skills, find purpose, and live with independence.
Families deserve a community that walks alongside them, not just when things are easy, but especially when they are hard.
El Valor serves people at every stage of life, across more than 12 locations in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Our reach stretches across Chicagoland with locations in Pilsen, Little Village, South Chicago, Berwyn, and Cicero, and partners from Humboldt Park to Roseland.
Bilingual early childhood education, home-visiting program, and family support for children from birth through age 5 and their families.
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Community day services, residential housing, workforce development, and family support for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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Workshops, certifications, higher education, and support for parents, caregivers, and anyone in our community who wants to keep growing.
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Our Impact
What Makes El Valor Different
People often come to El Valor looking for a specific service, but they stay because they find something bigger: a community that wraps around them.
For over 50 years, El Valor has been here for families at every stage of life. Many of our parents were once children in our classrooms. Grandparents now bring their grandchildren through our doors. Families move through our programs across generations, because they know everyone has a place at El Valor.
Each of our programs may be different, but our commitment remains the same across all of them. We celebrate your heritage, speak your language, and understand your culture. When you join one of our programs, you become part of a community that will stand beside you for the rest of your life.
Since 1973, El Valor has never stopped growing. And we are not done yet. Our vision for the future is to become:
El Valor exists because people care enough to get involved. We are an organization of parents, volunteers, donors, partners, and community members who believe in what is possible when we invest in each other.
Yes. El Valor is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible.
El Valor operates more than 12 facilities across Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, including four Children and Family Centers, a Technology Center, a Developmental Training Center, and six Community Residential Homes. Our main office is located at 1850 W. 21st Street, Chicago, Illinois 60608. Visit our Contact page for full addresses and directions.
El Valor was founded in 1973 by Guadalupe Reyes. For more than 50 years, we have been serving children, adults with disabilities, and families across Chicago’s neighborhoods.
El Valor is one of the largest Latino-serving organizations in the country, supporting our communities for more than 50 years. We work with people across the full span of life, from a child’s first classroom to adult programs and workforce development. Our bilingual, bicultural team is a trusted safety net for the communities we serve.
There are many ways to support El Valor. You can donate, volunteer, become a corporate partner, or simply share our story.
