John McIlwain credits the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s with steering him toward a career that has focused on helping others.
McIlwain started his new job Sept. 3 as executive director of Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society, a perfect fit given his career path.
McIlwain, 59, admits he was “too young to have really been impacted by what was happening on TV.” But growing up in the 1970s, he was “deeply impacted as a child by the Civil Rights Movement,” noticing the “ripple effects” it had across our society.
“As I became more cognizant about the world around me, the values that were installed in the Civil Rights Movement — a lot of people not given a fair shake and are not on a level playing field — had a dramatic impact on my perception of the world around me,” he said.
As a young man, he worked as a minister in the United Church of Christ because he believed such a community-based institution could make a positive impact on people.
He moved on to working with organizations that helped developmentally disabled people and Black women suffering from breast cancer.
His new post is a logical next step for his career as he again is helping those in need.
Founded in 1916, the nonprofit Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society was started by a group of women concerned about children drinking milk contaminated with formaldehyde, he said.
“Today, OPRF IWS provides dental health care, mental health care and primary care for children from under-resourced households in Chicago and the western suburbs,” he said, adding that more evidence points to “oral health is a crucial component to a healthy body.”
According to a news release, the cornerstone program of the organization is the IWS Children’s Clinic at 28 Madison in Oak Park, which provides medical, dental, and behavioral services for underserved infants, children, and young adults up to age 21.
The clinic ensures access to health care for families in need in the western suburbs, Chicago, and Cook and DuPage counties.
A good percentage of clients are from Chicago and Oak Park. Many live in Berwyn and Cicero, with some from DuPage County, he said.
In fiscal year 2024, the IWS Children’s Clinic provided more than 8,000 health care visits to nearly 3,000 patients, the release said.
“We have a handful (of dentists) on staff,” McIlwain said. “Some are full time, some are part time. We have a partnership with UIC Dental School and have some of their students toward the end of their academic time come and provide the care.”
Mental health issues for youths is a concern “as a lot of these children live in very stressful environments.”
“We feel we’re an ideal conduit to help them get access (to mental health care),” he said.
McIlwain drew praise from Suzanna Schrader, president of the OPRF IWS Board of Directors.
“John is a values-driven executive leader focused on and experienced in evolving organizations to adapt to changes in their environment” she said in a prepared statement.
“He comes to OPRF IWS from his role as senior director of External Affairs for Equal Hope, a health equity advocacy organization committed to eliminating health disparities in Chicago. He is also an experienced fundraiser and an accomplished external affairs officer who has proven to inspire teams and use innovative ideas to drive growth while building community around the mission,” Schrader said.
McIlwain called her comments “incredibly gracious.”
When with Equal Hope, a nonprofit organization that worked to improve health outcomes for Black women, health rates improved for women diagnosed with breast cancer.
The group started as the Metropolitan Breast Cancer Task Force after data emerged in 2006 that found Black women in Chicago 62% more likely to die than white women with breast cancer, he said.
“Fast forward to 2018 … the mortality rate had fallen to 32%, still a terrible disparity, but moving in the right direction,” McIlwain said.
Before that, he was with Aspire, which provided services for developmentally disabled people.
“Some of the things we did as Aspire, which were innovative, we rewrote our mission statement so it was about inclusion. How do you help a person with a developmental disability? And how do you help society to open eyes to the value and potential they bring?” he said.
That led to partnering with a local coffee company which had us selling the coffee under the Aspire logo. People with disabilities were employed.
“When I started with Aspire that revenue represented about $5,000 a month. When I left, it was about $60,000 a month, enough money to support general operating of the organization,” he said.
“That’s not feasible with children, but to bring that type of innovative thinking. … To take what we have, how can we leverage it to bring about greater awareness and greater fundraising potential?” McIlwain said.
In the meantime, on his third day there, he joked that he’s still learning about his new workplace, saying he “can tell you where the bathroom is, I know how to turn on my computer and my phone works.”
McIlwain and his wife live in Oak Park. They have one son.
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.