We’re Working Toward the Esprit Recreation & Resource Center in Chicago
The main gym area will be open to the public, offering strength training, conditioning, and open floor space for workouts and wellness activities. This area is meant to bring the community together through movement and shared motivation.
This space will be reserved for veterans, service members, spouses, dependents, partners, and approved volunteers. A place to connect, decompress, study, socialize, and build supportive relationships away from the pressures of daily life.
The main gym area will be open to the public, offering strength training, conditioning, and open floor space for workouts and wellness activities. This area is meant to bring the community together through movement and shared motivation.
The main gym area will be open to the public, offering strength training, conditioning, and open floor space for workouts and wellness activities. This area is meant to bring the community together through movement and shared motivation.
These images are examples used for concept visualization and do not represent the actual facility.
A First of Its Kind in Chicago
We are launching the Esprit Recreation and Wellness Space, the first step toward the full Esprit Recreation and Resource Center. This leased facility will serve as our pilot location, a place where veterans, dependents, and student veterans can connect, train, and belong.
This is not just another gym or program. It is a living, breathing community hub designed by veterans for veterans, with open doors for families, partners, and allies to foster reintegration and shared strength.
Why This Matters
Veterans want spaces where they can feel alive again. Many of us do not want to spend time in hospitals or wait for the next event to reconnect. We want an environment where we can socialize, stay active, and build real bonds every day.
Across Chicago, more than 200,000 veterans call this city home, yet too many face isolation, housing instability, and mental health struggles. Nearly 40 percent of post-9/11 veterans in the city screen positive for PTSD, 36 percent for depression, and 33 percent are at risk of suicide.
Physical inactivity and loss of community play a major role in these struggles. Over 70 percent of veterans report a decline in fitness or activity levels after leaving service, and more than half say they miss the camaraderie they once had.
The Esprit Recreation and Wellness Space changes that. It gives veterans a place to move, train, and connect every day without waiting for the next event or program. It is a living community that will restore energy, purpose, and belonging.
What the Pilot Space Will Offer
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Full-service gym and recreation area open to the public through memberships
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Veteran lounge and resource center reserved for veterans, dependents, and approved partners or volunteers
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Shared workspaces for veteran-serving organizations
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The Esprit Locker, providing free fitness gear and essentials to veterans in need
This space will prove what is possible when the community stands behind those who served, paving the way for the full Esprit Recreation and Resource Center in the years ahead.
Our Plan
Phase 1 (Now): Secure and open the leased pilot facility, the Esprit Recreation and Wellness Space in Chicago.
Phase 2: Expand operations, finalize partnerships, and strengthen our community programs.
Phase 3: Acquire land and build the next Esprit Recreation and Resource Center, creating a permanent home for veterans and families across the region.
Chicago is only the beginning. This pilot will serve as the model for future centers across the country.
Why Join Us
When you partner with Esprit, you are not just helping open one location. You are helping build a national movement that redefines veteran reintegration.
You are investing in a system that creates lasting wellness, opportunity, and connection for generations of veterans to come.
Benefits for Partners and Sponsors
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Office or program space in the facility for a fair value with memberships included
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Recognition on our Sponsor Wall and naming opportunities for rooms and spaces
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Shared campaigns to raise awareness and build community momentum
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Direct input on design, development, and future expansion
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Legacy recognition as part of the Founding Team of the Esprit Recreation and Resource Center
This is your chance to be part of something lasting, a movement that brings wellness, leadership, and community together under one roof.
We need leaders, partners, and advocates who want to take action.
Partners: Secure your space and help fund the launch
Sponsors: Support our campaigns and earn naming opportunities
Volunteers: Join our events and outreach efforts
Advisors and Board Members: Help shape our next chapter with your expertise
Be part of history. Help us build the Esprit Recreation and Wellness Space, the first of many centers to come.
Built For Us. By Us.
This Center is not about us alone. It is about everyone who believes veterans and their families deserve better. Together, we will build a destination that blends fitness, healing, advocacy, and leadership.
Veterans deserve space. Families deserve support. Communities deserve connection.
Be part of history. Help us build the Esprit Recreation & Resource Center.
Let’s Work Together
205 North Michigan Avenue,
Suite 810, Chicago, IL 60601
E-Mail: buildthecenter@espritdcf.org
Tel: 312-219-5015
