Amate House began in 1984 as a program enabling young adults to provide social services in response to the needs of the city and Archdiocese of Chicago, while benefiting from personal, professional and spiritual development opportunities designed to support their growth as leaders for the Church and world. Founded by three seminarians from the Archdiocese of Chicago and a host of other lay and religious men and women, Amate House allows young adult lay persons to explore and live out a vocation to service and to become more compassionate and effective leaders in the process.
Every summer, since 1984, a new group of young adults from the greater Chicago area, around the country, and occasionally from around the world, have come together to begin a one-year commitment to faith-based community living and full-time volunteer service work. In exchange for their efforts, they receive room and board, modest allowance, health insurance, ongoing supervision, a strong and supportive community of peers, and structured opportunities for guided spiritual growth and leadership development.
After eight years of building a solid foundation, Amate House opened the doors to a second program in partnership with DePaul University in 1992. The Vincent and Louise House (formerly Amate House DePaul) continues to focus on the development of young adults and on volunteer service to community agencies and parishes throughout the city. The Vincent and Louise Volunteers, however, are full-time students and part-time volunteers. They commit to at least six hours of volunteer service work each week during the school year, while participating in community living and formational programs throughout the school year. As of summer 2009, the Vincent and Louise House will operate fully through DePaul University.
In 1999, Amate House collaborated with six Catholic parishes to open its doors once again to a new vision of service, this time in the neighborhood of Little Village, a largely Mexican-American community just southwest of downtown Chicago. This third site is focused on providing opportunities to young adults with proficiency or fluency in Spanish, who have a particular desire and commitment to live and serve in the Spanish-speaking community. They work together with parishes, schools and social service agencies in Little Village, Pilsen and surrounding communities.
In the fall of 2003, a fourth site opened on Chicago’s south side in the rectory of the former St. Gelasius Parish in the Woodlawn community. This new program house expanded the reach of Amate House to yet even more agencies and schools, particularly on the south side of the city. Unexpected circumstances in the Spring of 2004 forced the Amate House South program to move to its current location in McKinley Park at the convent building of St. Maurice Parish, where the Amate House Offices also are currently located.
In the summer of 2004, Amate House also moved the Amate House North program into the Uptown community at St. Mary of the Lake Parish, enabling Amate House Volunteers the opportunity to live closer to the people and communities they serve. The current site locations (Uptown, Little Village, McKinley Park) have enabled our growing emphasis on neighborhood involvement and advocacy efforts where Amate House Volunteers live and work.