Who are we?
Beginnings
The Unity Park Advisory Council is a local group made up of local parents and neighbors. 2013 is the 27th year of community organizing and activity, in and around Unity Park. The original organizing was initiated by the Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA) in July, 1986 when the park was a concrete playlot known as “Playlot 293” -- just a small fenced-off portion of a larger, City-owned parking lot. The organizing led to the 1986 formation of a group of parents and neighbors known as “Parents for a Decent Playlot”, that later evolved into the Unity Park Advisory Council (UPAC) in 1993, when advisory councils were first authorized by the Park District.
Bylaws were written and approved, and UPAC has held meetings on a regular basis since 1993. UPAC elects 2 co-chairs, a secretary, a treasurer and 3 members at large each year at our January meeting. All advisory council decisions are made in meetings by a majority of voting members. One becomes a voting member at their third advisory council meeting. Please see below for a list of current UPAC officers.
UPAC’s legal status
Donations to UPAC are tax deductible.
UPAC is organized and registered as an Illinois not-for-profit corporation. None of our members are paid—we are all volunteers. All funds raised are used exclusively for park programming. The IRS has issued a letter designating UPAC as a 501(c)(3) civic organization that pays no income tax. Donations to 501(c)(3) corporations are tax-deductible, and this allows donors to deduct their donations to UPAC as charitable contributions.
Read on about our on-going work.