Metropolitan Family Services on Wednesday unveiled an expansion to its West Lawn-based human services center that can now serve 20,000 people with bolstered programs in domestic violence prevention, mental health, workforce development and early childhood education.

Midway Center’s Fetzer Family Center facility, 3843 W. 63rd St., is one of 10 Metropolitan Family Services locations across Chicagoland. It now has more space and staff for its parent partnership programs and dedicated safe play areas for integrated learning, which has been instrumental for the center’s clients. Of the clients, 75% are Black and brown residents, with 70% of those being women. The facility previously served 12,760 clients.

“I joined when I had just given birth to my baby. … I was 15 at the time,” said Aide Ortiz, who lives in the Back of the Yards neighborhood with her 18-month-old son and her parents. “I found out about the program because I was dropping out of school, because I didn’t have anybody to watch my baby.”

Ortiz said she was hesitant at first to enroll in a community-based program funded by the state.

“I didn’t want to join it because I’m a teen mom, and I felt like they were going to think I can’t take care of my baby and would take him away,” she said. “I eventually decided to join and I have loved it.”

Through the Parents as Partners Program, which teaches clients “how to parent” and about child development and socialization skills, Ortiz was able to stay in high school and lean on a home visitor for mental health support and academic counseling, among other things. She plans to graduate next year.

The expansion also allows Midway Center to improve its mental health services for parents like Ortiz, who dealt with postpartum depression.

“The program has helped me in a lot of ways: I haven’t had to worry about whether I’m going to have enough money to buy diapers because they help you with that. They help you find a job,” she said. “And my baby loves it too. He just loves being there playing and exploring.”

The center’s early childhood education services, part of the Empowering Family Initiative, accommodate children ages 2 to 5. Ortiz and her partner plan to use that program until the cutoff. The family currently receives child care support services from the Parents as Partners Program.

Midway Center has been in the West Lawn community for 35 years, and in the building for over 25 years before it embarked on a makeover that started about 2 ½ years ago.

The renovated Midway Center expanded from 13,700 to 20,700 square feet, facilitated through a $4.5 million grant from the state, as well as funding from city, county and federal government and money from private donors.

Ric Estrada, CEO of Metropolitan Family Services, said Wednesday that the facility finally reflects the same thoughtfulness social workers pour into their clients.

“Most of us who have been social workers and community workers for a long time are used to working at places that aren’t always the best facilities,” he said. “And it speaks to the level of respect that we have for our participants and clients. We owe it to them — they deserve a place like this. And we were able to convince our funders of that, and we have plans to do more.”

Midway Center was able to boost several of its early head start programs and physical spaces, said Bryan Johnson, Midway Center’s director.

“We have a beautiful courtyard now where kids can run around and play, socialize with other kids around their same age,” Johnson said. “Parents can interact and learn too, and that’s something we didn’t have before — a space that is beautiful, open, engaging, colorful. It’s all part of the package.”

The new facility will act as the headquarters for Midway Center’s early childhood program with specific spaces designated for home visitation, counseling and parent support. Additional child-focused programs are housed in the Midway Children’s Center at Kedzie Avenue and 63rd Street.

Estrada said that with its increased capacity, Midway Center is hoping to hire for several positions, including lead and assistant teachers, language specialists, child parent visitation workers and social workers.

zsyed@chicagotribune.com