Hope-Filled Organizations (Part 2)

Viewing Our Children as Emerging Leaders

Our Core Values

Our values inform how we work and interact with each other and those we serve; our vision for a kinder, more equitable world; and underscore our enduring commitment to the future leaders of Chicago.

      

       

VOCEL’s programs are distinguished by six key elements

1. Science at our core, children in our hearts. Children’s brains develop most rapidly in their first few years – we capitalize on this crucial window of time.
2. Driven by the Power of Community. We build communities of supportive peers that become like a second family—because in community we can all become our best.
3. Culturally Responsive. We welcome all and embrace the diverse cultures and backgrounds of families. All of our family programs are offered dual language.
4. Wellness Oriented. We embrace the complexity and interconnectedness of wellness. Our Family Support & Community Engagement team partners with families to meet their emotional, mental health, and resource needs.
5. School + Home Connected. We elevate the importance of at-home learning and parents as children’s first teachers, providing tools for school-home partnership.
6. Data Informed. We collect data and use it as one of several key inputs to inform continuous improvement and grow our impact.

To learn more about VOCEL, Click on this link: www.vocel.org

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West Ridge Chicago: A Chicago Neighborhood Welcoming Refugees

Why has a small corner of Chicago called West Ridge emerged as the hub of a national movement to address the unique challenges facing illiterate refugees?

But what is amazing that is happening in our little corner of West Ridge, Chicago, is that so many of the refugees who have been deliberately scattered throughout the country are now coming to our very special, little corner of the globe.

They are coming to our neighborhood for a reason. Because West Ridge has abundantly invited refugees since the 1920s. First German refugees after World War One. Then Jewish refugees after the Holocaust. Then Pakistani and Indian refugees after the 1947 Partition. And on and on. Croatian refugees after the Balkan Wars. And now Rohingya refugees. While approximately only 8,000 Rohingya refugees have been let into the United States in the past 20 years, there are 400 Rohingya families living within walking distance of FORA’s two empowerment centers. Approximately 2,000 people. Approximately 25% of all Rohingya in the United States are living in this neighborhood.

In the mid-2010s, when the Rohingya crisis was initially receiving international attention, we —the founding board members of FORA—wanted to play our part in welcoming these refugees into the United States. To accomplish this goal,  we became a part of local organizations’ refugee and asylee welcoming teams. Over the course of the past decade, we have hosted more than a dozen asylum seekers in our home. Furthermore, we also welcomed scores of refugees by personally meeting them at O’Hare International Airport and preparing in advance for their initial living situations. These asylum seekers flourished in the United States. The refugees, most of whom were Rohingya, faced significant challenges, but their determination was truly inspirational. Not only were we struck with their plight, but we also admired their resourcefulness and generosity of spirit toward us. As more and more Rohingya individuals came to the United States and settled in the West Ridge neighborhood of Chicago, we gained their trust, fostered long-lasting connections, and were privileged to see these families have the opportunity to rebuild their lives in America. 

However, it quickly became apparent that the Rohingya children we were getting to know were sinking at school with overwhelmed parents unfamiliar with the US education system. As their friends, numerous refugee mothers demanded that we take action.

Kathleen O’Conner with two refugee mothers and a FORA staff member

The refugee mothers were so strident in their demands, not only because they were desperate, but because they knew Kathleen O’Connor—who is now the Head of the HDT Program at FORA—was a great professor and teacher. She is a specialist in the educational field. Professor O’Connor earned a doctorate in child development psychology with a focus on educational reform for marginalized youth. Similar to parents across the world, these immigrants were looking to leverage their relationships to help their kids. So, they did... and the founding board members and our children were tutoring more than a dozen students in students’ cramped living rooms, on their front stoops, in their back alleys, and local parks. While our efforts felt gratifying, we acknowledged that they did not recognize the true need at hand. So, in January 2019, we established  Forging Opportunities for Refugees in America (“FORA”), a non-profit organization aimed at helping refugees achieve the American Dream. 

We are tremendously proud of how hard our students have worked to improve their reading and math skills. But we are also proud and grateful for how our staff has inspired the kids and how much joy they have infused into the learning experience at FORA. The positive atmosphere of our learning center cannot be described succinctly, but it is telling that we regularly attract visitors who are drawn in off the street as they pass by. The happy energy and active learning are palpable even through the windows of our storefront, with visitor after visitor saying that our storefront “glows." Nobody can resist the joy of helping a child learn to read—and that joy resounds throughout the welcoming space that we have created together.

To learn more about FORA, click on this link: About FORA | Refugee FORA To view a 5 minute interview with one of the founders of FORA, click on this link: Today’s hero: Kathleen O’Connor’s dedicates efforts for refugee students – NBC Chicago

 

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About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is the most enduring and influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States.

We amplify the power of our millions of members and supporters to defend everyone’s right to a healthy world.

Mission Statement

• To explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth.
• To practice and promote the responsible use of the earth's ecosystems and resources.
• To educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment; and to use all lawful means to carry out these objectives.

The Challenge

Today, there are serious challenges ahead: a warming climate, unprecedented levels of pollution, and powerful special interests undermining basic protections. There’s no time to waste in coming together for new solutions which is why the Sierra Club is bringing people together to build the most powerful and effective environmental movement the world has ever seen.

How We Do It

We’ve built a national community of volunteers, advocates, and grassroots activists who show up when and where it counts. From securing protection for 439 parks and monuments, to winning passage of the Clean Air and Endangered Species, to putting over 281 coal plants on the path to replacement with clean energy, to securing the right of every kid in America to visit a national park, we have an unmatched record of success and impact.

We work with other partner organizations, nonprofits, and campaigns to build a diverse, inclusive movement that represents today’s American public. We know that environmental issues can’t be separated from social justice—because we all breathe the same air and share the same land. The Sierra Club also works with and supports companies that know strong values are a part of smart business.

Enjoying the Outdoors

And we help people enjoy the earth we’re protecting. Each year, Sierra Club volunteers lead over 15,000 trips annually, from extended trips across the world to afternoon hikes not far from home.

To learn more about the work the Sierra Club does, click on 2030 Strategic Framework | Sierra Club

To find a Sierra Chapter near you, click on this link: https://www.sierraclub.org/chapters

 

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GivingTuesday is a Movement that Unleashes the Power of Radical Generosity Around the World.

Radical Generosity is defined as the concept that the suffering of others should be as intolerable to us as our own suffering.

GivingTuesday reimagines a world built upon shared humanity and generosity.

Our global network collaborates year-round to inspire generosity around the world, with a common mission to build a world where generosity is part of everyday life.

Whether it’s making someone smile, helping a neighbor or stranger out, showing up for an issue or people we care about, or giving some of what we have to those who need our help, every act of generosity counts, and everyone has something to give.

History of GivingTuesday:  GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. GivingTuesday was born and incubated at the 92nd Street Y and its Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact in New York City. GivingTuesday is now an independent nonprofit and a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

Our Vision: We pursue radical generosity, defined by the transformational powers of empathy and solidarity, not a series of transactions or discrete interactions. Radical generosity creates a world in which the collective
recognition of humanity fundamentally respects what each of us can give, receive, and learn from one another. If we were to arrive at any destination, having fulfilled our mission, that world would be built upon a foundation of shared humanity. To view a 1 minute, 23 second about Radical Generosity, click on this link: The Power of Radical Generosity on Vimeo

Generosity is uplifting, generative, equalizing, and connecting. We believe that each and every act of generosity is a worthy act in and of itself. In this work, generosity is the primary means and the primary end : GivingTuesday unleashes generosity to drive generosity. Generosity is GivingTuesday’s universal rallying cry and the foundation of our strategies.

One of over 300 Giving Tuesday groups around the world. There may be one near you.

To learn more about Giving Tuesday and find a group near you, click on this link: Home - GivingTuesday

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Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC)

SUPPORTING ENTREPRENEURS & “PUTTING DREAMS TO WORK” SINCE 1987

What We Care About

WWBIC is a leading innovative statewide economic development corporation that’s been “Putting Dreams to Work” since 1987.

We open the doors of opportunity by providing underserved individuals who are interested in starting, strengthening or expanding businesses with access to critical resources such as responsible financial products and quality business and financial training.

We focus on individuals who face barriers in accessing traditional financing or resources in pursuit of their dreams and economic well-being … in particular women, people of color, veterans, rural and lower wealth individuals.

Every day we work hard to achieve our social goal of improving the economic well-being of individuals by advancing inclusive entrepreneurship and facilitating self-sufficiency strategies.

Opportunity & Hope

The Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC) has provided business loans and access to fair and responsible capital, quality business and financial wellness training, and one-on-one coaching since 1987. WWBIC’s impact is seen through the many entrepreneurs, business owners and individuals whom we assist. Our work and support put your business dreams to work.

Every day we are inspired to improve the economic well-being of our fellow residents. While we care about everyone, we focus our efforts on those underserved in the financial market which includes women, veterans, rural, low-wealth and people of color.

WWBIC staff and program participants on the State Capitol steps in Madison Wisconsin

To learn more about WWBIC, click on this link: WWBIC | Putting Dreams to Work Since 1987

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Community Diaper Programs

National Diaper Bank Network provides technical assistance and resources to help establish sustainable diaper banks and pantries in your own community. We are here to assist you.

 

MEET THE NEED

Start a Diaper Bank

Are You Ready to Help Children and Families in Your Community?

The National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) is here to help you assess the need in your community. Equally important, we are here to help you determine how to gauge the level of support for such efforts in your community. Our goal is to help create sustainable diaper bank programs. If your goal is to establish a NDBN member diaper bank or pantry, you’ll want to consider NDBN service areas and benchmarks.

What Are Service Areas?

Diaper need is pervasive in almost all communities throughout the United States. Diaper banks are needed in most all communities from frontier areas to densely populated urban cities. Before you begin, it is important – mostly for the community in need – that you reach out to any NDBN-member organizations near the area you plan to serve. NDBN commits to helping its members grow through smart and sustainable planning. Sometimes this includes regional and state-wide expansion. Whenever possible, we welcome the opportunity to help you contribute your skills and talents to an existing NDBN project.

• If you’re passionate about starting your own independent diaper program from the ground up, NDBN and any nearby members can help identify a service area in need of support.

What Are Benchmarks?

In order to become a certified NDBN-member diaper bank program, all organizations must demonstrate nonprofit best practices and diaper program milestones. These benchmarks cover four key areas:

• Governance
• Participation
• Fundraising and Finance
• Advocacy

If your team is interested in striving to demonstrate these benchmarks, NDBN staff are ready to provide support and assistance to help your program become a certified NDBN member. All NDBN member organizations adhere to or demonstrate the benchmarks. To learn more about this organization click on this link: Index - National Diaper Bank Network

 

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Providing warmth, confidence, and hope through basic need programs that connect underserved kids to community resources needed to thrive.

Operation Warm’s Mission has always been focused on the whole child. Our tagline, ‘more than a coat’ means that the coats and shoes we provide don’t just provide physical warmth, but also emotional warmth, the confidence to socialize and succeed, and hope of a brighter future. We’re proud to say that over the last 23 years, these gifts have become a bridge between our partners and families in need to access critical resources.

Operation Warm ensures that the brand-new coats and shoes we gift, go to the kids that need them the most.  Our beneficiary organizations are nonprofits and 501(c)(3) organizations who support children and families in need such as Head Starts, Title 1 schools where 40%+ of students’ families are at or below 150% of the federally prescribed poverty level, and other urgent need human service organizations like homeless shelters, community libraries, foster care, agencies, and more.

                                                             etic-style shoes for children need, offering a child both physical and emotional warmth.
To learn more about Operation Warm, click on this link: Operation Warm

 

 

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Recognizing the worth and dignity of each person, HOPES helps people end their homelessness.

Racine Dominican Founded: HOPES was founded in 2008 by the Racine Dominicans  as a sponsored ministry. A lot has changed since then, but HOPES remains a Racine Dominican Mission Partner and “Committed to Truth, Compelled to Justice.”

An Alliance Member: HOPES is a member of the Continuum of Care for the City and County of Racine and its outreach arm, the Homelessness and Housing Alliance of Racine County. HOPES collaborates closely with other organizations that work with people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, and/or have a mental health challenge.

A Service Provider: HOPES provides services directly to people experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness in their journey to a stable home. Services are provided at the HOPES Center office, on the streets at night, and other remote locations.

HOPES is a 501 (c)(3) not for profit organization. To learn more about HOPES and the work it does, click on this link: Homeless Resources — HOPES (hopescenter.org)

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Make a Wish Alaska Washington

A wish forever transforms the lives of children, their families, and entire communities

About Us -  Our mission is simple: Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. For three and a half decades, we have partnered with thousands of volunteers, donors, and medical professionals in our community to deliver that mission to more than 8,300 local children. 

Chapter History Timeline - We're celebrating nearly four decades of granting wishes and it's all because of you!

In 1986, thanks to the dedication and support of our local community, we granted six wishes. Nearly four decades later, we celebrate granting 8,000 wishes thanks to YOUR kindness, compassion, and investment. YOU make transformation possible for children with critical illnesses each and every day and we are so thankful!

Organizations Nationwide – Make-A-Wish Alaska Washington is one of 58 chapters nationwide. These 58 chapters can proudly look back at the more than 12,800 wishes granted in fiscal year 2022.

Here is a link to the Make-A-Wish Alaska Washington website: Make-A-Wish® Alaska & Washington

Here is a link to information about the nationwide Make-A-Wish foundation:  https://wish.org/about-us

Here is a link to a Make-A-Wish story from Make-A-Wish Alaska: JoJo’s Hockey Wish Come True - YouTube

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FUTURE CAUCUS

Future Caucus

      

ACTIVATING YOUNG LEGISLATORS TO BRIDGE THE PARTISAN DIVIDE

What is Future Caucus? Future Caucus is a voluntary network of young state and national legislators which works directly with our nation’s leading young policymakers on both the federal and state levels to bridge the partisan divide and lead a new era of collaborative governance. The Future Caucus grew out of the Millennial Action Project which started in 2013 and renamed itself the Future Caucus in 2023.

Why Future Caucus? With over 1,800+ lawmakers served since 2013, Future Caucus provides young legislators with a network of peers and resources to get things done and transform American politics.

What Does Future Caucus Do?

• Connects Gen Z and Millennial legislators
• Build new skills to overcome toxic polarization
• Get results on key policy issues through bipartisan coalitions

An Unlikely Political Pair Take on Maternal Health in Oklahoma

As just one example of what the Future Caucus is doing, here is a 4.5 minute video of a discussion between a Republican, male and a Democrat, female legislator talking about a topic which they both think is important to their constituents and the future of the State of Oklahoma.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz_KDR6pt1k

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Say Yes to Joy: Deepen Connection and Belonging

Grateful Living is a global nonprofit organization that empowers people to live meaningful lives through the transformative practice of grateful living. Our programs, educational offerings, and the content on our website are designed to support your daily life during times of joy and adversity. Grateful living is a bold way of being that requires practice, community, and resources, all of which you will find here. Our evidence-based programs promote the joy, belonging, awe, hope, and imperfection that make a grateful life a full life. To learn more about the Grateful Living organization and how you can be part of it, click on this link: https://grateful.org/

Creating and participating in shared experiences of joy nurtures connection and a sense of belonging. It builds bridges between individuals and across cultures. You can choose to bring joy to your daily interactions, and you may find that your well of joy is replenished in kind.

Click on this link, https://grateful.org/resource/joy-3/, scroll down about half a page, and enjoy the delight of watching the joy of these kids from around the world singing Kool and the Gang’s Celebration, a project of Playing for Change. The video is a moving reminder of the essential role of communal joy and its power to connect us to one another.

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United Way Worldwide

HOW IT ALL GOT STARTED

In 1887, a Denver woman, a priest, two ministers and a rabbi got together...

It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but they didn't walk into a bar;

What they did do was recognize the need to work together in new ways

to make Denver a better place.

Frances Wisebart Jacobs, the Rev. Myron W. Reed, Msgr. William J.O’Ryan, Dean H. Martyn Hart and Rabbi William S. Friedman put together an idea that became the nation's first united campaign, benefitting 10 area health and welfare agencies. They created an organization to collect the funds for local charities, to coordinate relief services, to counsel and refer clients to cooperating agencies, and to make emergency assistance grants for cases that could not be referred. That year, Denver raised $21,700 for this greater good ($703,054 in 2023 dollars) and created a movement that would become United Way.

Since 1887, the United Way has grown to over 1,100 organizations in the U.S. and around the world. United Way is engaged in 95% of the U.S. and serves more than 1,100 communities across 37 countries and territories worldwide. We bring people together to build stronger, more equitable communities where everyone can thrive. With our 11.5M volunteers, 6.8M donors, 29K community partners and 45K corporate partners, we're strengthening education, economic mobility, and access to health. 

To learn more about the United Way,

• Click on this link to view a 1 minute and 40 second video: https://www.unitedway.org/about/history
• Click on this link to connect with the United Way website: United Way Worldwide | United Way Worldwide and when you get to that page, scroll down to the first video and click on it.

There are many ways you can contribute your ideas, time, talent, and money to your community’s well-being through your community’s United Way. Check it out and make a positive difference.

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HALO is so much more than a bed.

The Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization offers each person an opportunity to begin their journey from dependency towards self-sufficiency. We understand that each person that enters our shelter program comes with their own dreams, goals, and needs, and it is our goal to help them reach these goals safely.

Statement of Need: Homelessness is a very real issue for Racine County. Racine continues to have the highest unemployment rate and second highest child homelessness rate among Wisconsin cities. Last year, HALO served 700 individuals including 138 children, 58% under the age of six.

How HALO Helps: Since opening in 2005, HALO has helped over 2,000 adults return to stable housing with enough income and savings to support themselves. From day one, it was HALO's intent to not just shelter those in need, but to offer a clear path to self-sufficiency through individualized support.

The HALO residential and learning facility is a renovated factory building in Racine, WI

HALO is one of the few homeless shelters in Wisconsin offering Intensive Case Management paired with a comprehensive network of supportive services from 90+ area agencies, available for new intakes 24/7. 

Understanding that everyone comes to HALO with their own individual story is vital to our ability to help them. HALO Case Managers help individuals experiencing homelessness to overcome barriers, develop goals and foster human connections for a successful transition from homelessness to independent living.

Mission Statement: The mission of the Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization (HALO) is to provide a pathway to self­‐sufficiency and housing stability for those experiencing homelessness in Racine County.

Vision Statement: The vision for the Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization is that all homeless individuals and families in Racine County will be provided emergency food, clothing, shelter, transitional and permanent housing, and supportive services through a collaborative structure that effectively coordinates services, shares information, increases funding, and eliminates duplication and gaps in services.  To view and listen to a 3 and half minute video about Halo, click on this link:  https://haloinc.org/about

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DrawBridge connects children with creativity and community

through free expressive art programs

at shelters, affordable housing facilities, and community centers

 across the San Francisco Bay Area.

WHAT WE DO: Since 1989, DrawBridge has provided free expressive arts programs to children at shelters, affordable housing facilities, and in communities across seven San Francisco Bay Area counties. Trained facilitators and volunteers promote a safe and supportive environment for each participant to explore playful creativity that is essential to healthy development. Our approach allows children to establish their own direction, pace of creation, and depth of self-exploration

Since 1989, DrawBridge has served more than 35,000 families. Children ages five and up are given the opportunity to connect with their community and explore playful creativity that is essential to healthy development.

Our Misson: Drawbridge provides children with the opportunity to tap into their creativity and build self-confidence through expressive art.

Our Vision: DrawBridge connects children with creative expression, their communities, and a wider world of possibilities.

Our Philosophy: The benefits of the expressive arts should be accessible to all children.

Drawbridge programs promote a safe and supportive environment for each participant’s self-expression and exploration of the creative process. Our approach to providing child-focused art experiences allows children to establish their own direction, pace of creation, and depth of self-exploration.   

DrawBridge programs are always free for families and offered directly in the communities we serve, removing financial and transportation barriers for participants.

To learn more about Drawbridge and its programs, click on this link: DrawBridge

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About Erie Neighborhood House

Since 1870, Erie Neighborhood House has provided the most comprehensive support immigrant and low-income families in Chicago need to thrive and has constantly evolved to meet their needs.

Today, Erie House is a modern social services nonprofit with programming and resources for children & youth, mental health & community wellness, adult education & training, legal services, and more.

Through these programs, we empower the people we work alongside to build powerful communities.

Back to School Supplies and Backpack Donation Drive

Erie House collects backpacks and school supplies for the nearly 300 kids in our programs every year.

Erie House & New Arrivals from Texas

Erie Neighborhood House has served immigrants for over 150 years. Since August 31 2022, the City of Chicago has continued to welcome hundreds of migrants bused from Texas to Chicago. Our city is striving to greet them with dignity and respect, and the city government, in collaboration with local, state, federal, and community partners, including Erie House’s very own staff, continues to ensure their basic needs are met. Erie House is looking to support the new arrivals in any way we can. This includes providing housing support twice a week and providing basic hygiene products and NEW clothing. To learn more about Erie Neighborhood House, click on this link: Home - Erie Neighborhood House (eriehouse.org)

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Vivery means to thrive and live your best life.

                    We envision a world where technology eliminates barriers and equalizes access

It all began when entrepreneurs, Nasrin and Mark Thierer, pooled their technology and healthcare experience and success and founded Thierer Family Foundation with a mission to help nonprofits be more impactful through technology.

After years of building technology for food banks and pantries, Thierer Family Foundation created Vivery in collaboration with the Greater Chicago Food Depository to address the very complex and nuanced challenges of the food assistance ecosystem at scale. Vivery is a non-for-profit organization focused on building, enhancing and managing Vivery technology.

In 2021, Vivery was officially launched to bridge the digital gap and equalize access to nutritious food and other food services, for everyone. Vivery received a coveted Chicago Innovation Award for one of the most innovative new tech solutions brought to market in 2022.

To learn more about the Chicago Innovation Awards, click on this link: Home - Chicago Innovation

Vivery Community, a public charity, fundraises to bring Vivery technology and programs to every food bank and pantry at no cost, and partners with local providers to extend food access in our communities.

The Vivery technology built by Thierer Family Foundation digitizes access to food for everyone. Our network of food banks and pantries use our centralized find food map and modern digital tools to provide up-to-date information online, so neighbors can effortlessly access the right food, programs and services nearby. To learn more about Vivery, click on this link: https://www.vivery.org/

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Luxury Bug Hotel on Milwaukee Riverfront!

By Catie Petralia With photographs by the author (CP) and by Eddee Daniel (ED)

A team of volunteers and students recently renovated the River Revitalization Foundation’s (RRF) five-star luxury riverfront bug hotel! 

A Bug Hotel, also known as an ‘insect hotel’ is a habitat structure that supports insects and small creatures through the seasons, especially the Midwest’s unpredictable winter. It is an urban sanctuary for pollinators and all insects that face habitat loss, a changing climate, and pollution. Insects help stabilize the ecosystem, as integral links of the food chain and important pollination agents. 

We built our original bug hotel almost ten years ago, so the structure needed some love. The original location was also now overgrown by stinging nettle (a native plant with irritating fibers), so it was moved about 200 yards north, right off the southern end of the Beerline Trail near the North Avenue pedestrian bridge. 

The new and improved bug hotel has many diverse types of rooms with a variety of habitats for specific species. These include stacked hollow stems (cut from the invasive Japanese Knotweed plant) for solitary bees; metal chicken wire grates for earwigs; deadwood for beetles, fungi, centipedes, woodlice, and spiders; pinecones, straw and stacked twigs for ladybugs; cardboard slots for butterflies and lacewings; stones and tiles for amphibians. The structure itself was made from old wooden shipping pallets, roofing tiles left over from our sheds, other found materials, and secured with nails. To learn more about this creative  and fun project, click on this link: BLOG: LUXURY BUG HOTEL ON MILWAUKEE RIVERFRONT

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Gateway Technical College program changes lives of 1,000 students

Racine Journal Times, August 28, 2023

Alexus Seay was among the first students to participate in the Gateway Promise program.

She said the program helped her pay for and navigate Gateway Technical College, where she earned a degree in early childhood education and entered the career field shortly after.

Seay, of Racine, has become a champion for the program that’s touched so many student lives.

“Especially with those larger programs, sometimes you have to cut hours at work to go to class, and it’s hard,” Seay said. “The Promise program helps a lot. It means you can focus on your coursework and not have to take out loans along the way.

“There are some people that tell me they can’t go to school because they can’t afford it — I tell them about the Promise program.”

A thousand lives touched, and still going strong Six years and more than 1,000 students later — 369 from Racine County as of spring 2023 — the program continues to open doors to college that many students thought impossible at first, said Cyndean Jennings, Gateway dean of the School of Pre-College and Momentum Programs. To read more of this article, click on this link: Gateway's Promise program changes lives of 1,000 students (journaltimes.com)

Gateway Promise Programs

Gateway offers two unique opportunities for eligible students to attend Gateway tuition-free. The high school Promise program is for seniors and Promise 2 Finish is for returning adult students. Gateway's Promise programs open the door to cutting-edge programs, classrooms and learning opportunities at Gateway and cover the gap between financial aid and tuition and fees, allowing Promise students to earn their degree tuition-free. For more information on these programs, click on this link: https://www.gtc.edu/admissions/gateway-promise-programs

 

 

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World Ocean Day rallies the world for ocean and climate action on 8 June and throughout the year. We work in partnership with youth leaders, zoos, aquariums, museums, and other youth-focused organizations, as well as a huge range of diverse organizations and businesses from all sectors in a growing global network. Together, we effectively engage the public, inform policymakers, and unite the world to protect and restore our shared ocean and create a stable climate. Join the growing global movement in June and continue to grow the engagement and action year-round. To learn more about this organization, click on this link: https://worldoceanday.org/

World Ocean Day is powered by its Youth Advisory Council

The World Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council helps develop World Ocean Day as a unique opportunity to raise the profile of our shared ocean, connect and unite youth and others around our blue planet, and focus collective action on creating a healthy ocean and a stable climate in June and throughout the year. To learn more about the Youth Advisory Council, click this link: https://worldoceanday.org/youth/youth-advisory-council/

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Long-term, one-on-one tutoring. Entirely free of charge.

That’s Tutoring Chicago. For nearly 60 years we’ve been connecting economically challenged students with volunteer tutors who care.

Our difference is our approach, which pairs individual 1st through 10th grade students with a single adult volunteer for the duration of the school year. Students receive all the benefits of regular, weekly instruction combined with the advantages of a steady, supportive relationship. 

Because as any experienced teacher will tell you, information is only one part of the learning experience. Just as important is a human connection. Trust, confidence, being understood. It all makes a big difference in how much effort a student is willing to put into schoolwork. 

It’s this understanding that makes Tutoring Chicago unique. Strong connections make better students. It’s that simple. 

https://www.tutoringchicago.org/

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A collective voice for the Illinois human services sector

We are leading efforts to fully fund human services to ensure that all Illinoisans reach their full potential and have access to a sector that is equitable, sustainable and speaks with a collective voice.

Our Mission: Protect and support our state’s most important resource—the residents of Illinois—by creating a stronger and more stable human services sector.

Our Vision: Illinoisans have access to quality of life supported by a human services sector that is collaborative, efficient, effective and sustainable.

How do we achieve this?

• By leading statewide efforts to fully fund human services
• By increasing awareness of the value human services deliver to society: from early childhood/childcare and after school programs; care for older adults; homeless and housing support; and job training and workforce development
• Through the guidance of a diverse and insightful Board of Directors
• With the expertise and dedication of our team, coalition partners, business/civic leaders, and key stakeholders
• Through innovative research

Too learn more about this partnership, click on this link: https://illinoispartners.org/

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Our Commitment: Childhaven believes that every human has equal and infinite value. Through a healing-centered continuum of care, we focus on elevating relational health in all places where children live, learn, and play. We are honored to be a partner in the movement to address the epidemic of childhood trauma and adversity through relationship, partnership, and innovation.

Our Mission: Childhaven partners with parents and community to strengthen families, prevent childhood trauma, and prepare children for a lifetime of well-being.

Our Vision: ALL children are safe and healthy; thriving physically, socially, emotionally and educationally; well-nurtured by family and community.

We are constructively dissatisfied with the status quo: We challenge ourselves to constantly reflect and learn…to better ourselves and our community. We innovate and partner to prevent childhood trauma, improve systems, and contribute to safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments. We are committed to better serving more children, more families, and more communities. To learn more, click on this link: https://childhaven.org/childhaven-approach/

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The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) is an alliance of grassroots organizations that advocates for federal policy reform to advance the sustainability of agriculture, food systems, natural resources, and rural communities.

NSAC’s vision of agriculture is one where a safe, nutritious, ample, and affordable food supply is produced by a legion of family farmers who make a decent living pursuing their trade, while protecting the environment, and contributing to the strength and stability of their communities.

NSAC member groups advance common positions to support small and mid-size family farms, protect natural resources, promote healthy rural communities, and ensure access to healthy, nutritious foods by everyone. By bringing grassroots perspectives to the table normally dominated by big business, NSAC levels the playing field and gives voice to sustainable and organic farmers. To learn more about NSAC, click on this link: https://sustainableagriculture.net/

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Random Acts of Flowers improves the emotional health and well-being of individuals in healthcare facilities by delivering recycled flowers, encouragement, and personal moments of kindness.

We all benefit when we’re kind and compassionate. The community becomes stronger, and people thrive. That’s why we deliver thousands of beautiful bouquets of recycled flowers to those struggling with injury, illness, and the aging process every week in neighborhoods all over the country.

Our vision as a flower charity is to inspire and nurture a culture of care and compassion.

We do that through our core values:

Fun: Smiles are contagious. We find a little fun in everything we do.

Passion: Passion drives purpose. We know the impact of our mission is determined by the enthusiasm of our people

Accountability: The meeting of responsibilities, relationships, and results. We honor our commitments and take ownership of our actions.

Excellence: Exceeding expectations is the expectation. We take pride in our high standards and strive for continuous improvement.

Our History: In July 2007, Random Acts of Flowers’ founder, Larsen Jay, was in a near-fatal accident. He credits the outpouring of support he received in the form of daily visitors and dozens of floral arrangements while in the hospital as a key to providing the emotional lift and encouragement that helped him persevere through the multiple surgeries and challenging recovery process he faced.

When Larsen was able to leave his room, he noticed how many of his fellow patients did not have visitors or flowers – the very things that helped him so much in those early and difficult days.

The first “Random Act of Flowers” delivery was made moments later as Larsen re-purposed his flowers and delivered them from his wheelchair. The memories of how a simple gesture touched his fellow patients compelled Larsen to form Random Acts of Flowers in 2008.

To learn more about this organization click on this video: Random Acts of Flowers 2018 Promo on Vimeo

And click on this link to Random Acts of Flowers website: https://randomactsofflowers.org/mission/

 

 

 

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What Healing Looks Like: Meet the People Working Across

Difference to Build Stronger Communities

by Alison Grubb

In May 2022, New Pluralists announced our first major investment – $10 million to support  local leaders, networks, and community groups who are addressing divisive forces in their neighborhoods, towns, and counties. We wanted to learn how healing happens when it reflects the unique histories, cultures, and desires of diverse communities

We were overwhelmed by the response. We thought we’d get about 200 applications. We received 790 applications from organizations and community leaders across 49 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C. This grant opportunity was only open for a few months, and it was primarily shared word-of-mouth. In an era where Americans feel more divided than ever, this is a signal that can give us all tremendous hope. There is healing happening all around us, and people doing courageous work that warrants our support, attention, and investment. 

Selecting from among so many stellar proposals wasn’t easy. Our grant reviewers included our diverse funding partners and community leaders. The process taught us how differently we all see and approach this work. We landed on 32 projects that demonstrate the many issues communities are healing, and the ways healing happens – from addressing wounds after violence, to reckoning with race and the legacies of slavery, from using faith and spiritual traditions to deepen our bonds, to building trust between groups that are bitterly at odds. You’ll see initiatives where people make art or launch new enterprises built on principles of freedom and inclusion, and ones that rethink how we govern and make decisions together. Other initiatives bring communities together across lines of difference to tackle shared challenges (e.g., housing, safety, and education). Some projects are small, focused on a single town or city; others are locally rooted work that is partnering with national projects. To read more and see a list and info about the 32 projects which received funding for their programs to bring people together, click on this link: What Healing Looks Like: Meet the People Working Across Difference to Build Stronger Communities – New Pluralists

In May 2022, New Pluralists announced our first major investment – $10 million to support  local leaders, networks, and community groups who are addressing divisive forces in their neighborhoods, towns, and counties. We wanted to learn how healing happens when it reflects the unique histories, cultures, and desires of diverse communities.

We were overwhelmed by the response. We thought we’d get about 200 applications. We received 790 applications from organizations and community leaders across 49 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C. This grant opportunity was only open for a few months, and it was primarily shared word-of-mouth. In an era where Americans feel more divided than ever, this is a signal that can give us all tremendous hope. There is healing happening all around us, and people doing courageous work that warrants our support, attention, and investment.

Selecting from among so many stellar proposals wasn’t easy. Our grant reviewers included our diverse funding partners and community leaders. The process taught us how differently we all see and approach this work. We landed on 32 projects that demonstrate the many issues communities are healing, and the ways healing happens – from addressing wounds after violence, to reckoning with race and the legacies of slavery, from using faith and spiritual traditions to deepen our bonds, to building trust between groups that are bitterly at odds. You’ll see initiatives where people make art or launch new enterprises built on principles of freedom and inclusion, and ones that rethink how we govern and make decisions together. Other initiatives bring communities together across lines of difference to tackle shared challenges (e.g., housing, safety, and education). Some projects are small, focused on a single town or city; others are locally rooted work that is partnering with national projects. To read more and see a list and info about the 32 projects which received funding for their programs to bring people together, click on this link: What Healing Looks Like: Meet the People Working Across Difference to Build Stronger Communities – New Pluralists

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VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA

About Us We help 1.5 million people a year and counting. Volunteers of America is one of the nation’s largest, established comprehensive human services organizations with 16,000 mission-driven professionals, dedicated to helping those in need rebuild their lives and reach their full potential. Founded in 1896, the faith-based nonprofit has programs in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, serving more than 1.5 million people a year.

Our Mission Volunteers of America is a movement organized to reach and uplift all people and bring them to the knowledge and active service of God. Volunteers of America, illustrating the presence of God through all that we do, serves people and communities in need and creates opportunities for people to experience the joy of serving others. 

Volunteers of America measures its success in positive change in the lives of individuals and communities we serve.

Our Vision A world where all people in our communities live with social, emotional and physical well-being, spiritual fulfillment, justice and hope.

To learn more about VOA click on this link Home Page – Volunteers of America (voa.org) When you arrive at the link, scroll down to the second item on that page which is a four minute Fox News video interview of Jatrice Martel Gaiter, the Executive VP of Volunteers of America

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Mission: Youth Crossroads supports youth, guiding them through life’s challenges, and inspiring them to discover new opportunities for personal development, healthy relationships, and positive community involvement.

Vision: Youth Crossroads seeks to provide youth with a comprehensive system of support, positive structures, and role models to help them navigate the personal and academic challenges they face in their daily lives, including counseling services, mentorship, tutoring, after-school enrichment programs, youth leadership training, college and job readiness, and community service. To read and learn more about Youth Crossroads, click on this link: https://youthcrossroads.org/ And to see a 2 minute video about Youth Crossroads, click on this link: Youth Crossroads - YouTube

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We Are…a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization of common people—urban and rural, spiritual and secular—seeking equal protection for all, united against hate, bigotry and racism.

What We Do…outreach and intervention in communities to promote understanding, healing, reconciliation and redemption. Instead of simply condemning the latest eruptions of hate-inspired violence, we dig down to the root causes of division, fear and hate. And we advocate policies creating greater economic security, promoting religious tolerance, celebrating differences and honoring America’s heritage of openness to foreigners. To learn more about this organization, click on this link: https://www.united-against-hate.org/          

To learn about the founder of this organization, Masood Akhtar, click on this link: https://www.united-against-hate.org/management/  

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Meeting Our Community’s Needs – Neighbor to Neighbor

Since 1975, People’s Resource Center (PRC) has been bringing neighbors together to respond to hunger and poverty in DuPage County.

Nearly 26,000 DuPage residents rely on PRC for help each year. We offer nutritious food and other basic necessities like clothes and rent assistance for neighbors in need.  PRC also connects people with resources — education and tutoring, jobs, technology, art, a caring community–to create a future of hope and opportunity for all.

PRC provides these services because of the generosity and support from our neighbors. More than 2,600 volunteers work with our talented staff offering time, skills, and resources to help our clients and their families. Supporters contribute food, clothing, books, computers, and financial support to help us do our important work.

Our Mission: The People’s Resource Center community exists to respond to basic human needs, promote dignity and justice, and create a future of hope and opportunity for the residents of DuPage County, Illinois. To learn more about the People’s Resource Center programs, click on this link: https://www.peoplesrc.org/who-we-are/

One creative and non-typical program that the PRC offers is Care for Cars.

Reliable transportation has consistently been a barrier for PRC neighbors to improve their situations, secure employment and to care for their families.  In DuPage County, public transportation options are limited by schedule and location.  Families and individuals are highly reliant on access to working vehicles to take care of their needs.

Care for Cars is a program of People’s Resource Center in partnership with the private sector, working together to provide affordable car repair for low income residents in order to conduct job searches or retain employment.

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We are a small, passionate, Chicago-based organization that believes in the healing power of music. Sharing Notes musicians have been performing in Chicago hospitals since 2012, with nearly 700 performances given to date.

Music creates a sense of belonging and participation. It is an antidote to the growing sense of alienation and isolation now that we are being asked to actively practice social distancing. Social distancing and geographical isolation do not have to result in social loneliness. Music is a social balm for soothing anxiety, offering much needed consolation and enhancing community connections. Music can restore balance and reduce suffering. A study in the Journal of Advanced Nursing found that listening to music can reduce chronic pain up to 21% and depression by up to 25%. Studies have linked music to lowering blood pressure and anxiety in hospital patients.

Sharing Notes' mission is to improve quality of life for Chicago hospital patients through intimate, engaging and uplifting live music performances. Because Chicago hospitals have temporarily suspended all volunteer programs, Sharing Notes has redesigned our live concerts program into our live, virtual bedside concerts program. Patients or hospital staff can schedule a Sharing Notes musician to personally FaceTime or Zoom with, request a song, enjoy a conversation or simply listen to music. When restrictions lift, our live performances will begin again, and virtual bedside concerts will be added to our repertoire of programs for patients who are unable to receive in-person guests. We anticipate our 2020-2021 season to include over 100 virtual and 75 live performances at 5-7 hospitals, providing music for approximately 4500 patients and families. Our commitment to mission and partners, adaptability to rapid change, and innovation are testament to our organization not only surviving but thriving during a time of crisis. To learn more,  Click on their website: https://www.sharing-notes.org/

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Two Organizations in the City of Milwaukee which promote healthier food for a healthier life are the Urban Ecology Center and Friends of Real Food.

Our Mission - We connect people in cities to nature and each other.

Our Vision - Our vision is to inspire generations to build environmental curiosity, understanding, and respect. We restore hope and heal our urban natural world, neighborhood by neighborhood.

Values:

• Practice Kindness: We assume the best intentions and recognize humanity in ourselves and others by intentionally leading with kindness, openness, warmth, concern and care.
• Nurture Communities of Belonging: We work with our communities to provide wanted and accessible programming while prioritizing equity, dignity and justice.
• Care for Nature: We have a respect for the cultural histories of the land we occupy, and recognize the importance of restorative ecological practices at home, in our neighborhoods and in public spaces.
• Seek Knowledge and Inspire Learning: We actively look for opportunities to both gain understanding for ourselves and to teach others what we have learned.
• Find Fun and Share It: We bring our personal passion, joy, fire, playfulness, laughter, adventure, even silliness into our work.

To learn more, click on this link: https://urbanecologycenter.org/about-us/mission.html  To view a 3 minute video about the urban Ecology Center, click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzSE84dxueY

 

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The Friends of Real Food gather at the Urban Ecology Center in Riverside Park on the east side of Milwaukee on the 3rd Thursday of each month from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. High energy conversation and a tasty potluck dinner make for a memorable evening centered on the pleasure of shared meals and learning.

We seek to educate ourselves about mindful eating, sustainable food systems, the local and national food movements, and other food related issues. All are invited to join this welcoming community of real food enthusiasts – there is no need to sign up ahead of time.

Since the summer of 2006, the Friends of Real Food have learned together about a wide range of timely food related topics from speakers, farmers, films (e.g., King Corn) and their own lively discussions. The topics have included:

• Why and how to eat locally
• The Farm Bill
• Mindful eating (how to choose the food we eat)
• Growing our own food
• Planning food preservation
• GMOs (genetically modified foods)
• Heirloom seeds and heritage breeds
• How to strengthen the food system in Milwaukee
• Fair trade chocolate -- and coffee
  and much more.

The group has also taken field trips together to listen to authors like Michael Pollan and to visit local farms including an organic strawberry U-pick. Whether you are new to the group, or a veteran member, you are always welcome to suggest new meeting topics and to get involved in other real food activities at the Urban Ecology Center, including volunteering at the Local Farmer Open House. To learn more, click on this link: Friends of Real Food

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Center For Peacemaking at Marquette University. Milwaukee, WI

https://www.marquette.edu/peacemaking/what-we-do.php

About the Center: The Center for Peacemaking is an academic center at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that fosters research and action for the promotion of peace, human dignity, and justice.

The Center’s programs provide students opportunities to develop peacemaking skills and faculty avenues to research nonviolence. The center's impact reaches near and far beyond campus—through social action projects based in Milwaukee to international partnerships in Afghanistan, El Salvador, and India.

Our Mission: The Marquette University Center for Peacemaking strives to empower the university and wider community to explore together the necessary skills to become informed, spiritually centered, nonviolent peacemakers. Rooted in the Ignatian charism, the center works with a spirit of confidence and joy to achieve an awakening to the complementary relationship of scholarship, spirituality, nonviolent living, and the active struggle for peace and justice.

Our History: In Fall 2006, Dr. Terry and Sally Rynne proposed an audacious vision: What if every student at Marquette learned how to work nonviolently for the promotion of peace before they graduated? What started as a small experiment has grown into one of Marquette's most robust academic centers. Students are graduating with peace studies degrees, faculty are producing scholarship on nonviolence, and peacemaking initiatives are engaging and transforming communities.

Catholic and Jesuit: The center's work is mutually informed by the rich traditions of Catholic social thought, gospel nonviolence and the Jesuit mission of reconciliation and working for peace. As a Jesuit social center, we understand that when knowledge creation and informed action is directed toward solving pressing community needs, social transformation occurs. This is the essence of Jesuit education and praxis.

Diversity and Inclusion: The center's offices are filled with the vibrancy, energy and joy that our staff, students,

faculty and community members bring to our shared work of building a more just world. As a space dedicated to learning and growth, we welcome all people and encourage discussion, debate, and exchange of ideas with the goal of seeking truth.

To read more, click on this link: https://www.ncronline.org/news/center-peacemaking-coordinates-peace-studies-research