Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Volunteers Help Schools Get in Shape for Fall

School may be out for the summer, but Chicago Cares staff and volunteers are hard at work making preparations for the new academic year.

We know a child’s learning environment affects their learning potential - that's why we offer schools multi-layered services by providing facility enhancement projects as well as academic enrichment programs.  Our Education and Development team is preparing new curriculum so we can launch even more academic, extra-curricular and health programs throughout the city.  Our Service Events team continues to partner with corporate sponsors to paint, build and beautify at Chicagoland schools. Whether you’re good with a hammer or a book, join us and use your leadership skills to make a difference for our kids.We have current leadership opportunities with our Business Shares projects and Education programs.  If you feel education is as important an issue area as we do, let’s do something about it together.

Leader Spotlight - Andrew Thorp

Andrew Thorp has been volunteering since high school, continued to volunteer throughout his college career and eventually made his way to Chicago Cares. “I saw an advertisement on a CTA bus [for Chicago Cares] and signed up that night,” Andrew reflected.

In just two years of volunteering with Chicago Cares, Andrew has clocked nearly forty hours of volunteer service through our ongoing programs. Andrew spends much of his time serving children’s education programs, but recently found a passion for the Ginko Garden project in Uptown. “I am looking forward to getting some much needed sun and learning a thing or two about gardening at Ginko Organic Gardens,” Andrew said when asked what he most was looking forward to this summer.

In addition to his role as a team coordinator at Ella Flagg Young School on the city’s North Side, Andrew has used his skills and knowledge to help the Education and Development team create curriculum for Young school.  His dedicated involvement with the school provided valuable insight to the planning process. It’s people like Andrew, who consistently go above and beyond, that allow Chicago Cares to have such a dynamic presence in the community.  

“Chicago Cares has given me the opportunity to work with some amazing people, volunteers and students alike. I am always surprised by the passion that leaders, students, and volunteers bring to each event.”
– Andrew Thorp

THANK YOU Andrew for all that you have done and continue to do for Chicago Cares. Your contributions and hard work make it possible for programs like Story Time and Sports League at Young School to be such a great success and a meaningful experience for all involved.