Lead at the Celebration of Service and Honor Dr. King

It may be hard to believe, but January will be here before we know it. Please consider leading a project at the 2011 Celebration of Service on January 15^th. 

What does it mean to be a Chicago Cares Leader for Celebration of Service?  You will be trained to lead a small group of volunteers (encourage your friends and family to BE those volunteers!) as they take part in one of our various projects to brighten the lives of children, seniors or adults with disabilities. Volunteer opportunities can range from throwing a birthday party for Dr. King to creating hope quilts or spending time with seniors. There are many projects for everyone to participate in! 

In 2010 over 3,300 volunteers and leaders served more than 40 agencies and schools across Chicago during Celebration of Service.  Each project is uniquely rewarding and reminds us that we can all make a difference—even in just one day. We hope you will join us on January 15^th! 

Mastering Multiplication at Marillac Social Center

This post comes to us from Martha Renken, one of our Education & Development Program Coordinators, managing programs as varied as Read-With-Me, Students on Stage, Healthy Start, Eco-Art, School News and Math + Science Club.

 Most of us can probably recall the grueling chore of learning our times tables in elementary school. No matter how much teachers tried to make math fun—Around the World and Mad Minute games, prizes, you name it—the task of memorizing the entire multiplication table felt exhausting. We can probably also recall, however, how much finally memorizing these tables helped us move forward in math; from multiplying double digits and fractions to studying algebra, we never could have learned the lessons to come without knowing that 5 times 5 is 25.

Students at Marillac Social Center in East Garfield Park receive after school tutoring, but the tutoring program’s director notices that they struggle to move ahead in the subject of math because they have not yet mastered multiplication tables. Through Chicago Cares’ new Math + Science Club program at Marillac Social Center, students and volunteers will engage in hand-on experiments and activities, as well as incorporate the use of flashcards and games to encourage retention of vocabulary and times tables.

Alternating weeks with Math + Science Club is Read-with-Me, where students will have the opportunity to read with a volunteer before completing a creative craft activity that relates to that week’s book. Students will be exposed to a variety of authors and themes, and they will be encouraged to connect to the text and brainstorm during the creative process as they participate in the art activity.

Marillac Social Center is a non-profit organization providing early childhood education, teen mentoring, family support services, and companionship and assistance to the elderly. Mark your calendar for October 13 when Math + Science Club at Marillac will launch, followed by the launch of Read-with-Me on October 20. Marillac House is accessible by the Green Line just a few miles outside the Loop. Join Chicago Cares on Wednesday evenings and enhance a child’s education at Marillac Social Center.

Food Deserts in Chicago: How You Can Fight Hunger

Hunger is an issue that plagues many low-income people throughout Chicago.  Without an appropriate amount and variety of food, we lack the essential nutrients needed to stay healthy.  But what if you were unable to buy fresh fruits and vegetables?  What happens when it is just too hard to get these fresh, nutritious foods?

A food desert is an area with little or no access to full-service grocery stores that sell the food needed to maintain a healthy, balanced diet.  In these food deserts, most people have to travel twice as far to get to a full-service grocery store as they have to travel to get to a fast food restaurant or convenience store.  Without their own method of transportation, most people will shop at the food source closest to their home, despite their preferences or dietary restrictions.  It is estimated that over 600,000 Chicagoans live in areas with an imbalance of food choices.^[1]

In 2006, the Mari Gallagher Research & Consulting Group submitted a report on the impact of Food Deserts on Chicago neighborhoods and found that in the western area of Chicago alone, seven neighborhoods were food deserts.  Fast food restaurants and convenience stores are often a much closer alternative in these areas, and this can affect the overall health and wellness of a community.   Their research has shown that the imbalance of access to healthy foods can also lead to higher rates of obesity and hypertension and also increases the likelihood of premature death from diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular complications.  The prevalence of these chronic disorders can have a huge impact on a community – it directly affects the quality, productivity, and length of life and can also indirectly affect health care costs, school test scores, and the area’s economic strength. ^[2]

To address this, Chicago Cares currently runs hunger programming with three different organizations in West Garfield Park, East Garfield Park, and West Town – all of which are neighborhoods identified as food deserts.  One of these programs is a healthy cooking class with residents at Open Door Shelter, a temporary shelter for young adults who may have been exposed to difficult life circumstances.  Chicago Cares volunteers focus on teaching these young adults to use healthy alternatives while cooking meals they would want to eat.

In the future, Chicago Cares hopes to further tackle hunger by expanding programs in the critical neighborhoods highlighted in the western and southern areas of Chicago.  For more information about volunteering at hunger programs on the west side of Chicago, please contact Joyce Cruz at jcruz@chicagocares.org or 312-780-0800 ext. 141.  

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^[1] http://marigallagher.com/site_media/dynamic/project_files/ChicagoFoodDesProg2009a.pdf

^[2] http://marigallagher.com/site_media/dynamic/project_files/2_Chi-ForwExecSumOnly.pdf

RSVP for the Star Awards

Our Star Awards Event is fast approaching! Chicago Cares will spend an evening at the elegant Four Seasons Hotel on Monday, October 25^th from 6:00-9:00pm honoring outstanding members of our volunteer community.  T hanks to your time and effort nominating your fellow volunteers, this year’s selection process has been especially competitive. 

Star Awards is the perfect time to come together and celebrate all the great achievements from our dedicated volunteers in the community. It’s more than simply a night to honor a few individuals; Star Awards is an opportunity for our corporate partners, weekly volunteers, youth groups and community partners to meet. We have transformed our awards to focus on and celebrate the volunteer community that Chicago Cares considers its greatest asset. Please join us for what will surely be a night to remember.

RSVP now at http://chicagocares.kintera.org/starrsvp or visiting our website: www.chicagocares.org. We hope to see you and your Chicago Cares’ family there!

New Programs in Senior Services, Adult Education, & much, much more!

Be on the lookout for new programs in the calendar throughout the fall and winter that address needs in adult education, senior services, hunger, the environment and more.  Generous funding has enabled us to add staff members to our Human Service ongoing programs team. Team members are spending time researching a variety of needs across the city and reaching out new community partners.

The Human Service team spends time learning about communities and their needs , building tailored programs where volunteers can participate in a variety of activities. Each of these new programs needs a leader. Help spread the word to your volunteers and encourage them to consider leading a program. Here are a few examples of exciting new program models:

GED Coaching in Logan Square

Volunteers who are fluent in Spanish will assist adult students with math and English homework for their GED classes. These classes will provide students with the assistance needed to master their  knowledge of the subjects they cover and help to build the confidence needed to pursue further education or apply for higher-paying jobs. This program will occur twice a month on Wednesday evenings at McAuliffe Elementary School located in Logan Square. Contact Program Coordinator Kyle Mahoney at kmahoney@chicagocares.org or 312-780-0800 ext. 182 to learn about leading or volunteering at this program. Leaders should be available for at least one project per month and be fluent in Spanish.

Women’s Discussion and Bingo Group

Female residents at Franklin and Drake Senior Apartments (located in Austin) are in need of women’s health programming and general health education. Chicago Cares has developed a health discussion program where volunteers will use questions and resources to cover topics ranging from heart disease and diabetes to skin care and healthy eating with older female adults. Each project concludes with an ever-popular game of Bingo. Contact Program Coordinator Rosie Drumgoole at rdrumgoole@chicagocares.org or 312-780-0800 ext. 146 to learn about leading or volunteering at this program. Leaders should be available for one project per month and should be knowledgeable about basic health issues.

More ongoing Human Service leadership needs can be found here by choosing an issue area under “Current Team Coordinator Openings”. Check back frequently as new programs are added each week. Support Chicago Cares expansion by spreading the word about these new programs and leadership opportunities!

Leader Spotlight – Dena Hicks

Dena Hicks may have had her first volunteer experience with Chicago Cares in 2001, but it was hardly her first brush with service. Dena’s family instilled the importance of volunteerism and the act of giving back at a very young age. Those lessons have inspired Dena to work with the community.

“I believe it is important to take an active role in our community to keep our neighborhoods strong, enjoyable places to live.” ~Dena Hick

Dena took her volunteering experience to the next level in 2006 when she agreed to be a team coordinator for a children’s education program with Chicago Cares. Although Dena has volunteered with many different issue areas, she feels a special calling to children’s programs. “I really enjoy watching the kids get excited about the new things they are learning. It’s rewarding to see their imaginations process these new tools and get excited about what they can do with all that new knowledge,” says Dena. 

In the past few years Dena has taken her volunteering another step further, assisting with refining curriculum for the Children’s Education and Development department’s programs. Her expertise has been a huge help, especially with programs like Just Click Here. In addition to her work with children’s programs, Dena is also a member of the Chicago Cares leadership council. Her dedication to Chicago Cares and service is a true inspiration.

On behalf of the Chicago Cares staff, we would like to say “THANK YOU Dena!” for all your hard work, dedication and inspiration. Your leadership and awareness for service are an inspiration for so many others to get out into the community and give back.

Celebration of Service - How Will You Keep His Memory Alive?

Our Business Shares is in full force this season, providing excellent opportunities for our seasoned PSMs to practice their leadership skills, but we’re still gearing up for the Celebration of Service in January 2011. Our Celebration of Service (in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) is the perfect opportunity for leaders from all walks of the Chicago Cares community to get involved and make a difference in one service day across our city. Projects will include opportunities to serve with seniors, children’s education programs, adults with disabilities and facilities rehabilitation.

How can you prepare as a leader for this event? It is never too soon to start spreading the word to your volunteers about the many ways in which they can become involved. Leaders can also recruit friends, family or fellow leaders to start a Project Site Manager team and serve together for this event. Our greatest resource for recruitment is through our leaders and their close relationships with volunteers. We appreciate your efforts in spreading the word and excitement about this excellent event.