Our Office is Moving October 26th!

Our new address is:

2 N Riverside Plaza, Suite 2200

Chicago, IL 60606

Although our phone and fax numbers will remain the same, those lines will be temporarily down on October 26 and 27 as we move. Thank you for your patience, and if you plan to visit or send mail, please be sure to use our new address.

Why I Work at Chicago Cares

This post comes to us from Emily Collins, a Program Coordinator for our Children’s Education & Development Department. She manages a diverse set of children’s programming at multiple sites, one of which is Ella Flagg Young School. 

Working for a nonprofit is work...a lot of work. Most people who ask what I do think it’s endless games, projects, and activities that make you feel good – and sometimes, that’s true. I also know that working for a nonprofit is long hours, endless dedication, and constant adaptability and creativity. Sometimes the job is overwhelming, sometimes it feels thankless, and sometimes it feels like I can do nothing right....and then sometimes it’s exactly what I am looking for.

Being in the office every day is hard work and I sometimes find myself forgetting why I am there. This past Saturday, however, I was once again reminded why I spend so many hours each week working in the office: to touch someone else’s life. I was the leader for Healthy Start at Young, one of six Chicago Cares programs that I coordinate at the school. I admit that I lacked motivation to get out of bed and head to a project early Saturday morning, but my love for working with children, as well as cooking, gave me push I needed to get up and drive to Young School. 

 

One foot in the door, my whole outlook changed. I was first welcomed by Selena and Ashley, excited and inspired middle-school students ready to participate in Students on Stage with Andrew. Ms. Wilson brought Danaya and Darrell to build their reading skills at Read-with-Me while she volunteered at Healthy Start. Michelle and Samantha were ready to start experimenting with Abbey at Math + Science Club, and one of our most dedicated students, Rashae, arrived at Young with a big smile, ready to once again bet me about his like or dislike of our Healthy Start recipe. Rashae was here, ready to learn as always, and excited to make healthier decisions about his young life. I instantly felt like the Grinch and my small heart grew three sizes that instant.

I must admit that I have a slight bias: I love to cook and I studied nutrition and health education in college. Anyone interested in participating in Healthy Start excites me and instantly finds a place in my heart. Rashae, however, holds a particularly special place. I once won a bet against him that he would actually enjoy a burrito made with black beans and whole wheat tortillas. By making a fresh salsa, Rashae learned that grocery store items can be made healthier and tastier. This week, I showed him that squash (ew!) isn’t something scary and foreign but tasty and tricky; case in point: spaghetti squash. Rashae returns each time to Healthy Start resistant to eating healthy, yet each week beams with pride as he carefully packs up some of his food to bring home to his Grandma. (I also know, although he won’t always admit it, that he really likes the food.) Five minutes with him makes me remember why I work at Chicago Cares every day: I love working with kids and inspiring them to be their best selves.

I will not solve world peace. I will not end poverty or inequality. I cannot house all those who are homeless. But I can inspire a student to live a healthier lifestyle and make better choices. I can be a stable, positive presence in one child’s life. I can encourage others to volunteer. I can make a difference.

Introducing our NEW Volunteer & Leader Services team!

Chicago Cares is very excited to announce the creation of the new Volunteer and Leader Services team! Thanks to our great Leaders and Volunteers, we are providing an ever increasing number of projects and resources to the Chicagoland area.  Due to this increased presence, the time has come to centralize a Volunteer & Leader department within the organization.  The creation of this department will streamline the volunteer and leader recruitment process for both our volunteers and staff.  

 

Our team “veteran” is Abbie Davis who has been working at Chicago Cares for the past year as the Assistant to Programs and Service Events.  She has managed our social media since last January and is very passionate about opening channels of communication with our volunteers. We are so glad that Abbie has accepted the new role of our Coordinator of Volunteer & Leader Services.  Managing the department is Jennifer Brown, a newcomer to Chicago Cares who brings 9 years of nonprofit volunteer management experience.

Two more new staff members have also been added thanks to our relationship with the AmeriCorps Volunteer program. Our new Get HandsOn AmeriCorps Member, Leader Services is Claire Dooms.  Claire is from the Chicago area and is no stranger to volunteering. She took part in a summer AmeriCorps program in Lake Tahoe’s Great Basin restoring, constructing and maintaining trails in a national forest. Rounding out the team is our Get HandsOn AmeriCorps Member, Volunteer Services, Lyzeth Mondragon.  Lyzeth’s varied work and volunteer experience includes tutoring and clerking for a law firm. 

The new team looks forward to getting to know our wonderful volunteers!

Thank You, Business Shares Leaders!

Fall has traditionally been the busiest time of year for our Business Shares projects, and 2010 has been no exception.  With the partnership of our great leaders, schools, community groups and corporate partners more schools have been enhanced to brighten the lives of students and community residents.  Highlights from these volunteer projects below: 

On September 11^th, approximately 350 volunteers joined Chicago Cares and the Chicago White Sox in transforming Alexander Graham Elementary School.  Through their hard work, these volunteers were able to paint 21 classrooms, 16 murals (both wall and canvas), 13 mosaics, beautify the outdoors with planter benches and update the auditorium. 

On September 24^th, Discover Financial Services’ Business Technology division brought 319 volunteers to serve with Chicago Cares in Zion, IL.   In one day, this group was able to make over two schools.  At one school alone, volunteers created nearly two dozen murals, built reading lofts and cubbies for the classrooms and overhauled the outside by adding line games and re-landscaping the school’s entrance.  At another school, volunteers painted murals and constructed planter benches, planter beds and planter boxes.  New seating and gathering areas were also created outside by constructing a flagstone path and benches.  Discover volunteers also added a new baseball diamond to the field between the two schools so all of the students could enjoy the space.  

On October 2^nd, over 600 volunteers from Medline transformed North Chicago's  A. J. Katzenmaier School inside and out!  Painting took place in hallways, classrooms, the gym and the cafeteria.  Murals were  created, a tile mosaic was completed reinforcing one of the school’s major ideas, that one must “READ TO SUCCEED.” Planter benches and boxes were built and placed around the grounds and a peace garden was created.  Volunteers even constructed an outdoor teaching area for the students to learn in the shade of the school’s largest tree.

We can see the physical impact of these projects, but the true reward will be felt by the students, faculty, administrators and parents who will enjoy these brighter environments for years to come. Many thanks to all who donated their time!

November Leader Spotlight: Mike Brunlieb

The Students on Stage program at Hinton Elementary school is quickly gaining interest with students, thanks to team coordinator Mike Brunlieb, who brings lots of energy and planned activities for students at each project.   Mike joined Chicago Cares two and a half years ago and quickly saw potential for improv and acting programs for children. As a leader for Students on Stage Mike is able to pull from his personal knowledge and experience as an accomplished improv performer in Chicago and share it with eager youth.

When we talked with Mike he shared some of his amazing experiences with his programs.  As students begin the program they are sometimes very resistant to learning improv or feel awkward, but quickly begin to open up, letting their intuition guide them. He sees improv and acting as an opportunity for the youth to drop their pretences and toughness.

“I think that improvisation is unique in the way allows people of different ages and backgrounds to create something together. When people drop their cool, and start really playing, especially people who would normally have little contact with one another, something wonderful happens. There's nothing like it!”

Mike stands out as a leader for this children’s program because he takes the time to sit down with the kids and get to know them, laugh with them, and listen to their stories. The students have told us that they are excited to return to his projects. 

Mike enjoys the leadership role for the program because it allows him to include colleagues from across different theaters in the city as guest speakers. He also uses the opportunity to expose the students to a variety of styles, techniques, and skills.

Thanks Mike for your commitment to Chicago Cares, your program at Hinton Elementary, and the many students and volunteers you work with at each project!

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.