Claretian Associates Receives $2 Million Award Claretian Associates is the recipient of a $2 million gift from the Yield Giving Open Call. Claretian was selected from over 6,300 applications in the United States. The gift will help Claretian further its mission of affordable housing and services to South Chicago and surrounding communities. "The donation from MacKenzie Scott is a blessing that we consider to be something extraordinary. It shows an understanding of the need for unrestricted funding for organizations like ours. With this donation, we will be able to serve more families, help our community be healthier, and increase the quality of life,” said CEO Angela Hurlock. Read more about the award here. ProgramsYouth Summer Programming Claretian Associates will be hosting One Summer Chicago, summer youth employment, for the seventh year! Youth can apply for UNITY Squad or Tech Corps. There are a total of 70 spots, 20 for UNITY Squad and 50 for Tech Corps.
This will be the seventh year UNITY Squad offers summer programming. Each year the youth learn life skills. The program teaches them how to team build, problem solve, budget money, and more. In partnership with Yoga Care, youth will participate in yoga lessons once a week. To assist and facilitate the program, we are seeking to hire three positions. View job descriptions here. Youth can also apply for Tech Corps, “Tech Corp can open doors to entrepreneurship; youth will meet with business owners and create mock websites for their business,” said Program Manager Tiarra Owens. Youth will learn computer languages like HTML, Java Script, and how to create a website. Both programs will complete the One Summer Chicago curriculum, My Chi My City, online. Youth complete learning modules focused on leadership development, civic engagement, and more. Youth earn badges when completing the learning modules. The badges help youth advance with future summer employment. For more information contact Program Manager Tiarra Owens at tiarrao@claretianassocites.org Business Cohort At The SALUD Center Claretian Associates is hosting a 12-week business cohort at the SALUD Center. Sunshine Enterprises is an Empowering Black Futures (EBF) partner and Claretian is working in collaboration to promote small businesses in South Chicago. The cohort is designed to help small businesses with branding, budgeting, creating business plans, and more. Most recently a simulation was held that presented to participants a unique environment where they gain hands-on experience running a business. For more information contact EBF Coordinator Monique Thurman at moniquet@claretianassociates.org Black Health Matters Fair Claretian Associates, the South Chicago Neighborhood Network, and Communities Partnering 4 Peace hosted a Black Health Matters Fair at the SALUD Center. The fair was a celebration for Black History Month that included a band of drummers, food, and health resources. The Black Health Matters Fair began with an African opening ceremony by the 63rd Street Drummers. “Residents absolutely loved it. They were dressed in their African attire and enjoyed themselves,” said Resident Service Manager Wendy Steward. The event had a mental health component to it. A speaker from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois Blue Door presented on the importance of mental health. “It was important to us that people understand why we were hosting the fair. A lot of times people do not recognize mental health or trauma issues. We got a speaker that was relatable, to present on health disparities in the Black and Brown community,” said Program Manager Tiarra Ownes. The rest of the afternoon was spent listening to spoken word poetry by the CP4P team and enjoying music and dinner. Community members were able to explore the different health vendors, like the University of Illinois at Urban Urbana-Champaign Extension Program, Chicago Family Health Center, Family Rescue, and more. Safe Passage Welcomes a New School Claretian Associates welcomes Ninos Heros Elementary School to the Safe Passage program. Ninos is located at 8344 S Commercial Ave. Claretian is excited to see the program growing, making it the seventh school for the program. Safe Passage is an initiative that Chicago Public Schools started to provide a safe path for children walking to school. Light in the Night Communities Partnering 4 Peace collaborated with Lost Boyz to host Light in the Night. The event was held at the Lost Boyz location, 1818 E 71st Street. Participants received hygiene bags with a Gatorade water bottle, toothbrush, and other toiletries. Participants enjoyed entertainment with a pony, music, and a warm meal. Seniors With Spring around the corner, the South Chicago SALUD Center senior residents will begin gardening in April. Master Gardner Gregory Bratton, a South Chicago community member, will host a workshop for seniors on how to become involved in gardening. On the residential side of the SALUD Center, the seniors have access to garden beds where seniors and youth from UNITY Squad have gardened together. AnnouncementsCommunities Partnering 4 Peace The next series of Light in the Night events will be April 24th – April 25th from 4pm-5pm in South Shore, South Chicago, and South Deering. This will be the first Light in the Night outdoor series of the year. Each event will have music, food, games for kids, and resources.
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ProgramsBlack Health Matters Fair Claretian Associates and community partners will host a Black Health Matters Fair on Thursday, February 29th at the SALUD Center, from 4:00 PM- 6:00 PM. The fair will have health clinics from South Chicago, resources for mental health, music, and food. “It is for the whole community, everybody can come explore their options and meet new agencies,” said Resident Service Manager Wendy Steward. For more information, contact Tiarra Owens at tiarrao@claretianassociates.org Youth Mental Health First Aid Training The South Chicago Neighborhood Network (SCNN) hosted a Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training at the SALUD Center. The training was designed to help providers recognize the signs of a mental health crisis in youth and how to address it. At the end of the training, participants receive a certificate of completion and are certified for three years. SCNN encourages professionals in education, youth coordinators, parents and anyone working with youth to take the training. For more information on MHFA training contact Program Manager Tiarra Owens, at tiarrao@claretianassociates.org. Register here for future MHFA training. Recruiting for Summer Youth Programming Claretian Associates, in partnership with One Summer Chicago, will begin accepting summer youth job applications on Monday, March 4th. There will be two summer programs offered, Unity Squad and Web Corps, hosted by Tech Corps. The summer program will run from June 24th through August 2nd. Youth can complete an application here. For more information contact Program Manager Tiarra Owens at tiarrao@claretianassociates.org Communities Partnering 4 Peace Light in the Night On Friday, January 26, Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P) had their first Light in the Night event of the year. CP4P outreach teams from South Chicago, South Shore, and South Deering collaborated to host the event. The event was held at Claretian’s CP4P office located at 3003 E 92nd Street. The event provided the community with a safe space, a warm meal, music, clothing distribution, and more. CP4P also hosted their second Light in the Night on Friday, February 16, at 8850 S. Mackinaw. Participants received a warm meal and enjoyed music. The case management team and outreach workers provided participants with clothing, shoes and other essentials that were available. Last year CP4P hosted approximately 70 Light in the Nights in the neighborhoods of South Chicago, South Shore, and South Deering. The next Light in the Night will be on Friday, March 22, from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm at 1818 E.71st Street. Seniors Celebrate Valentine's Day The seniors at Villa Guadalupe and South Chicago SALUD Center enjoyed a Valentine's Day celebration. The community rooms were decorated for the occasion. The seniors played bingo and enjoyed each other's company with lunch and music. Vaccine Clinic at Villa Guadalupe Claretian Associates, in partnership with the Chicago Department of Public Health, hosted a vaccine clinic at the Villa Guadalupe. Vaccines available for the community included Flu, COVID-19, RSV, Hepatitis, Pneumonia, and more. “We want to show the community that we are still trying to stay healthier together. We hosted it at the Villa to accommodate our seniors. We care about them and their health,” said Resident Service Coordinator Yesenia Mckenzie. Staff HighlightsNew CP4P Administrative Coordinator Claretian Associates welcomes Eriberta Sanchez as CP4P Administrative Coordinator. Eriberta will be coordinating community events, providing administrative support to CP4P, and more. Eriberta is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Prior to working at Claretian Associates, she worked in retail. “I always knew that I didn’t want to be in retail, I wanted to do more,” said Eriberta. She wanted to do more for her community. Eriberta was excited to find out Claretian Associates was in her own community. “I chose to work in non-profit for the sole reason that it's working for something greater than themselves,” said Eriberta. Eribert is looking forward to learning more about the CP4P program, falling into her new role, and the summer Light in the Nights. In the NewsEnterprise Blog Claretian Associates was featured on the Enterprise blog for the Empowering Black Futures partner meeting. The meeting included a panel with community businesses to discuss the quality-of-life plan in South Chicago. Read more about the Empowering Black Futures partner meeting here. AnnouncementsPritzker Traubert Plaque The Pritzker Traubert Foundation delivered a plaque to Claretian Associates, acknowledging them as a finalist for the 2020 Chicago Prize. Claretian and seven other community partners teamed up to bring unique projects to reinvigorate South Chicago, such as affordable housing, a local lakefront, and more. We’re Building The seniors at Villa Guadalupe now have new flooring. The carpet was removed from each hallway and common areas, and replaced with new modern plank flooring. Villa Guadalupe has 55 units of affordable housing. March Light in the Night Join Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P) for the next Light in the Night on Friday, March 22nd at Lost Boys Inc. located at 1818 E 71st St. Enjoy a warm meal, music, and other resources. We hope to see you there. Fitness Center Boot Camp If you have not participated in the SALUD Fitness Center Boot Camp, there is still time. Only four more boot camp sessions are left. Each session costs $10. For more information contact Health and Wellness Coordinator Maurice Garrett at 773-908-4859. Thank you for your continued support of Claretian Associates in 2023. Your support made us thrive in our community! Here is Claretians Year in Review: Mental Health First Aid Trainings The South Chicago Neighborhood Network (SCNN) in partnership with Aroura Health Care Systems hosted three Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) trainings for adults at the SALUD Center. MHFA trainings bring awareness to mental health and how to assist in a crisis. We’re Building Claretian Associates finalized the New Homes developments which converted each home into two units. Families are moved in and are enjoying their new residence. The New Homes are located on the 92nd and Brandon and 91st and Burley. Youth Programming Afterschool Programming UNITY Squad met each Tuesday and Thursday for after school programming. In partnerships with University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Extension Program and the American Red Cross, youth earned certificates for completion of nutrition classes and Hands-Only CPR training. Youth Summer Programming Through our partnership with One Summer Chicago, Claretian employed 75 youth over the summer. Youth ages 14-15 and learned leadership, workforce preparedness, civic engagement, and more. In partnership with Tech Corps, youth ages 16-18 learned computer coding languages and created mock business websites Partnership with Center for Changing Lives Claretian Associates partnered with Center for Changing Lives for a series of workshops which included Resume Building, and Finance and Budgeting for community residents. Participants learned to create a resume, and cover letter, and how to create a budget on fixed income. Dress for Success, and Career and Trade Fair The South Chicago Neighborhood Network (SCNN) and Communities Partnering for Peace (CP4P) hosted Dress for Success, a clothing drive for business attire. This led to the Career and Trade Fair hosted by SCNN, CP4P, and community partners. Community residents met with potential employers and chose clothing from the donated business attire. Fitness Center Opened The SALUD Fitness Center opened with an affordable membership. The fitness center has new donated Peloton spin bikes and two rooms filled with weight and cardio equipment. The fitness center had two grand opening events with music, fitness bingo, and raffles. Membership is usually $14.99 a month. Look for our upcoming classes and special membership rates. Chicago Neighborhood Development Award Claretian Associates and Preservation for Affordable Housing (POAH) were awarded the Polk Bros. Foundation Affordable Rental Housing Preservation Award for the preservation of the South Chicago SALUD Center and Senior Housing. The Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards, hosted by LISC Chicago, recognizes the role that non-profit and for-profit developers and innovative architecture play in building communities throughout Chicago. Back-to-School Health and Wellness Fair The South Chicago Neighborhood Network, Communities Partnering 4 Peace, and community partners hosted an Annual Back-to-School Health and Wellness Fair. Over 400 bookbags with school supplies were distributed among community members. Advocacy Day at the SALUD Center Claretian Associates hosted their first Advocacy Day for Community Violence Intervention at the SALUD Center to raise awareness of the community violence intervention work that Communities Partner 4 Peace (CP4P) performs. Thanksgiving Community Dinners at the SALUD Center Claretian Associates hosted two Community Thanksgiving Dinners at the SALUD Center. Staff and UNITY Squad youth volunteered and served a traditional Thanksgiving dinner to community members. On Thanksgiving Day, CEO Angela Hurlock, along with family, friends, and staff, hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for the community. Community members enjoyed a delicious Thanksgiving dinner and dessert along with music and raffle prizes. Trauma-Informed Symposium The South Chicago Neighborhood Network (SCNN) hosted their annual Trauma-Informed Symposium. The virtual week-long event included a series of workshops focused on organizational crisis response, how to engage adults and youth after trauma, and more. Light in the Night Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P) hosted approximately 70 Light in the Night events. CP4P provided safe spaces with games, music, and food in the neighborhoods of South Chicago, South Shore, and South Deering. |
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