UNITY Squad The UNITY Squad participants started a nutrition class with the University of Illinois. Youth are learning how to cook and prepare healthy snacks. They will participate in cooking classes and receive hands-on instruction from a nutrition instructor. In partnership with SkyArt, youth from both organizations are creating colleges on the duality of the mind, an activity where youth think about where they are presently and their future.
Beautification of Green Spaces During the month of September, Claretian Associates hosted a beautification event at South Chicago Peoples Park. NeighborSpace and Chicago Cares coordinated the event with 25 other volunteers. Tall grasses and plants like hibiscus, purple mint flowers, and more perennials were planted. Learn more about the beautification event here. Peoples Park received a trash cleanup as well. On a separate day, Greencorps Chicago contributed to the beautification of the park. Greencorps Chicago removed weeds, trimmed trees and bushes, and mowed the lawn. The beautification also involved cleaning up Pocket Park, a playground located at 3253 E. 91st Street. City Civics Day Are you a neighborhood leader? The Chicago Department of Housing is hosting City Civics Day, for neighborhood leaders to be more effective and be a bigger part of the decision-making process for local or citywide improvements. Learn more about City Civics Day and register here. Seniors Oak Street Health hosted a bingo day for the seniors and provided a presentation on health care. The South Chicago SALUD Center seniors will have an annual Thanksgiving dinner provided by the Zuniga Family. Last year the Zuniga Family started the tradition of hosting a Thanksgiving dinner for the seniors, in honor of their daughter Mia who has autism. Community Thanksgiving Dinner Claretian Associates will host a Community Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, November 16 at the SALUD Center. A delicious meal of turkey, stuffing and other traditional sides will be served. The event is free, and all families are welcome. For more information contact Wendy Steward at wendys@claretianassociates.org Peloton Leaderboard Awards Claretian Associates attended the Peloton on Tour, a new community celebration taking place in five cities and three countries. The event was an opportunity to celebrate the Chicago community and present the Leaderboard Awards. Chief Of Programs Tevonne Ellis was nominated and awarded as a Peloton Leaderboard Leader. Tevonne was nominated through Peloton, and Tevonne recognized because of her leadership role in navigating Claretian’s relationship with Peloton. The award was unexpected, as Tevonne thought it was for the organization and their work with health and wellness. “I was surprised when I was nominated to be a Leaderboard Leader. I was very appreciative of the opportunity to represent, not only our organization but Peloton,” said Tevonne. Tevonne was a spin instructor at the YMCA in Boston, Massachusetts. “It's an accomplishment for me because of my history as a spin instructor. Aligning my passion with work,” Tevonne. Tevonne owns a Peloton Spin Bike and is an active member of the Peloton Community. In 2022, through a partnership with LISC Chicago, Claretian Associates was a recipient of Peloton equipment. Claretian Associates was the only nonprofit in the United States to be selected for the donation of equipment. “The greatest thing is having access to work out on this quality equipment. A lot of families in our area probably would not be able to own a Peloton. This adds to the top-of-the-line equipment that is available in the SALUD Fitness Center” said CEO Angela Hurlock. New Real Estate Project Manager Claretian Associates welcomes Marisol Miramontes as Real Estate Project Manager. “I’m excited to be back in the community where I grew up and give back where I was born and raised,” said Marisol. As real estate project manager, Marisol will be overseeing building and community planned projects. Among the many real estate projects Marisol will be working on New Homes for Chicago, the development of SACRED (Sustainable Affordable Commercial Development), and renovations of the senior apartments from Villa Guadalupe. For the last 20 years, Marisol worked in the non-for-profit sector in community development. Marisol worked for Spanish Coalition for Housing, Resurrection Project, CEDA, Catholic Charities, and other community development organizations. Marisol has a Bachelor's in Business and a Master's in Urban Planning from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Marisol’s interest in urban planning and architecture was inspired by Daniel Burnham, and traveling nationally and internationally. Other inspirations for Marisol were different metropolitan areas, especially the Chicago Skyline. “It's amazing to me how things evolve. I like evolution, growth, and seeing the development and construction,” said Marisol. Marisol looks forward to working on the different projects. “I want my children to see things and say, ‘My mom was a part of that project,’” said Marisol. Latino Policy Forum Graduation Our Youth and Family Service Coordinator Pamesha Robinson graduated from Latino Policy Forum, Multicultural Leadership Academy (MLA) 2023 Cohort. Pamesha is the instructor for the UNITY Squad afterschool program, leads digital literacy classes, and most recently is a facilitator for Girls Who Code. Pamesha applied for the MLA program and was selected to be a civic leader. “I wanted to get a deeper understanding of the word, leadership. Learning about myself helped me to be a better coworker, mentor, and even a better mother. Being a part of this cohort helped me to understand where I can add value and how to work on my leadership skills,” said Pamesha. During the six months, Pamesha attended three retreats to learn leadership, social and emotional skills, team building, and more. “We learned about ourselves and how to become the better version of ourselves. It was a great experience,” said Pamesha. In MLA, Pamesha was a part of the restorative justice group. Pamesha and her group assisted with changing Bill 2073 in Congress. The change to the bill was to assist youth with retroactive sentences. It would allow youth to get out of jail earlier as opposed to having the duration of a life sentence. “What happens with youth that have life sentences? said Pamesha. The restorative justice group met with state senators and gave their input for the bill. The MLA 2023 Cohort created a new tradition called, Passing of the Beads. During the first retreat, the cohort selected an individual who made everybody feel like family and understood leadership. Pamesha was one of the recipients of the Passing of the Beads. “It showed my growth in the program and what other people saw in me,” said Pamesha. After graduation, the beads were left with MLA for the next cohort. Pamesha was celebrated by her colleagues, family, and the youth from the UNITY Squad. Pamesha always encourages the youth to take opportunities and grow in their education. Pamaesha is the third staff member from Claretian Associates to graduate from Latino Policy Forum MLA. Fitness Center Haven’t signed up for a SALUD Fitness Center Membership yet? Sign up for our $14.99 monthly membership. Join the fitness center to have access to the weight and cardio room that includes Peloton spin bikes. Our expert fitness trainer is there to assist your new healthy lifestyle. For information contact us at fitnesscenter@claretianassociates.org Chair Yoga The South Chicago Neighborhood Network will offer the last Chair Yoga class on Saturday November 4th at the SALUD Center from 11:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. Chair. Register here. For more information contact Program Manager Tiarra Owens at tiarrao@claretianassociates.org
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Staff Appreciation Gathering Claretian Associates hosted a Staff Appreciation Day on September 1st at South Chicago Peoples Park. The morning began with catered food, and snow cones and "elote” from the local corn vendor. Staff played musical chairs, hot potato, and competed for raffle prizes. Everyone enjoyed the beautiful weather and a chance to catch up. Youth Programming at the SALUD Center UNITY Squad has several activities happening at the SALUD Center! Read below to learn more.
Trauma Informed Symposium The South Chicago Neighborhood Network (SCNN) will have their annual trauma informed symposium on October 23rd – October 26th. This event will be virtual. The theme for this year is Partnering to Heal, a better understanding of how traumatic experiences affect your health. Register here. SCNN noticed that there are a lot of health disparities and preventable measures in the community, that many are unaware of. This year we are going to focus on physical health, healthy relationships, and how to treat those who may have been exposed to traumatic experiences,” said Tiarra. Each day will be a different workshop. Topics will include dispelling health myths, engaging adults and youth after trauma, and more. All workshops will offer CEUs through the partnership with Metropolitan Family Services. For more information contact Program Manager Tiarra Owens at tiarrao@claretianassociates.org Chair Yoga at the SALUD Center The South Chicago Neighborhood Network in partnership with Yoga Care is offering free classes at the SALUD Center on Saturdays from 11:00 A.M - 12:00 P.M. Chair Yoga will be offered until November 4th. Register here. For more information contact Program Manager Tiarra Owens at tiarrao@claretianassociates.org Harvest Fest The South Chicago Neighborhood Network, UNITY Squad youth program will host their annual Harvest Fest on Thursday, October 26th at the SALUD Center. Activities will include pumpkin picking, s’mores, face painting and more. The Harvest fest will be a fun friendly family event. We hope to see you there! Advocacy Day Claretian Associates held an Advocacy Breakfast at the SALUD Center on September 9th. The event brought awareness to the community violence intervention work that Communities Partner 4 Peace (CP4P) perform. Attendees had the opportunity to listen to CP4P testimonials including Program Manager, James Sims, who began his career as violence intervention outreach worker. The breakfast was attended by local dignitaries, CP4P Outreach Workers, and community members. New AmeriCorps VISTA Claretian Associates welcomes Skyler Cohen as the AmeriCorps VISTA from Housing Action Illinois. Skyler became an AmeriCorps VISTA to make a difference in the world. Skyler will be working in Real Estate Housing Development. Prior to becoming an AmeriCorps, Skyler was doing a lot of intentional community work. While working in an intentional community Skyler became interested in the structure of housing and architecture. During that time Skyler saw the importance of architecture and how it can create community. “I wanted to do something with housing that involved a wider population instead of a small number of people who are interested in sustainable intentional communities,” said Skyler. Skyler has a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies and Arts from Denison University. Skyler is glad to work in real estate development because they are interested in the process of housing We’re Building Claretian Associates and the architect firm Canopy held a presentation for the residents at Villa Guadalupe. Residents learned about planned apartment renovations and the addition of a second elevator. Fitness Center Remember to sign up for membership at the SALUD Fitness Center. The cost of a monthly membership is only $14.99. Exercise on Peloton spin bikes, treadmills, and other workout equipment. Not sure where to start? The SALUD Fitness Center has a Health and Wellness Coordinator to guide every step you take towards a healthier lifestyle. For more information email us at fitness@claretianassociates.org Summer Youth Programming Summer youth programming concluded at the SALUD Center. UNITY Squad had their mock trial which they prepared with the Cook County District Attorney’s Office. With the knowledge of learning three computer languages, Tech Corps Students completed their mock business websites and had final presentations. UNITY Squad and Tech Corps earned their certificates of completion. UNITY Squad invited 10th Ward Alderman Peter Chico to be the judge for the mock trial. Officer Alex Calatayud from the 4th District Chicago Police Department was also invited and extended the invitation to his training offices, who served as part of the jury. Claretian Associates staff members were also a part of the jury. “One of our core components is civic engagement, so it teaches the youth how to understand the court system,” said Youth and Family Service Coordinator Pamesha Robinson. UNITY Squad attended a luncheon award ceremony at Maggiano's. The youth participated in an etiquette lesson the day before attending the luncheon. “We wanted the youth to be prepared before visiting a five-star restaurant,” said Pamesha. At the luncheon the youth received a certificate of achievement for completing the One Summer Chicago Program. Tech Corps completed their mock business websites and presented to their families, UNITY Squad and Google virtually, at the SALUD Center Multipurpose Event Space. The students learned three computer languages: CSS, HTML and Java Script in order to build their websites. Students will be able to include their newly learned skills on their resumes. Tech Corps students had a luncheon and received Tech Corps t-shirts and certificates of completion. Youth from UNITY Squad and Tech Corps had the opportunity to attend a college tour at the conclusion of the summer program. Youth toured Chicago State University (CSU) and Roosevelt University. They enjoyed being downtown and seeing Chicago’s beautiful skyline. At CSU, youth learned about how the very first classes were taught from a boxcar train. They also learned about taking dual classes for nursing while still attending high school. A college is tour is planned for next spring break. Wellness & Back-to-School Event Claretian Associates, South Chicago Neighborhood Network (SCNN), and community partners hosted an annual Wellness & Back-to-School event on Friday, August 11th. The event was held at 9108 South Brandon and included music, food, games and resource vendors. Over 400 bookbags were provided and school supplies were given away. Medical and health advocacy was provided through the partnership with Aurora Advocate Health. The street of 91st and Brandon was closed off with food, games, a bouncy house, horse rides for kids, shoes and clothing giveaway and music. Resource vendors were stationed in the Our Lady Guadalupe Parish parking lot. Vendors included local schools, Metropolitan Family Health Services, Pilsen Wellness Center, Family Rescue and other community organizations. “So many organizations have their own resources that make people want to come,” said Program Manager Tiarra Owens. A bookbag giveaway was held through the partnerships of Communities Partnering 4 Peace, Aurora Advocate Health, and Metropolitan Family Services. “We wanted to make sure kids had supplies to start off the school year, by providing these items it puts less of a financial strain on parents,” said Tiarra. To support community businesses, Claretian Associates provided food from local food vendors such as the local corn vendor at 91st and Houston and a food truck from First Choice Grocery Store. Claretian hopes to expand the Wellness & Back-to-School event to continue to support the community. UNITY Squad Recruiting UNITY Squad is recruiting for the academic school year. The program will focus on leadership, civic engagement, financial literacy and more. UNITY Squad will begin Tuesday, September 12th, 2023. Youth will meet every Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30 P.M. - 5:00 P.M at the SALUD Center. For more information, contact Youth and Family Service Coordinator Pamesha Robinson at pameshar@claretianassociates.org Communities Partnering 4 Peace Claretian Associates congratulates Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P) Outreach Workers Larry McGinnis, TyJuan Shannon, and Tony Smith. These individuals graduated from the Metro Peace Academy. The Peace Academy is an 18-week program that trains outreach workers. “They train outreach workers to professionalize mediation,” said CP4P Program Manager James Sims. The Peace Academy is a requirement for outreach workers to attend. According to the CP4P website, the Peace Academy aims to professionalize the violence prevention field and remove the stigma that shadows outreach programs. Claretian Associates currently has four outreach workers enrolled for the fall semester. There is a change in outreach workers who graduate from the academy. “It's a big change. Their energy changes. When we have debriefings, most workers will just listen. When workers graduate from the academy they are engaged. Their energy is totally different,” said James. Outreach Worker Steve Rymus “Rooster” was awarded the Perserverance Award from UIC Jane Addams College of Social Work. Steve qualified for the award because he was formally incarcerated, and he changed his life. “A lot of people after incarceration it's like a revolving door for them. Now Steve has changed his life; he is doing good for this community. He’s been a great help,” said James. Look for CP4P Night in the Light events in the Nights in September. Safe Passage Returning Claretian Associates Safe Passage Program returned as students began classes on August 21. . Claretian Associates hired 20 new Community Watchers to work along side the 45 who currently work with the program. Watchers attended mandatory training and a Safe Passage Rally at the Wintrust Arena. Team Lead Lionel Gaston was recognized and awarded for his remarkable work. Safe Passage is a Chicago Public School program that was started to provide a safe passage for children to school walking in neighborhoods prone to violence. The schools that Claretian Associates covers include Burnham Mathematics & Science Academy, James H. Bowen, George Henry Corliss, Myra Bradwell, Douglas Taylor and Arnold Mireles. Before each school year, Community Watchers attend a Safe Passage Rally, where partnering community-based organizations come together to motivate each other and get ready for the school year. Safe Passage Team Lead Lionel Gaston received an award for outstanding achievement. “To me this award means a lot because I’ve never gotten an award. It means the world to me,” said Lionel. Lionel started with Safe Passage as a Community Watcher in 2012. During the pandemic, he was a Safe Passage Base Operator at Burnham and Taylor. In 2021, Lionel was promoted to Safe Passage Team Lead. “I have a degree in physical education, and I love working with kids,” said Lionel. Safe Passage Program Manager April Morris nominated Lionel for his award. “Mr. Gaston is committed to ensuring students have a safe path to get to and from school. He shows up every day with a positive attitude, ready to handle any issue from de-escalating conflict to communicating with parents, or school leadership,” said April. If you are interested in applying for Safe Passage visit the SALUD Center at 3039 E 91st Street to complete an application. New Hires at Claretian Associates Claretian Associates welcomes Yesenia McKenize as Resident Service Coordinator. Yesenia will be assisting with case management, helping residents reach their goals of economic and financial stability, and working with residents to meet their needs and have support in the community. Yesenia has been in the field of social worker since 2015. “I’m good with people and understand that without basic needs people cannot thrive in their environment. I like to help people improve their situation so that they can better help themselves. That’s what ultimately brought me to social work, the ability to help others, help themselves,” said Yesenia. Prior to Claretian Associates, Yesenia worked at Fair Haven Rape Crisis Center with survivors of sexual assault. Yesenia has experience working with anything related to domestic violence such as the legal system, shelters, hospitals and more. Yesenia worked helping seniors with the Senior Health Insurance Program. She knows how to navigate sites to help seniors get benefits. Yesenia is planning on doing a financial abuse informative for the residents. “Especially working with the seniors. It's something I want them to be aware of knowing the signs to protect themselves,” said Yesenia. In addition, Yesenia is a student at the University of Indiana Northwest. She will graduate next year with her bachelor's in social work and a minor in psychology. “I love school. It's difficult being an older student, a single mom while working full-time, but I thrive in challenges. My resilience helps me stay motivated,” said Yesenia. Yesenia will be assisting and supporting residents at each of the Claretian Associates apartment buildings. “Every day is different and busy. I really thrive in that work environment, and I enjoy being here,” said Yesenia. SALUD Fitness Center Starting September 1st, the SALUD Fitness Center will be offering a monthly membership for $14.99. The SALUD Fitness Center has exercise equipment from free weights to Peloton Spin Bikes. Complete an application at the SALUD Center or visit us online. For more information contact us at fitness@claretianassociates.org Seniors The South Chicago SALUD Center Seniors attended a jazz concert in the SALUD Community Room, on Thursday, August 24. Several of the seniors are jazz musicians and were a part of the band, Ernest Dawkins and the Legendary Jazz Band. The resident service team has organized a trip to Cracker Barrel. This event will give seniors an opp to socialize and enjoy a meal together. The team is implementing ideas from the last residents meeting such movie nights and senior trips. “The seniors are already suggesting movies. We are trying to get senior engagement,” said Resident Service Manager Wendy Steward. The Villa Guadalupe seniors had a Coffee and Doughnut Social sponsored by Oak Street Health. Seniors learned about the services Oak Street has to offer. The Regional Transportation Authority also presented information to the seniors on the bus systems, free ride card and other services. Next month the seniors will have an ice cream social. |
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