February NewsLetter

Peloton Donates $100k to South Side wellness facility 'SALUD Center'
-Fox News Chicago 2/10/22 


In honor of Black History Month, our partner Peloton is donating $100,000 in exercise equipment, program subscriptions and grant support to Claretian Associates for the South Chicago SALUD Center. Peloton’s donation, its first in Chicago, will add flexible and dynamic programming in strength, cycling, yoga and more for the SALUD Center, part of a broader company mandate to promote racial equity in health and wellness.

We are also excited to announce that our S.A.C.R.E.D. Development project has been awarded tax credits by the Illinois Housing Development Authority. In the long term, these credits will translate to much needed funding towards the project. S.A.C.R.E.D., which stands for Sustainable Affordable Commercial Real Estate Development, is a mixed-use property which is intended to include a grocer and roughly 80 units of affordable housing. 

Due to these fantastic opportunities in addition to a $20 million investment and partnership with Fifth Third Bank and Enterprise Community Partners, Claretian has decided to focus on managing these projects effectively and has decided not to take part in the Thrive Exchange joint venture with DL3 Realty, and Revere Properties near the intersection of E. 79th Street and S. Exchange Avenue. We wish the partners well in their endeavor. ​​

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120 Care Packages Distributed  

The South Chicago Neighborhood Network (SCNN) and Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P) collaborated for a care package drive. Donations were received from Gary Comer Community Center, Fifth Third Bank in South Chicago, and other individuals for a total of 120 care packages. Through our partnership with Advocate Aurora Health and other organizations, Claretian Associates Faith Nurse Shonie Purnell, arranged for the care packages to be distributed among the homeless.  Read more about the care packages here.  
The care packages contained toothpaste, deodorant, body wash, wet wipes, socks, and winter gear. CP4P Victim Advocates team and outreach workers distributed the care packages to participants and community members during their advocacy and outreach work.  ​

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UNITY Squad

UNITY Squad has started recruitment for 14-17 ages, 15 slots are available. Youth and Family Coordinator Pamesha Robinson will be the instructor for the school year programming. Youth will earn a $75 stipend per month. 

UNITY (United Network Influencing the Transformation of Youth) Squad has a five-part curriculum structured to teach youth leadership, civic engagement, mental health and wellness, trauma informed, and workforce preparedness. “We started this program because wanted to employ youth in the summer that were 14-15 years of age. From there the program took off into the school year programming,” said Program Manager Tiarra Owens. UNITY Squad is now in their fifth year of youth programming.  

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New Youth and Family Coordinator Profile
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Claretian Associates welcomes the new Youth and Family Coordinator, Pamesha Robinson. “I’m hoping, working here, at Claretian Associates I can give back to the community.” Pamesha will be the instructor for UNITY Squad, she hopes the youth will gain leadership and financial literacy skills. Read more about Pamesha’s new role and here past her past experience here. 

As the new UNITY Squad instructor, Pamesha is looking forward to the summer programming and wants to prepare the participants for their futures beyond the program. She hopes to bring her positive energy, and her past experience to the role. Pamesha will also be coordinating Chicago Connect, Tech Corps, and the Literacy Chicago Program.  
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Pamesha previously worked for Strive Grow Achieve (SGA) Family Services as Parent Educator for the Chicago Board of Education. She is also the founder of the Robinson and Turner Family Foundation, which is dedicated to honor the memory of her nephew Tobias Robinson, who was murdered at the age of 14 in Englewood.  “I started this foundation to give back to the community of Englewood and Chicago,” said Pamesh. The foundation works on toy drives and restorative justice practices. 

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