In 1987, the month of March became Women’s History Month. Here at Children’s Place, we want to recognize the women in our organization where 86% of our team is female, the women we serve, and our community partners who strive each day to bring more peace, justice, and equality into the world. We will continue these efforts with you and for you. See below what our team was up to this month, what is ahead, and how you can participate.
Mark Your Calendar
Check out these fun events we have coming up:
- Wednesday, April 20th – Foster Parent Orientation
- Friday, May 13th – Around the World with the Junior Board
- Saturday, June 4th – Once Upon a Time Speakeasy Soiree Gala
- Saturday, June 11th – Strides for Peace race
Our Junior Board
For the first time in two years, members of our Junior Board were able to gather in-person to have fun and discuss their upcoming May 13th event – Around the World with the Junior Board at the Chicago Cultural Center.
Child Thrive
Thrive Afterschool
Our afterschool program continues to offer ways to learn, connect, and have fun. One of the ways the team made math fun was by having the kids shoot a dart into the right answer to the problem.
Mental Health Counseling
JPA continues to offer mental health counseling at Child Thrive every Friday (unless otherwise noted) from 2 PM to 6 PM with Ben. These services are available to everyone associated with CPA and the West Humboldt Park community. Connect with Diana if you know of anyone who would be interested in scheduling at thrive@childrens-place.org.
Early Learning
Community Partnership
Our Early Learning team hosted their virtual Annual Community Partnership Focus Group where they met with a group of representatives from other community agencies and their parents to reflect on the past year. They had a great discussion on how the strengths and needs of social services have changed throughout the past year, and they look forward to collaborating again in the upcoming months!
Attendance
Despite weather changes and other obstacles, our program attendance has been incredible! Huge shout out to our families for making it every day.
Foster Care and Adoption
Happy Adoptions
Thanks to Betty Hall, one of our Foster Care Case Managers, four children were adopted in March. One family adopted their 5-year-old foster son with special medical needs. The other family adopted three siblings with special needs (ages 11, 12, and 13) who had been previously separated until they reunited in their current adoptive home.
100% Compliance
The work that we do requires the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services compliance, and our recent client file audit indicated 100% compliance. We are diligently adhering to compliance, as shown by these results from DCFS. Thank you, Patrick Taitt, for your thorough work with your clients.
International
Building Leaders
The New Ventures afterschool program in Haiti continues to play a key role in students learning leadership and life skills. Check out what some recent graduates had to say.
“I am who I am today because of the New Ventures program. The program provided a platform for me to learn to be thoughtful and to live with values and intention.”
“I now consider myself a leader in my community and intentionally help others – teaching children and adolescents not to be negative but to be positive. I credit the NV program with giving me the skills to be a leader and a framework from which to build my future.”
Early Learning
A Powerful Month Ahead
April is all about literacy in our Early Learning programming. The week of the Young Child will be April 4-8, and the theme is Children’s Books! Every classroom and office are choosing a book or author and decorating their room accordingly. Throughout the week, we will have activities around the love of reading and mini trips between classrooms to explore. In addition, we are hosting another virtual literacy night in which all families will receive a copy of a book and our staff will do a live read along complete with teachers acting out the different characters!
Foster Care and Adoption
Plans are underway for a Foster Parent Appreciation event in May to celebrate Foster Care Month.
Child and Family Service
Family Fun Night
Our Child and Family Services department will be collaborating with All Nations Foundation, a charitable & philanthropic organization in Chicago, for our May Family Fun Night with a focus on reading, literacy, and technology. Families and children will have access to used books and learn how to use computers for support and equitable opportunities for personal advancement.
CPA Organization
Calling All Runners Children’s Place Association is partnering with Strides for Peace for their annual Race Against Violence on Saturday, June 11th. If you are a runner or a walker, let us know if you are interested in being part of Team CPA for either an 8k, 5k, or a 2-mile walk and/or bringing your children along for a Tots for Peace sprint for the kids. Registration details coming soon. If interested, please contact volunteer@childrens-place.org.
CPA Supporters
We are grateful to all our supporters who allow us to continue to do the work we are so passionate about.
Major Company & Foundation Supporters
Baxter International, BNY Mellon Bank, DIFFA Chicago, KPMG Gives, Mesirow, TDC Specialty, US Cellular, VMware Tanzu
Major Individual Supporters
Arlene Englander, Howard Jacob, Binita Kwankin, Madeline McGinnis, Maggie Ryan, Matthew Roma
Join the CPA Team
Our Foster Care Program is seeking a Licensing & Recruitment Coordinator. We have other openings, too. Read about all the existing opportunities to work at Children’s Place Association.
Become a Foster Parent
Foster parents are needed!!! Please contact Ivan Harrison III, MA – Director of Child Welfare at (312) 706-1835 or iharrison@childrens-place.org if you’re interested in becoming a foster parent.
General Volunteer Opportunities
Join in and be part of the solution in helping Chicago’s vulnerable kids. We have a variety of volunteer opportunities available:
- Once Upon a Time Gala Committee
- Junior Board member
- Teach a Child Thrive summer camp mini class
- Mentoring youth
- and so much more!
Current Volunteer Needs
Early Learning April volunteer
The Early Learning Center is looking for volunteers to create decorations or crafts and donate any gently used or new children’s books, specifically for ages 8 months to 5 years old.
Child Thrive Volunteers Needed
As we continue to grow the program, we’re looking for:
- Mentees and mentors for the BBBS programming
- Volunteers to teach/run classes for our summer minicamps
Contact Us Today to Volunteer
Whatever your skillset or time commitment, we have something that fits YOU! Email volunteer@childrens-place.org to learn more and let us know how you would like to get involved.
Invest in a Child’s Future
Your support helps us provide critical services to children and their families affected by serious health issues and extreme poverty. Whether it’s a one-time gift or a recurring monthly donation, your generous gift has a direct impact on our children’s future.
- $30 donation funds one week of meals for a child
- $100 donation provides transportation for families to access health and wellness services and child care
- $300 donation buys gift cards for 6 families to purchase uniforms and school supplies
DONATE TODAY.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African Proverb
As the African Proverb says, going together gets you further. We’d love to have you stay connected with us to know what’s going on at CPA and how you can be involved.
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