While February is the shortest month of the year, we at Children’s Place packed a lot into it. From celebrating Black History Month, holding a father figures event, preparing for our June Gala, and so much more.
Read on to enjoy all that transpired this month and to learn what’s ahead.
Check out what’s happening at CPA.
- Friday, March 3 – Child Thrive Meet & Greet
- Wednesday, March 15 – Foster Parent Orientation
- Wednesday, March 22 – Foster Parent Training
- Thursday, March 23 – Grow Into Spring
- SAVE THE DATE – Friday, June 2 – Annual Gala 2023
CLICK HERE for more event details and volunteer opportunities.
Save the Date: We are ONE Chicago Gala – Building Bridges, Connecting Communities
On Friday, June 2nd, we will gather for delicious food, drinks, dancing, and inspiration for our biggest private fundraiser of the year. Stay tuned for more details soon.
Want to get involved in helping us inspire others and build bridges within our community? Whether it’s volunteering to help us plan the gala or engaging donors and sponsors to help support our mission, we would love to have you join us! EMAIL Shantal to learn more about how YOU can impact.
Welcome to the CPA Team
Welcome Dr. Algean Garner II as our Director of Clinical Services. In this role, he will be spearheading the expansion of our mental health initiatives and trauma-informed care services for the community. CLICK HERE to learn more.
Growing our Junior Board
Mesirow, a long-time CPA supporter, is hosting a happy hour on March 9th for a recruitment effort to grow our Junior Board. Members of our current Junior Board will be there to chat with prospective members. If you know of any young Chicago professionals between 20 – 35 interested in being part of our Board, please EMAIL HERE.
Meet A CPA Team Member
Come Meet the Child Thrive Team
Join us this Friday to learn what Child Thrive is up to and enjoy food, music, games, and more. EMAIL HERE to learn more.
CLICK HERE for Child Thrive pictures.
Sports Physicals & Pediatric Consultations
Does your child(ren) have a cold, flu, strep throat, or COVID-19? If you don’t know, take advantage of getting a free consultation! We offer the community free school-age pediatric consultations and sports physicals with our continued partnership with Rush and Dr. Margi. Every Wednesday (unless otherwise noted by Dr. Margi) from 1–5 PM. To make an appointment, EMAIL HERE.
Mental Health
Our partner, JPA, continues to offer mental health counseling on-site (at WHP) every Friday from 2-6 PM with Ben. We also have Julie available for individuals who prefer services with a female-oriented/gendered person. These services are available to everyone associated with CPA and the West Humboldt Park community. To set an appointment, EMAIL HERE.
Reading Together: Black History Month
Our Parenting Curriculum activity for the month was the importance of reading and how to add reading to your daily routine. Parents who participated were provided copies of a few different Black History-themed books.
Valentine’s Day Treats
One of our Junior Board members, Paige Larson, brought in Valentine’s treats for the kids, and as you can see below, they enjoyed them. See more pictures HERE.
Fishing with Father Figures & Family
We hosted a fish themed activity night and encouraged father figures to join the children to enjoy magnetic fishing, puzzles, carnival games, crafts, and reading. Lots of fun was had. See more pictures HERE.
(The kids enjoying their Valentine’s treat and having fun at the Fishing with Father Figures event.)
CLICK HERE for more pictures of our Early Learners
Community Partnership Brunch
We will be hosting a virtual or in-person meeting with our community partners to discuss the strengths and needs of our community in terms of parents, children, and social services.
Kudos
Teamwork makes the dream work, and we are grateful for our team!
- Our staff got a shout-out and cookie treats sent from our main funders – Start Early – to commend our staff on our Winter Monitoring. They wanted to thank teachers for their great work in Active Supervision, communication, and redirection around the building.
- Daniela Mota and Delilah Bedolla also got a special mention during our Winter Monitoring. Daniela is new to her Home Based Education Coordinator role and had wonderfully kept files and binders, regardless of this being her first time. Delilah completed some wonderful Family Assessments/continued recruitment for the Home-Based program! (Family Assessments are completed with each parent annually and are used as a snapshot of each family’s home life to help us learn how to support them best. Delilah did an incredible job of helping parents feel comfortable enough to give in-depth answers.)
Teamwork makes the dream work, and we are grateful for our foster care and adoption team!
- Breona Tatum, our licensing and recruitment coordinator, completed all the requirements of DCFS and is now formally approved to conduct foster home licensing duties. She is finally official!
- Betty Hall: “Your diligent work is very much appreciated Betty! 😊 A testimonial we received.
- Almeta Rollins:
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- “I have reached out to the GAL regarding this motion. She said that Ms. Rollins is a fantastic case worker, has been very professional, and has been doing well with this case. A testimonial we received.
- ”Congratulations to foster care case manager – Almeta Rollins on her 2022 CPA Champion for Partnership Award!!!
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A Letter of Gratitude
One of our team’s greatest joys is hearing directly from the youth in our programs. We recently received this note from a young man who has been with CPI since he was little:
“I greet you in the name of our omnipresent God, who is always with us in the most difficult moments and who strengthens us in all situations.
I am always thrilled each time I have the chance to express myself on the job you are doing here [in Haiti]. I am writing to thank and congratulate you for the wonderful support that you are providing to many needy children, including myself.
My name is [name removed for privacy], and I am in my 4th year of medical school. I have been receiving the support of the [Children’s Place International] program since I was in 1st grade. The program is contributing to my success, financing my studies, and advising me in a helpful way that is good for my future. I will never stop thanking the staff for their great job. I did not expect all that was done for me, despite Haiti being in difficulty.
The CPI project gives me courage and strength to keep believing in a better future. I ask God to keep blessing you with good health, strength, and courage to continue to do a good job helping all the needy students. Thank you!”
Major Company & Foundation Supporters
A. Montgomery Ward Foundation, Baxter International Foundation, Bright Funds, Illinois Tool Works (ITW), Kramer Charitable Giving Fund, SiriusXM, V. Brigham Family Fund
Major Individual Supporters
Marjorie Benton, Katherine Brown, Howard Jacob, Binita Kwankin & Joe Hmieleski, Leslie McLeod, Catherine Murphy, Sam Odishoo, Mark Saas, Nancy Siepman, Gregory Sokora, Jaclynn Szwagiel
In-Kind Donations
- Winter Coats from Humboldt Park Park District
- Clothing for a few families in need, from Cradles to Crayons
Volunteer. Donate. Join Our Team.
Join in and be part of the positive solution in helping Chicago’s most vulnerable kids. We have a variety of volunteering, support, and engagement opportunities.
Current Opportunities
Child Thrive
- STEM Kits: Model Car Kits, Electronics Exploration Kits, Wooden Building Kits, Solar Power Robots Creation Toy and Robotics Kits, Engineering Science Experiment Kit, and more. For a detailed list of specific items and quantities, please EMAIL HERE.
- Art supplies: Mixed Media Paper, mixing / painting knives, large palettes, canvases, hardening modeling clay, clay sculpting tools, bulk acrylic paint, paint brushes. For more details on quantities and types needed, please EMAIL HERE.
Foster Care
- Gift cards (Visa/MC, Walmart, Target) for families in need or in crisis
- Cribs or toddler beds
- Infant car seats (rear-facing only), generally for kids age birth to 12 months
- Convertible car seats (forward facing with harness) generally for kids ages 1–3
- Booster car seats (forward facing), generally for kids ages 4-7
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Laser tape measures, smoke/CO2 detectors, and thermometers for measure water temperature
General – All Programs
- New or gently used winter clothing
- Toiletries, essential household supplies
- Baby items (formula, diapers, etc.)
Philanthropy
- Outreach & Engagement Committee: Volunteers are needed to help champion our mission, connect us to new partners/sponsors/donors/volunteers, and build visibility for Children’s Place in the broader community. EMAIL HERE for more details on role descriptions and/or to learn more.
- Gala Volunteers: Volunteers needed to join our Gala Committee and Junior Board to help plan our 2023 Annual Gala.
Join The CPA Team
To learn about openings:
- CLICK HERE Grants Coordinator
- CLICK HERE Family Case Manager
- CLICK HERE Youth Coordinator
- CLICK HERE Administrative Assistant
- CLICK HERE to read about other existing job opportunities
Ongoing Opportunities
There are plenty of volunteer and donation opportunities throughout the year. Check out which might be most suitable for you:
- Join our Junior Board, Donor Engagement Committee, or Gala Committee
- Host a friend & family house party or fundraiser to benefit Children’s Place
- Get involved with Adopt a Family
- Lead an employee group community service day and/or fun activity day with our kids & youth
- and so much more!
Whatever your skillset or time commitment, we have something that fits YOU!
Contact us today to learn more and get started on your volunteer journey.
Invest in a Child’s Future
We believe EVERY child and family deserves equal access to care, safety, and shelter – regardless of circumstances or zip code. Your support helps us provide critical services to those most affected by serious health issues and extreme poverty.
Help us keep our promise to them by supporting their potential by creating pathways of hope and well-being.
- $25 – Allows a child to participate in an education l field trip to a local museum, park, or zoo
- $50 – Supplies grocery gift cards to families in need or crisis
- $100 – One youth or family workshop on financial literacy, workforce development, nutrition/health, or neighborhood safety
- $250 – Provides transportation for families to access health and wellness services and childcare
- $500 – Funds 3 weeks of afterschool activities, including the cost of food, transportation, and supplies, to offer a safe, supportive space for children in unsafe neighborhoods
Whether you give a one-time gift or a recurring monthly donation, $5 or $500, your donation directly impacts our children’s future. Please donate today to support our kids’ and families’ education, health, and economic stability.
DONATE TODAY
Hope Thrives When Communities Care
CLICK HERE to check out CPA pictures.
Come join us socially
An easy way to support CPA’s work is by engaging with us on our social media channels. By liking, commenting, and sharing our work, you help us expand our reach, bringing in new volunteers, donors, and awareness.
CPA Facebook| CPA Instagram | CPA LinkedIn |CPA Twitter | CPA YouTube
CPI Facebook | CPI Instagram
Child Thrive Facebook | Child Thrive Instagram
CONTACT US
