October has been a month full of exciting milestones and heartfelt support here at CPA! We are thrilled to announce that our Early Learning Center has earned its prestigious accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). This recognition, along with the generous support of partners like WSIA, The Denim Lounge, and David Garzenia, has truly brightened our fall season. From David’s pumpkin donations for our upcoming Fall Festival to community-driven fundraisers and hands-on engagement, this month has been one to remember. Read on to celebrate with us and see all the fun fall happenings!
Upcoming Public Events
-
Thursday, October 31: Fall Festival (volunteer opportunity, 9:45 – 11:30 AM)
-
November 20 – December 20: Hope in Roscoe Village
-
Saturday & Sunday, December 7 & 8: Adopt A Family Gift Sorting
-
Sunday, December 8: Hope Fore The Holidays fundraiser
-
Saturday, December 14: Shop with Purpose, Kendra Scott Chicago
A Job Well Done!
Congratulations to our Early Learning Center for earning accreditation from The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)! This prestigious recognition highlights our commitment to providing high-quality early childhood education and creating a nurturing, supportive environment for our children. Stay tuned for more exciting details on this incredible achievement and what it means for the future of our programs!
WSIA
A heartfelt thank you to WSIA for their incredible support of CPA! This spring, they raised over $45K in unrestricted funds, and just this week, 200 of their members volunteered, making a significant impact by engaging with some of our Early Learning Center students, assembling 100 hygiene kits for clients, writing 104 notes of encouragement, and helping clean up the community park with 73 bags of trash collected—an essential space for our families. Thanks to their dedication, 30 happy kids enjoyed games like duck-duck-goose. We are so grateful for this partnership and the difference it makes!
The Denim Lounge
Thank you to The Denim Lounge for supporting Children’s Place Association between the 14th and 30th of October! We’re so grateful for their generosity and for everyone who donated gently-used denim to benefit our children and families.
BRIGHT PROMISES FOUNDATION
We’re excited to announce that we received $8,000 in renewed funding from the Bright Promises Foundation EQUIP Fund! This grant will support specialized training for our Early Learning Center staff, helping us enhance classroom quality and better prepare children for kindergarten success.
Pumpkin Time
Thank you to David Garzenia for his longtime generosity in donating pumpkins to our Early Learning Center! We’d also like to give a special shoutout to Puckerville Farm for volunteering to deliver them again, making this tradition possible. Your continued support brings so much joy to our kids each year!
Meet CPA Members and Ambassadors
Click on images to learn more.
Check below and see what our amazing teams have been up to over the last month.
Month in Review
This month, we kicked off programming at KIPP One Academy, welcoming new students and reconnecting with our current Thrivers. This semester, we’re offering Art, Brain Builder, and Gaming, where students are diving into creative projects, tackling puzzle challenges, and sharpening their problem-solving skills through online games. We’re eager to see the growth and engagement as the program continues!
CPA shoutout goes to:
-
Yadira Santoyo and Jerlisa Clark, for their hard work in launching the afterschool programming at KIPP One Academy for Fall 2024. – Jakina Dortch, Thrive Director
Month in Review
What a month! We earned NAEYC accreditation, celebrated “Bring Your Dad to School Day,” and continued inspiring hands-on learning. Father figures explored classrooms, met our staff, and shared breakfast, while in the Crocodile Room, students brought Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes to life by walking through paint to see how colors mix. At CPA, we partner with families to create brighter futures, and our engaging activities spark creativity and set kids up for success.
CLICK HERE for more pictures.
Month in Review
The Home-Based team kicked off October with fun fall activities, including painting projects and lessons on naming emotions. Thanks to their incredible recruitment efforts, the program is now fully enrolled. Great work, team!
CLICK HERE to see more Home Base pictures.
CPA shoutout goes to:
-
Cristina Diaz and Ashley Delgado for their exceptional support of families during weekly home visits and resource provision. They also enhance their skills through ongoing training. Way to go, home-based team! You’re amazing!
Month in Review
Foster care staff and foster parents are collaborating to update the 2025 Foster Parent Law Implementation Plan, ensuring foster parent rights and responsibilities are addressed. Multiple case managers are also finalizing adoption paperwork for pending cases, while the COA reaccreditation process is in progress, with a review of policies and procedures underway.
We welcome feedback from staff and foster parents on both the Foster Parent Law Implementation Plan and the Grievance Policy. Please EMAIL US your recommendations to Ivan Harrison III, Executive Director of Child Welfare.
CPA shoutout goes to:
-
Foster Care Case Manager Betty Hall for her outstanding work on a complex foster care case! The judge praised her efforts and even asked the attorneys to submit a written commendation. Great job, Betty!
Amani
In a rural village in Western Kenya, a young boy named Amani, aged 5, struggles with sickle cell disease. Born into a low-income family, his mother didn’t realize that he had the condition until he was nearly two years old, as newborn screenings and early diagnosis are rare in his community.
Amani’s young life has been filled with crises. The abnormally shaped red blood cells block his blood flow, causing intense pain in his limbs and chest. These episodes leave him too weak to play or attend school regularly.
His dedicated mother, who works as a subsistence farmer, takes Amani to the nearest clinic on foot when he is in crisis, but the clinic often lacks the specialized medication he needs, and his family cannot afford the frequent trips to the regional hospital where more comprehensive treatment would be available.
Despite his many hardships, Amani remains hopeful even though his future is uncertain.
If you’d like to help us build a healthier, happier future for Amani and other children like him, please continue participating in our 2024 Place the Hope campaign!
Spread the Word about Place the Hope:
Share the Place the Hope campaign with your family, friends, and colleagues! Make introductions for us or invite us to host an informal informational session for your network. We’d love to connect with more likeminded people and raise awareness for the families we support!
Help Us Raise Needed Support Online:
Create your own mini digital fundraiser on Classy or Facebook. It only takes a few minutes to set up, and you can invite your colleagues, friends, and family to join you in supporting a great cause! Click the links to get started or reach out to one of our staff.
Make a Personal and/or Company Gift:
Consider making a donation to directly support the children and their families. It is tax-deductible, and 100% of your gift will go to those we serve. Many companies will also match employee gifts and/or provide sponsorships. Any level of support has far-reaching impact!
Partnerships & Collaborations
Our team consistently explores avenues to engage local corporations in funding and volunteer opportunities with the aim of creating a network of child champions.
Major Company & Foundation Supporters
Allied World Insurance, STS Foundation
Major Individual Supporters
Richard Bae, Lynette Bouchie, Kimberly Dixon, Caryn Feinberg, Jake Hoffman, Hilary Keno, Binita Kwankin & Joe Hmieleski, Ryan Leibach, Leslie A. McLeod, Edward “Ted” and Nancy Otto, Marilyn S. Sturgell
Grants
An $8,000 renewal grant from the Bright Promises Foundation has been awarded to support our ELC Class Training Consultant!
Volunteer. Donate. Join Our Team.
Join us in supporting Chicago’s most vulnerable kids! We have a variety of volunteer, support, and engagement opportunities available. Your involvement helps us provide essential items like art supplies, diapers, emergency gift cards, and more to families in need. Every contribution makes a big difference—thank you for being a part of our community!
Here are some of the opportunities we are looking for:
Child & Family Support Services:
-
Family Case Manager
-
Medical Case Manager
-
Supportive Housing Program Supervisor
Child Thrive:
-
Youth Coordinator
Early Learning Center:
-
Administrative Assistant
-
Inclusion Aide
-
Teacher Aide, Early Head Start
Foster Care & Adoption:
- Case Aide
- Licensing & Recruitment Coordinator
Home Base Learning:
- Health & Mental Health Coordinator
- Parent Educator
ELC Cont:
-
Teacher Aide, Head Start
-
Teacher Assistant, Head Start
Substitute Teacher (on call)
CLICK HERE for more details on open positions and how to apply.
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.
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 YouTube | CPI Facebook |
CPI Instagram|Child Thrive Facebook | Child Thrive Instagram |CONTACT US
