As summer winds down, we’re gearing up with back-to-school preparations and celebrating a successful August fundraiser, thanks to the Joie and Wendi Group, with more exciting events on the horizon. Check out this month’s Pathways for all the details and ways to get involved!

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Upcoming Public Events

CLICK HERE for more event details.
External Cpa At A Glance

CPA DRIVES
There’s still time to join our July Hygiene Product Drive and Back to School Drive! These essential supplies play a vital role in helping our communities thrive, ensuring that everyone has the resources they need to succeed.

Back To School

Back To School Drive

It’s the last week of our Back-to-School Drive! You can drop off supplies or shop from our Amazon Wish List. Let’s make this school year great for every child!

 

Learn more>>>

Cornhole New

Cornhole Tournament.

Last call to join our Cornhole Tournament on Saturday, September 14th, starting at noon! Channel your inner Olympian, compete for glory, and support our kids at the same time. Don’t miss out—sign up now!

Learn more>>>

Love Charlie

Shop with Purpose

September 25th | 11 AM – 8 PM3352 N Paulina St, Chicago, IL 60657

Love Charlie is donating 20% of proceeds to support Children’s Place Association. Enjoy wine, small bites, and Village Sweets pretzels from 4 PM

Pickleball

CLICK HERE for more pictures.

Play with Purpose – Pickleball

A huge thank you to the Joie and Wendi Group of At Properties |Christies International Real Estate for hosting our 4th Annual Pickleball Tournament on August 4th! With 179 players joining in, we raised thousands to support our kids, and it was an absolute blast! We’re incredibly grateful for your ongoing support and friendship, Joie and Wendi. Your dynamic duo’s drive and enthusiasm truly shine through, evident in the fantastic turnout and the big, bright smiles of everyone who supports you and CPA year after year. Thank you for your generosity and kindness!

Meet CPA Members and Ambassadors

Billie Patterson
Nicole Walsh ( )

Click on images to learn more.

Brenda Asare ( )
Maria Lamboley
External Cpa Program Updates

Check below and see what our amazing teams have been up to over the last month.

External Child Thrive

Month in Review
We kicked off August with the final week of our Summer Camp, packed with fun activities like a Color Party Picnic, exciting field trips, and a Monday Madness competition. At the Color Party, our youth rocked their favorite colors and brought matching snacks. Monday Madness saw them competing in challenges like Basketball Shoot Out, Legos, Uno, and Jump Rope. We also enjoyed field trips to In the Game Hollywood and Main Event.

With camp wrapped up, the Child Thrive team is gearing up for Fall programming at KIPP, starting in late September/early October.

Child Thrive is hiring two part-time youth coordinators! If you or someone you know has great communication skills, loves working with kids, and wants to join the Out of School Time programming space, apply now to be part of our team! See below to apply.
August Thrive

Sports Physicals & Pediatric Consultations
Is your child feeling under the weather? From common colds to COVID-19 concerns, we’ve got you covered! Take advantage of our complimentary school-age pediatric consultations offered in collaboration with Rush and Dr. Margi. Every Wednesday (unless Dr. Margi specifies otherwise), from 1–5 pm, we’re available to provide expert guidance and support. Don’t miss out; schedule your appointment today by emailing Diana.

A big shoutout goes to:

  • Inysee Tyler, our amazing summer intern from the University of Chicago! Her dedication and hard work made a significant impact, and she’s been an invaluable asset to our team. We’ll truly miss her!
Early Learning Banner

Month in Review
In August, we wrapped up our last program year and kicked off a new one! We celebrated the graduation of our kindergarteners, Home-Based grads, and “mover uppers” transitioning from our 3-year-old preschool to 4-year-old preschool at CPS. Our staff attended the annual Pre-Service conference with Start Early, embracing the theme Renew & Refresh to launch two weeks of professional development and reorganization before the new year.

We’ve welcomed 15 new children to the program and are continuing to recruit and enroll more as the first week progresses. This year, 12 students graduated to kindergarten, 8 completed our Home-Based program, and 12 moved up to CPS preschool.

A big shoutout goes to:

  • A graduating family recently thanked our staff for supporting her and her three children during their time in the program. When they joined, she was a newly single parent, without permanent housing or childcare. She shared that knowing another struggling parent will find support in the newly available slots makes leaving CPA easier.
  • Ms. Angie and Ms. Lizbeth are welcoming 8 new infants this month. While both are experienced Early Head Start educators, the first few weeks can be tough as babies adjust. Kudos to these dedicated women for greeting our new students with warmth, patience, and love!
Graduation

CLICK HERE for more pictures.

Our 30th day of the program year is coming up on September 25th, followed by the 45th day on October 10th—both critical deadlines for Head Start documentation. The Education, Disabilities, and Family Support teams are busy completing developmental screenings, family assessments, home visits, and ensuring full program enrollment during this time.

Elc August
External Foster Care

Month in Review
We supported our clients in transitioning from summer break to back-to-school by assisting with essential tasks like annual medical exams, securing school uniforms, gathering supplies, and covering school fees. Additionally, we’re working to provide extra services and support for special education and other educational needs.

A big shoutout goes to:

  • Martha Garcia for the incredible support and encouragement she has provided to a client family navigating significant grief and loss. Martha has gone above and beyond, working tirelessly to ensure the family received all the necessary support during this challenging time.

Additionally, Martha recently helped one of her client youths successfully reunify with their birth father—a true testament to her dedication and hard work. Congratulations, Martha, on making this important reunification possible!

External International

Place the Hope Kickoff
The Children’s Place International team is thrilled to announce the virtual kickoff of our Place the Hope campaign on Friday, September 13th, from 12 – 1 PM Central.

This special event will feature a partner-led panel discussion on sickle cell disease, focusing on the challenges faced by children in East Africa and the vital work being done to improve their lives. Join us and be part of the change—your presence can make a real difference!

Everyone is welcome! Please RSVP HERE to receive the event link.

Place the Hope is a year-end campaign running until December 31st, dedicated to providing urgent support for children’s basic needs. This initiative focuses on ensuring vulnerable kids have access to essentials like healthcare, food, shelter, and education. By joining us, you can help break down barriers and offer children and families around the world a brighter, more secure future. Together, we can make a lasting impact!
External We Are Grateful

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.

Monthly Cpa Supporters

Major Company & Foundation Supporters
AbbVie, CRC Group, Rossman Family Foundation, SGA Youth & Family Services,  St. John 23 Parish

Major Individual Supporters
Leo Abramson, Leslie Berkowitz, Rebecca Carlins, Lori Coffey, Gail Cooper, David Cwik, Terri Ferrarese, Vicki Franzen, Stephen Galler, Howard Jacob, Ellen Kasselman, Vicki Kellerman, Sandra Kenny, Fradine Kipnis, Jeff Mandel, Leslie McLeod, Doug Nebel, Jodi Oldani, Gaby Polyak, Kris Ramaswamy, Donna Reisman, Michael Romano, Karen Scheck, Bonnie Schoenberg, Lynn Schwartz, Olivia Shapiro, Laurie Shapiro, Samuel Sharp, David Shelist, John Stanhaus, Deborah Stotts, Alyshia Verb, Lisa Weiss

External How You Can Help

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!

Cpa Careers

Here are some of the opportunities we are looking for:

Full Time:

  • Family Case Manager
  • Foster Care Case Aide
  • Health & Mental Health Coordinator
    (Home-Based)
  • Health & Nutrition Aide
  • Kitchen Coordinator
  • Licensing & Recruitment Coordinator

Full Time

  • Medical Case Manager
  • Mental Health & Disabilities Coordinator
  • Supportive Housing Program Supervisor
  • Teacher Aide, Early Head Start
  • Teacher Assistant, Early Head Start
  • Teacher Assistant, Head Start

Part Time:

  • Youth Coordinator

On Call

  • Substitute Teacher

CLICK HERE for more details on open positions and how to apply.

External Invest In A Child

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.  

External Stay Connected

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.

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