February may be the shortest month of the year, but it was filled with meaningful moments as we continued advancing the needs of our community. From attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new affordable housing development, Encuentro Square, in West Logan Square, to celebrating Black History Month with student projects at the ELC and Thrive, we also took time to learn from the powerful stories of Black historical and family figures within our team. Additionally, we launched our new initiative, Care Circle, to bring even more support to families.
Read on to discover how you can join us in creating brighter futures and making a lasting impact in our community.
Children’s Place Association was proud to attend the ribbon-cutting for Encuentro Square, a new affordable housing development in West Logan Square by Evergreen Real Estate Services, LUCHA, and the City of Chicago! Looking ahead, we’re excited to offer Home-Based Early Education and Thrive services to families living at Encuentro Square in the future. Find out how this development will make a difference!
CLICK HERE to learn more.
We’re excited to introduce Care Circle – a community of supporters who care deeply about investing in our life-saving mission by contributing each month with a recurring, monthly gift.
With a small monthly gift, you can make a lasting impact:
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$5/month ($60 a year) – Provides learning materials for eager preschoolers.
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$20/month ($240 a year) – Helps provide essential resources that keep kids strong and resilient.
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$20/month ($240 a year) – Helps provide essential resources that keep kids strong and resilient.
Join the Care Circle today and help give children the best possible foundation for success.
Volunteer Opportunity: Share Your Skills with Child Thrive!
Child Thrive is hosting a Spring Break Camp from March 24th to 28th, and we’re looking for volunteers to lead engaging workshops for our Thrivers! If you have a hobby or skill to share—art, music, STEM, or something unique—this is a great chance to inspire kids in a fun, hands-on way. Workshops can be 1-2 hours.
Interested? Email us to get involved!
Check below and see what our amazing teams have been up to over the last month.
Month in Review
Child Thrive kicked off the spring semester at KIPP with excitement and new opportunities! We returned with an expanded program in partnership with the Civic Leadership Foundation and our Intervention Convention and Homework Help sessions. Our Thrivers are actively engaging in discussions on civic education and social justice, exploring science and engineering like inventors, and confidently completing their homework—while still having time for free play.
We were incredibly excited to bring back Thrive Friday, welcoming our Thrivers for an evening of hands-on STEM and art activities. Their creativity, curiosity, and enthusiasm make every session a rewarding experience!
CLICK HERE for more pictures.
New Program: No School Full Day
Child Thrive is excited to introduce our No School Full Day program! Expanding on our out-of-school programming, this new offering provides a full day of art, STEM, and recreational activities on select non-school days. It’s already making a difference for parents needing childcare while giving kids a fun and engaging way to spend the day!
Our first session on Friday, February 14th, was a huge success! Our Thrivers created heartfelt Valentine’s cards for loved ones, explored the significance of Kente cloth, and designed I Have a Dream posters in honor of Black History Month. We look forward to more enriching days ahead!
Check out what they had to say about their dreams and what their Kente Cloth represented: Dreams, Kente cloth.
CPA shoutout goes to:
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Jerlisa for her hard work and dedication! She is a valued member of Child Thrive, and we’re grateful to have her at Children’s Place Association.
Month in Review
Our Early Learning Center focused on Screen Time and Your Child this month, offering families valuable resources and events to support healthy, developmentally appropriate screen habits. By helping families create balanced screen time routines, children develop stronger social-emotional skills, improved focus, and more hands-on learning experiences—building a foundation for lifelong growth while giving families the tools to support them along the way.
CLICK HERE for more pictures.
We also celebrated Black History Month with engaging activities and meaningful education, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of Black history and culture. Children learned about Garrett Morgan, the inventor of the traffic light, and George Washington Carver, the inventor of the adhesive.
Additionally, we surveyed families, staff, and community partners to prepare for our annual eligibility process, ensuring we continue to best serve our community.
Early education plays a crucial role in shaping a child’s future, and through these efforts, we’re setting children up for success.
Coming Up:
March is all about movement! Get Moving March focuses on keeping kids active and engaged through fun, physical activities.
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March 13 – Ms. Justine will lead Parent Training on Managing Childhood Illnesses, followed by a parent meeting featuring yoga, breathing exercises, and free community resources.
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March 20 – Families will enjoy a Dance Party, combining fun and fitness to keep everyone moving!
Through these activities, we’re helping children build healthy habits while making movement exciting!
CPA shoutout goes to:
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We received great feedback during our Quarterly Monitoring by Start Early! They praised our team’s communication, strong relationships with families, and compliance despite staffing challenges.
Month-in-Review
Our Home-Based families come together twice a month for socialization, learning, and fun! Parents and children created love-themed art projects at our first February gathering, encouraging self-expression and connection through hands-on creativity.
Children explored numbers through movement-based activities, making early learning engaging and active. Our consultant shared a heart-healthy video to promote wellness, sparking discussions on building healthy habits from an early age. These sessions provide families meaningful opportunities to support their children’s growth through education, movement, and creativity!
CLICK HERE to see more pictures.
Month in Review
This month has been busy for our foster care team and filled with collaboration and dedication. Several client families have faced challenges with limited resources, and our staff has come together—working closely with DCFS, YouthCare, IAC, GAL, and other partners—to secure the support they need. At the same time, we’ve been actively preparing for the annual DCFS audit of our agency’s child welfare license, ensuring we continue to meet the highest standards of care. Through it all, our team remains committed to making a difference for the children and families we serve.
CPA shoutout goes to:
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Our incredible foster care nurse, Christina Gould, for her dedication and hard work! She has gone above and beyond to help foster parents who are employed while caring for children with significant special needs, working tirelessly to secure therapeutic daycare and other vital services. Thank you, Christina, for your unwavering commitment to supporting children and caregivers!
International Childhood Cancer Day
International Childhood Cancer Day, observed annually on February 15th, raises awareness of childhood cancer worldwide. This day highlights the many challenges faced by children with cancer and their families while advocating for improved access to early diagnosis, treatment, and supportive care. Unfortunately, where a child is born often determines the availability and quality of medical care.
Children’s Place International partners with Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC), one of three national referral hospitals in Tanzania, to provide life-saving care for 1,218 youth living with cancer. In Tanzania, only 5-10% of children typically survive a pediatric cancer diagnosis. But thanks to the incredible work of Dr. Esther Majaliwa and her team at KCMC, the one-year overall survival rate has risen to approximately 65%—and it continues to climb! Our collaborative project also helps provide nutritious food, feeding pumps, and two teachers who offer instruction while children receive in-clinic treatment, ensuring they don’t fall behind in their studies or drop out of school.
Every battle fought brings us closer to a future where no one faces cancer alone. Together, through awareness, early detection, and access to care, we can turn fear into courage and diagnosis into survival. Keep fighting, keep believing—because cancer can be beaten!
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
Hollister Inc., St. John Parish XXIII, Kendra Scott LLC, Takeda, WGIRLS
Major Individual Supporters
Ariana Aloisio, Richard Bae, Marjorie Benton, Brian Connell, Eva Fitz Declaration, David Fulton, Roy Hefner, Bridget Howard, Alissa Jamison, Binita Kwankin & Joe Hmieleski, Leslie McLeod, Pauline Taylor, Anna Tansi, Eric Wilder
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!
Engage with Us Online
You can help amplify CPA’s work by connecting with us on social media. Like, comment, and share our posts to spread awareness, inspire new volunteers, and attract donors to support our mission.
