Fall into Kindness
The leaves are changing colors, warm aromas of pumpkin spice fill the autumn air, and the season of gratitude and thankfulness is upon us! With fall in full swing, Children’s Place has much to be thankful for from new bikes and stuffed animal buddies for our kids to the start of the new school year for our early learners. It’s thanks to the incredible kindness of generous supporters like you that brings hope and smiles to the children and families we serve.
As we venture into this holiday season, we invite you to “fall into kindness” – whether doing one small, good deed for someone, expressing appreciation for another, or finding your own creative act of kindness.
Donate a Latte
Did you know the price of a pumpkin spice latte can feed a child for a day? Make a difference in a child’s life by donating a latte (or more) this month and asking your friends and colleagues to do the same!
Mark Your Calendar
Check out these fun events we have coming up, and join us!
- Wednesday, October 19 – Foster Parent Orientation
- Tuesday, October 25– Bright Promises 2022 Awards honoring Cathy Krieger
- Wednesday, October 26 – Foster Parent Training
- Friday, December 9 – Place the Hope virtual gathering (details coming soon)
Honoring Cathy
Congratulations to our very own Cathy Krieger for being recognized for her lifetime of charity work with Children’s Place Association by the Bright Promises Foundation. The awards ceremony takes place on Tuesday, October 25th. CLICK HERE for more information.
Build A Bear
Thanks to team members at Kirkland & Ellis (the world’s largest law firm!), we have lots of new stuffed animals to share with our CPA kids. It was a wonderful team-building event where we had the opportunity to share our mission and the amazing work we do with their staff. Big shout out to Melissa Nickle from Corporate Teams for making this event possible!
CLICK HERE for more pictures.
Build a Bike
And more good news on the donation side. Thanks to team members of Bridge Industrial, we have 20 new bikes to share with our CPA kids.
CLICK HERE to see more pictures.
Adopt A Family
It’s that time of year again to bring cheer and hope to families in need during the holiday season. We are gearing up for this big December event where kind-hearted people like you adopt a family to provide gifts for our kids to unwrap, essential supplies, and holiday meals. If you are interested in adopting a family, email adoptafamily@childrens-place.org.
Celebrating Our Clients’ Milestones
This month, four of our clients got a job, a single mom received her first driver’s permit, and other clients are progressing within their SMART goals. We just held our first quarterly evening celebration of recent accomplishments and came together as a community to honor their progress.
Thrive Afterschool
We are back with a wonderful start to our after-school program! The Thrive team launched on September 12, and we welcomed back participants from our Thrive Summer Camp Program. We are looking to partner with Kipp One Academy, so look for more updates soon!
Sports Physicals & Pediatric Consultations
We had two wonderful teens take advantage of our sports physicals before their sports season. We offer free school sports physicals and pediatric consultations to the community thanks to our continued partnership with Rush and Dr. Margi.
CLICK HERE to see more Child Thrive pictures.
Mission In Action (M.I.A)
M.I.A is back at its free, teen-led program for grades 9 through 12 every Monday from 12:30 to 2:30 PM at West Humboldt Place! We are actively looking for participants and volunteers to mentor our teens. For more information, email thrive@childrens-place.org.
Mental Health
Our partner, JPA, continues to offer mental health counseling on-site (at WHP) every Friday from 2:00 to 6:00 PM with Ben. We have also added a new counselor, Julie, 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 schedule an appointment, email thrive@childrens-place.org.
New School Year
Throughout September, we continued to welcome new students and families to our center and home-based programs. We are nearing complete enrollment for our Center Based program with 70/73 children and slowly working toward our goal of enrolling 60 children for the Home-Based program.
Parents Board
With our entire Parent Council and Parent Policy Board leaving at the end of the last program year, we have been searching for new representatives. So far, we have 3 of the 4 spots filled by brand new candidates, and we are very excited to see how they help us manage and advocate for our center!
CLICK HERE for more pictures of our early learners.
Hispanic Heritage Month
Our center celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month between September 15th and October 15th by learning about the month’s history and the different cultures being honored!
Safety First
September is Head Start’s Safety Month, where teachers created a curriculum that focused on many aspects of safety, including road safety, the types of protective clothing different professionals wear, all about firefighters and police officers, and even how sunscreen and sunglasses protect our bodies!
Thank You, Nurse Christina!
Foster parents recently expressed gratitude and appreciation to Christina Gould, our foster care nurse. They reported that Christina has been a huge help to them in navigating the specialty medical services their children need.
Well Done, Almeta
Foster Care Case Manager Almeta Rollins recently completed the required Home Safety Checklists for all her clients. While this massive project is still underway – due 10/31/2022 – Almeta jumped in and completed her part by the end of September.
Crisis in Haiti
The crisis in Haiti continues to deepen with no end in sight as the political situation is feeding a security crisis, which in turn fuels a downward spiral of the economy resulting in a devastating impact on children, families, and our partners. There are severe fuel shortages, drinking water, food, and other necessities. Many Haitian families remain trapped at home.
As one of our partners, Coralie Noisette of Zanmi Lasante / Partners in Health Haiti, recently shared with us, “The direct consequences of this instability will be heightened rates of malnutrition, increased mental health cases…and worsening health and social outcomes.”
While conditions in Haiti are extremely difficult, children, youth, and young adults are enrolled in school. They are receiving health and nutritional support, as are their families. We remain 100% committed to them and to the over 300 children, youth, young adults, and their families in our programs. CLICK HERE to donate to support our humanitarian aid.
Place the Hope
Children’s Place International is gearing up for a big year with its annual Place the Hope campaign!
The Place the Hope campaign brings in crucial support for medically fragile youth living in extreme poverty across Africa and the Caribbean. Support goes to their most pressing needs so they can survive into adulthood and share their unique gifts with the world.
This year, we have three urgent areas of our work that we’re supporting through the campaign:
- Children with cancer in Tanzania
- Vulnerable youth in the Dominican Republic
- HIV+ youth and families in Haiti
The campaign will run until the end of the calendar year, and all are invited to get involved in this life-saving work. Stay tuned for more details!
Major Company & Foundation Supporters
Jackson National Life & Insurance Company
Major Individual Supporters
Marjorie Benton, Katherine Hapeman, Joe Hmieleski, James Johnson, Alanna M. Kerstein, Binita Kwankin, Mary Ann and Jim Sloand, Melinda Steffey, Pauline Taylor, Tina and Tom Vujovich, Stanley W. Zajac
In-Kind Donations
- Bridge Industrial – 20 new bikes
- Kirkland & Ellis – 80 stuffed animals
Volunteer. Donate. Join Our Team.
Join in and be part of the solution in helping Chicago’s most vulnerable kids. We have a variety of volunteering, support, and engagement opportunities.
Current Opportunities
Child Thrive
- Mentors needed for our M.I.A program such as leading a community service project. See above for more details. Email thrive@childrens-place.org to learn more.
Development
- New Donor Engagement Committee: Volunteers 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. For more details on role descriptions and/or to learn more, email volunteer@childrens-place.org.
Early Learning Center
- If you know of children between the ages of 0 and 2 looking for Home Visiting services or families of children ages 3-5 looking for childcare, please contact our Family Support Team to learn more at earlylearning@childrens-place.org.
Foster Care & Adoption
- Foster parents are needed! If you would like to learn more about our foster care program, email fostercare@childrens-place.org to learn more.
- Gift cards for families in need or in crisis
- Car seats and booster seats
General – All Programs
- New or gently used winter clothing
- Toiletries, essential household supplies
- Baby items (formula, diapers, etc.)
Join the CPA Team
- CLICK HERE to learn more about our existing job opportunities.
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Ongoing Opportunities
There are plenty of volunteer and donation opportunities throughout the year. Check out which might be most suitable for you:
- Mentor a high-school teen through our after-school Mission in Action program
- Host a friend & family house party or fundraiser to benefit Children’s Place
- Join our Junior Board, Donor Engagement Committee, or Gala Committee
- 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.
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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 creating pathways of hope and wellbeing by supporting their potential.
- $25 – Allows a child to participate in an educational field trip to a local museum, park or zoo
- $50 – Supplies grocery gift cards to families in need or in 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.
Hope Thrives When Communities Care
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