Behavioral Health Participant, Tracy, Tells Her Riveting Story at Faces of Hope 2019

On May 17, Association House of Chicago celebrated another year of impacting our community with our annual Faces of Hope Benefit. More than 150 supporters helped to raise $210,000 to continue to transform the lives of participants. Guests enjoyed cocktails, dinner, and many opportunities to participate in new interactive fundraising games led by the lively Keith Jones, Sayre & Jones Auctioneers.

For many, the highlight of the evening was hearing a powerful testimonial from Tracy, an Association House participant who utilized our substance use services to continue her road to recovery from alcoholism.

Tracy’s struggles with alcohol began at an early age. Trauma during her childhood led Tracy to depression and alcohol. She first contemplated suicide at the age of 7.

“At that time, the only think I was worried about, was ‘would it hurt’,” Tracy recalled.

(more…)

State Representative Delia Ramirez Visits Association House

Newly elected Illinois State Representative Delia Ramirez visited Association House on Tuesday (April 16) to hear first-hand about our impact on the community, while also detailing her experience and the work she is doing in Springfield.

Rep. Ramirez is from Humboldt Park, Chicago, the daughter of immigrant parents and the first Guatemalan-American to serve in the Illinois General Assembly. Prior to becoming Chicago’s 4th District representative, Rep. Ramirez served in social service and community organizations in our shared community. 

(more…)

Association House Celebrates Financial Careers Training Graduation and Program Expansion

Association House celebrated the 10th cohort of the Financial Careers Training program this past Friday (Mar 8). The graduation and job fair celebrated a milestone for our students that was shared with their parents, our staff and banking partners.

25 graduates received certificates of completion and were introduced to bank representatives from across the city, initiating the opportunity to take the next step in their banking careers.

(more…)

Cindy Ullrich to Lead Exciting Changes to Face of Hope Benefit as Event Chair

If you have come to a Faces of Hope Benefit, you have for sure come in contact with Association House Board Member Cindy Ullrich. Cheerful and welcoming, the recent BMO Harris retiree is a pillar of what makes our annual event successful. Cindy, who is also the chair of our Special Events Committee, serves as the event’s host and also ensures there is a presence amongst the company where she was employed and everyone involved has a great time.

In her retirement, Cindy is dedicating more of her time to assisting Association House through the busy Faces of Hope season along with additional needs. Her efforts, so far, have assisted in bringing a different experience to the 2019 event.

(more…)

How One Participant’s Experience Inspired a Want of Giving Back

The work done at Association House not only provides a helping hand to those in need but may also provide context to a life’s purpose. That is the case for Luis, a student at NEIU, whose journey began at Association House during the ’90s.

As a child, Luis was a participant in our after-school program. Luis recently reconnected with Association House through a school project that required him to research a nonprofit organization in Chicago. During his visit to the House, Luis had a chance to learn about how the organization has transformed since his time here as a child.

(more…)

Association House High School’s Laundry Resource Affected by Winter Flood

In October 2018, we were delighted to share with you the news of new washer and dryer units that will serve students of our high school. The project to create a laundry room to serve students who may not otherwise have those resources was funded by a generous grant from the Chicago Youth Storage Initiative. Sadly, due to the effects of a flood in our building caused by the late January polar vortex, the use of our laundry facility has been halted.

Thirty percent of our high school students report experiencing homelessness or transitional living situations. The washer and dryer unit served as a resource to support and assist students with a secure and private space to wash their clothes. (more…)

Overcoming Hurdles to Continue to Support Our Community

Over the past week, we have experienced multiple facility-related challenges. As a result of the record-breaking bitter cold, our building experienced massive flooding. The flood impacted about 25,000 square feet on multiple floors. The damage will require efforts to restore and repair that will take many months.

However, in the face of this loss, we continue to see the positive. Our staff pulled together and worked tirelessly to ensure that we can continue to support participants. High school classrooms and behavioral health staff and programs were relocated quickly. Everyone continues to work as a team for the benefit of our participants.

We are in the initial phases of cleanup and recovery. After removing moisture to ensure a safe environment for staff and participants, we will get bids for restoration of all damaged areas that include, ceilings, walls, floors and everything in between. At this point, we will have a better idea of the financial loss resulting from the flood.

(more…)