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< All Staff Mrs. Maribel Ortega-Vazquez mortega@associationhouse.org Compass Mentor, Academic Advisor & Department of Student Support Services Coordinator How long have you been apart of the High School team? I have been working at AHHS for 20 years. What inspires you as a mentor? While I was a student in college I always had a mentor always show up for me, always supporting me, and always advocating for me. I want to follow in my mentors footsteps and be there for someone else. What is one fun fact about yourself? I currently love to play Pokémon. Related Content Afterschool Programs Learn More Mentoring Programs Learn More Curriculum Learn More

Are you ready to the change a life? We appreciate any and all donations, whether they be monetary, in kind, or donating your time. We can't do it without you. Ways to Give Supporters like you fuel our social impact. The success of those we serve relies on your contributions to Association House of Chicago. Find the way to give that works for you and change a life today! Give Now Your gift today will make an immediate impact on those we serve and our mission year round. Click the button below to make an online, Paypal or Venmo gift. Give Now Give Items Your gifts of toys, school supplies, and food items make a real difference for families. Learn how to go bigger with a collection drive of your own! Learn more Wills & Estate Gifts If you’ve supported Association House your whole life or you’ve always wanted to make a significant gift, a will or estate gift might be for you. Learn More Corporate Partnership Through team-building projects, in-kind drives, and event sponsorship, your corporate allyship invests in our community’s advancement. Join Us Good Deeds, Good Neighbors Through monthly giving with the 'Good Deeds Society,' you provide reliable and sustainable support to the community Association House has served for over 125 years. Give Monthly Give Through a DAF Donor-advised fund giving is made easy with our DAF Direct tool. Click through to schedule your secure DAF gift today. Learn More Vehicle Donations Why not turn your old car into cash for programs and a mission you love? Our Vehicle Donation Program makes it quick and easy! Learn more Give Stocks You can make an impact with a stock gift while minimizing your own tax liability. The form linked below will give you all you need to get started. Stocks Form Facebook Fundraiser Start a campaign today – for your birthday, wedding, or other important event – and you’ll be funding life-changing programs for children and families. Start Now Shop Our Wish List Want to directly support a program you love? Check out their wish-lists of items carefully selected by program staff to impact our community. Shop Now Foundation & Corporate Partners

Check out the list below of other trusted organizations in the area that may be able to help you find the answers to your questions. Partners At the Association House, we focus on each individual as a whole. Although our goal is to provide our community with all of the tools and resources for success, we can't possibly do it alone. Check out the list below of other trusted organizations in the area that may be able to help you find the answers to your questions. As always, our goal is to help YOU, in whatever ways possible. Housing Services Casa Central Humboldt Park - (773) 645 - 2300 Chicago Dream Center Humboldt Park - (773) 384 - 2200 La Casa Norte Humboldt Park / Logan Square - (773) 276 - 4900 Food Insecurity Breakthrough Humboldt Park / Garfield Park - (773) 772 - 1144 Chicago Dream Center Humboldt Park - (773) 779 - 9023 Chicago Hope Logan Square - (773) 499 - 9763 Health Services Erie Family Health Center West Town** - (312) 666-3494 Prime Care Health Centers Hermosa / Humboldt Park** - (773) 278-6868 Mile Square Health Center Humboldt Park** - (312) 413-7425 ** Multiple locations Domestic Violence Connections for Abused Women and their Children Humboldt Park - (773) 489-9081 Center for Advancing Domestic Peace Douglas Park - (312) 265-0206 Family Rescue Avalon Park / Jackson Park - (773) 375-1918 Legal Services Chicago Volunteer Legal Services The Loop - (312) 332-1624 Legal Aid Chicago The Loop - (312) 341-1070 Chicago Bar Foundation The Loop - (312) 554-1204 GED & Adult Education City Colleges of Chicago (Malcolm X) West Loop - (312) 850-7000 Humboldt Park Vocational Education Center Humboldt Park - (773) 489-8989 Richard J. Daley College -Arturo Velazquez Institute West Lawn - (773) 838-7500

Jordan and his graduating class completed a building rehabilitation project for our Dulcinea group home. After years of feeling stuck in work that offered little room to grow, Jordan decided it was time for a change. “I had been kind of at a dead end for a long time,” he said. “I wasn’t really making much money, and I was struggling. I wanted to turn a new leaf and get my life on track.” While searching for new career options online, Jordan came across a Reddit discussion about solar training programs in Chicago. One recommendation jumped out at him in the comments: Association House’s Clean Energy Training Program. What he found in the program would help launch him into an entirely new industry. Jordan had considered the trades before, but he wanted a career that felt purposeful as well as practical. Solar energy stood out to him as a field where he could build a stable career while contributing to something bigger. “I wanted to do something that I cared about,” he said. “Solar just felt like a natural fit because I care about climate change and where we're headed next with energy.” Association House’s program offered exactly what Jordan needed: hands-on training , industry-recognized certifications , and a supportive learning environment designed to help people enter the growing clean energy workforce. Jordan graduated from the Core Construction unit of the Clean Energy program in October 2025. By January, he had his first job in the industry. Although Jordan had never worked professionally in the trades before, he had some familiarity with tools and construction from growing up around his father, who worked in the field. The program helped him turn that familiarity into practical skills. One moment that stood out during the training was a hands-on solar installation demonstration led by industry professionals. “They set up a mock solar array in the parking lot,” Jordan said. “Seeing everything come together like that made it easy to visualize what the work would actually be like. That was the moment I thought, ‘I can definitely see myself doing this.’” During his time in the program, Jordan and his classmates also had the opportunity to put their new skills to work for the community. As part of a capstone project, his cohort rehabbed the staircase at Association House's Dulcinea group home for people living with mental illness. The new staircase made a world of difference for residents with mobility issues, and provided a beautiful and refreshed look for the building. After graduating from the program in October 2025, he quickly put his new resume to use. By January, he'd landed his first position in the industry as a solar installer with Knobelsdorff , helping build large-scale solar projects across the Midwest. In his new role, Jordan and his team travel to solar sites where they assemble the structures that support solar panels, and install the panels themselves before electrical teams connect the systems. It’s a fast-paced and physically demanding job—but it’s also exactly the kind of opportunity Jordan had been looking for. “The work is very different from what I was doing before,” he said. “But it’s a good change.” The transition into the field came with a learning curve, but Jordan says the training he received at Association House helped prepare him for the workplace , particularly when it came to safety standards and general familiarity with construction tools and jobsite practices. He also earned his OSHA 10 certification during the program, which meant he was already qualified for safety requirements many employers look for during onboarding. For Jordan, the biggest difference between his old career and his new one is the sense of possibility: “ There’s room to grow and learn new skills ,” he says. “You’re not stuck doing the same thing forever.” Today, just a short time into his new role, Jordan already sees a future in the clean energy field—one where he can continue developing his skills while contributing to an industry that is expanding rapidly. Looking back, he encourages others who feel stuck in their careers to consider programs like the one that helped him get started. “If you’re in a tough spot or you don’t really know what to do next, it’s a no-brainer, ” he said. “It can open the door to something completely different.” For Jordan, that door led to a new career, a new sense of purpose, a role in a future powered by clean energy. ◼ -- Learn more about Clean Energy Training at Association House at associationhouse.org/cleanenergyjobs .

For our Auxiliary Board, making time to give back to the city they call home is about more than fundraising or raising awareness: it's about becoming a better citizen, and learning to lead with compassion above all. Each year, corporate volunteers from across Chicago join us at Association House High School for Career Readiness Day : a crash course in interview skills, resume building, and industry knowledge led by insiders. Our students gain new strategies to stand out in a job market that gets more competitive and challenging every day; and our industry-leading volunteers learn what's really on the minds of young people making their first steps into the working world. Many of our volunteers have gone on to join our Auxiliary Board-- a dedicated team of Chicago professionals who take the time to participate in experiences like Career Readiness Day, and help address fundraising gaps by engaging their professional network directly. We spoke with three members of our Aux Board -- Tayler, Zach, and Kristina-- about what keeps them excited about our mission, and why the work feels so important as we kick off the new year. What drew you to Association House, and what keeps you here? Zach : What drew me in is how unique the model is. The wraparound approach, where support doesn't end just because one goal has been achieved, rang true with what I felt was needed to combat poverty and inequality. But what keeps me here is that this place is relationship-centered. Before the numbers, everyone is a person first. Tayler : It's easy to stay invested because the House is so dynamic. The world changes, and the House changes with it. I helped with Career Readiness Day three years ago, and now on the Aux Board, I have a hand in so much more than just the high school. It's special to be part of a place that's so open and welcoming to you being involved -- somewhere that really wants you to learn the ropes. When did you first see the impact in real time? Kristina : Seeing students evolve — looking at their resumes from a year ago to now — it’s incredible . You see the confidence. You see the new experiences they’ve added. You see them applying what we talked about. Zach : Last ye ar, I met a senior who saved the arts program at their last school by lobbying Chance the Rapper for a $25,000 grant, and it worked. And she just mentioned it casually while we were doing a practice interview. We went off-book from there. I was like, "Every interview question you get from here on out — just bring it back to that story. Redirect to something you actually love to talk about. " I volunteered at her graduation ceremony later that year and she remembered me. That full-circle moment — that’s when you feel the difference. High school senior Sheri (left) picks up interview tips from Sandi at the Chicago Community Justice Foundation during Career Readiness Day. Why is showing up for this work so important right now? Tayler : There are so many issues you could point to. It can cause analysis paralysis. But partnering with an organization that’s actively doing something — that’s how you move from feeling sad about a problem to being part of the solution. Zach : I can’t fix national policy myself. But this work exists in a building, in a neighborhood, serving real people. That makes it actionable. The antidote is hope — but hope in the form of opportunity. You can’t do good schoolwork if you’re hungry. You can’t focus if you don’t have childcare. The wraparound model removes those barriers so young people can invest in their future. Why do small, individual donations matter so much? Tayler : When I think about my commute, it’s simple. I get in my car, and drive. One student told me she can’t use childcare services because taking two toddlers on the CTA is too difficult. So when we're putting our fundraising campaign together, and I hear that $25 covers transportation for a week — that’s a huge deal. If she can’t get here, she can’t graduate. Kristina : Being here in person, speaking with students, looking at their classrooms, I see what's important: books, computers, transportation. But without unrestricted support, placed in the care of people who know what students need best , those gaps can go unaddressed. This spring, our Auxiliary Board is fundraising for Association House High School, finding support for the things our students need most. A one-time donation of $25-$1000 can make a massive impact at every level of our high schoolers' experience. Will you join our Aux Board in opening doors for young people in Chicago?

Association House culinary students staff a catering event at LCLC Chicago. At Association House of Chicago , workforce training has always been about more than skill-building— it’s about access, opportunity, and long-term careers. This year, two of our flagship workforce programs are taking an important next step to better support participants and meet industry needs. Both the Clean Energy Jobs Program  and Association House Kitchen Culinary Program  are now pre-apprenticeship programs , designed to prepare participants for placement into Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs)  or to move directly into employment. Why the shift? In many skilled trades — especially clean energy fields like solar installation, HVAC, and weatherization — workers are required to complete a significant number of hours in a Registered Apprenticeship Program before becoming fully qualified. These programs offer paid, on-the-job training and industry credentials, but they can be difficult to access without prior experience. That’s where our pre-apprenticeships come in. Association House’s programs provide participants with the hands-on training, foundational skills, and workplace readiness needed to successfully enter RAPs — or step directly into jobs when opportunities arise. Importantly, this shift reflects what these programs have always done: help people break into high-demand fields by removing barriers to entry and building real pathways to sustainable careers. Core Construction participants complete a hands-on capstone project together before graduating. What this means for participants: Participants in both programs will continue to receive high-quality training, now with an even clearer connection to next steps after graduation. Clean Energy Jobs  participants will benefit from expanded training, including a longer solar curriculum, to maximize readiness for apprenticeships and employment in Chicago’s growing clean energy sector. Association House Kitchen  participants will gain valuable pre-apprenticeship experience that supports placement into culinary RAPs or immediate roles in restaurants, catering kitchens, and other professional food-service environments. Both programs continue to offer stipends and supportive services  to qualified participants, helping ensure that financial barriers don’t stand in the way of success. For community partners and employers, this transition strengthens the talent pipeline by aligning training more closely with workforce standards. And for participants, it means clearer pathways, stronger credentials, and greater access to long-term employment. Learn more or apply today! Association House Kitchen:   associationhouse.org/kitchen Clean Energy Jobs Program:   associationhouse.org/cleanenergyjobs