Association House fills critical gaps for low-income individuals and families in Chicago through wrap-around programs that expand opportunity, stability, and community impact. You help create real change in our community. individuals served, impacting 10,000+ family members. of donor funds invested across 35+ programs in five impact areas, all under one roof. $ total donors, including 50+ Good Deeds Society members. Donate Now Our Impact Association House is a vibrant, inclusive home for people on a journey to live their fullest lives. We tackle instability in our neighborhood head-on, offering programs in constant communication with each other—all under one roof. Living Wage Jobs 60+ adults with disabilities and long-term health needs transitioned from nursing facilities to independent living. 350+ adults graduated from career training through our Workforce Development programs. 700+ individuals secured fresh fruits and vegetables through our food pantry, a 52% increase from last year. 40+ individuals received affordable homebuying legal services resulting in the closing and purchasing of a home. 30+ youth earned their high school diploma at Association House High School. 100+ children remained free from abuse and neglect through our Child Welfare team. Every day, lives are transformed . How LUCHA Helped Roy Secure His Bronzeville Homecoming Roy turned to LUCHA for help purchasing a home over a decade ago. This year, he did it again. Proving the Power of Family: Stanley & Frederick's Story How a long-lost family reunited and reached new heights through our Foster Care program. Aux Board & Friends Raise Over $7,000 in Direct Program Support at Summer Soirée 2026! The Association House Auxiliary Board knows how to throw a party — but they also know how to turn a night of dancing, networking, and fun into meaningful support for their neighbors. At this year's Summer Soirée, nearly 50 guests gathered at El Cid in Logan Square and raised nearly $7,500 in direct support of Association House programs. The annual end-of-summer bash brought together young professionals from across Chicago for an evening of margaritas, Mexican fare, dancing, a 1 2 3 4 5 Whether it’s education, housing, workforce training, or mental health, the House is intentional about wrapping around participants and helping them move to a better place. Cindy, Association House Board Member Our Dedicated Network of Donors Association House is honored to have a donor network of more than 500 supporters who invest in this work. This collective power fuels impact. Click the button below to view our full donor honor roll. Donor Honor Roll Join the Good Deeds Society! Want to make an impact all year long? Through monthly giving with the 'Good Deeds Society,' you provide reliable and sustainable support to the community Association House has served for 126 years and counting. Join the Good Deeds Society 2025: A Year in Full Bloom Association House’s impact is rooted in advancing each person's full participation in the life of their families, communities, and society. Explore our 2025 Annual Report to see how Association House is creating lasting pathways to health, stability, and opportunity across Chicago. Read More

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< Back Jacqleen Musarra Vice President of Operations As the Vice President of Operations, Jacqleen partners with our teams to drive transformative program delivery and embed the mission and vision of our agency at every level of engagement. Jacqleen is thrilled to return to the House after previously supporting our teams as the Director of PQI last in 2011. A counselor by training, her commitment to providing exemplary care is rooted in cultivating meaningful consumer, family, and employee experiences. Jacqleen most recently held roles as the Director of Community Outreach within Medicaid-managed care and Director of Hospital Relations at a critical care hospital and ER. Jacqleen's passion for advocacy has provided opportunities to facilitate collaborations within the community to positively influence health outcomes. Jacqleen uses each of her experiences to leverage her critical understanding of the intersection of factors that influence health while cultivating relationships to drive diverse and inclusive culture. Jacqleen was awarded the "Courage to Change" recognition at Aetna for developing peer recovery roles within the managed care framework.

Responsible for providing caretaking, teaching, and recreational activities within the house. Shows respect for individual resident’s abilities, needs, and culture. Facilitates individual and group activities with residents geared toward increasing capacity in interpersonal communication, problem solving, self-care, hygiene, motor skills, cooking skills, etc. Per MANDT training, provides crisis de-escalation when needed. Documents shift activities and individual participant’s behavior and activities. Provides medication administration per training and guidelines. The hourly rate is $24.50 an hour. < Back Residential Worker (DSP) – Buena Vista (30 hours a week) (Overnight) Apply Now Job Type Part Time About the Role Responsible for providing caretaking, teaching, and recreational activities within the house. Shows respect for individual resident’s abilities, needs, and culture. Facilitates individual and group activities with residents geared toward increasing capacity in interpersonal communication, problem solving, self-care, hygiene, motor skills, cooking skills, etc. Per MANDT training, provides crisis de-escalation when needed. Documents shift activities and individual participant’s behavior and activities. Provides medication administration per training and guidelines. The hourly rate is $24.50 an hour. Requirements High school diploma or GED equivalency required. DSP Credential required. Bilingual Spanish/English preferred. Flexibility to work on weekends, evenings, holidays during emergencies or coverage shortage. Benefits include health, dental, vision, and life insurance; 401(k) with employer match; paid vacation time, 13 paid holidays + 2 floating holidays Equal Opportunity Employer Association House of Chicago does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identify, marital status, pregnancy, order of protection status, national origin or ancestry, citizenship status, age, physical or mental disability unrelated to ability, military status or an unfavorable discharge from military service and any other classification protected by local, State, or Federal law. Application Instructions Please email Yvonne Rodriguez, Human Resources Coordinator with your resume and cover letter directly at yrodriguez@associationhouse.org .

We wouldn't be where we are today without our volunteers. We have opportunities for everybody, regardless of your availability or skills. Change a life, today. Media & Press Kit Association House and LUCHA welcome opportunities to connect with media on timely and relevant stories. Explore our latest press releases, logos, toolkits, and additional resources for up-to-date news, events, and organizational insights. Media Contact Association House and LUCHA engage in select media and thought leadership opportunities. Connect with us to explore story ideas, access expert perspectives, and learn more about our work in the community. Media Contact: Abby Ellis Associate Director, Marketing Email Us Downloads All content available for download from Association House and LUCHA’s newsroom (including photography and video) is intended for editorial use only. Any other use without prior written permission is prohibited. Logos Brand Guide Impact Media Kit News & Updates How LUCHA Helped Roy Secure His Bronzeville Homecoming Proving the Power of Family: Stanley & Frederick's Story Aux Board & Friends Raise Over $7,000 in Direct Program Support at Summer Soirée 2026! 1 2 3 4 5

Leaving a gift in your will or through your estate plan is an incredibly meaningful way to leave a legacy of impact for those most vulnerable among us. Will & Estate Gifts How You Can Help Leaving a gift in your will or through your estate plan is an incredibly meaningful way to leave a legacy of impact for those most vulnerable among us. It’s possible for anyone, no matter your estate size to leave a gift. There are also tangible benefits, such as reducing your estate tax or income tax for your heirs. The three easiest ways to make a legacy gift are through your: Will Life Insurance Retirement Plan Leaving a Legacy with Your Will A gift left in a will or estate plan is often called a bequest. With the help of an advisor, you can include language in your will or trust specifying a gift for Association House of Chicago. This could be a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or the balance or residue of your estate. You retain control of your assets during your lifetime and can change your mind or modify your gift if circumstances change. For recommended language, download our bequest language guide . Bequest gifts are fully deductible for federal estate tax purposes, and there is no limit on the deduction your estate can claim. Sample Language Leaving a Legacy with Your Life Insurance You can name Association House as a primary or contingent beneficiary of your life insurance policy. You retain control and can change your mind or modify your gift if circumstances change. This gift type is ideal for someone whose family no longer needs the protection offered by life insurance. Life insurance gifts pass to Association House free of federal estate tax. If you would like your gift designated for a specific use or for the endowment, please contact us to record your wishes. Leaving a Legacy with Your Retirement Plan You can name Association House as a beneficiary of your retirement plan through a simple beneficiary designation form filed with your plan holder. You retain control and can change your mind or modify your gift if circumstances change. IRA gifts are fully deductible for federal estate tax purposes and pass to Association House free of income tax. How It Works If you would like to plan a bequest to include Association House of Chicago, please notify us so we may recognize your thoughtful and generous intentions. Please email Lillian Bui , Director of Development, to notify us. Related Content Give Now Learn More Matching Gifts Learn More Shop Our Wishlists Learn More

Parenting can be overwhelming, no matter how old kids are. Check out some of our favorite resources around the city to take off a bit of the stress. Parenting Resources How We Help These resources are here for you. You'll find some of our favorite free activities and resources, books to help you navigate through the many challenges of parenting, expert articles for quick insight, and quality groups to grow your support network and reduce isolation. Children's Books Here are a bunch of books for the kids and families that often get left out. These books talk about things like grief and loss, the foster care experience, adoption and other similar topics. The beauty of the books is that they allow so many kids to have that same opportunity to relate to a character, or to help educate your kids on how different families can look. Free Activities Check out some of these free exciting events for children and families in the Chicagoland area. Night Out in the Parks Lincoln Park Zoo Garfield Park Conservatory Maggie Daley Park Lincoln Park Conservatory Art on the Mart Chicago Air and Water Show Chicago SummerDance Grant Park Music Festival Chicago Blues Festival Chicago Greeter Tours Free Museum Days Recommended Apps FOCUS on Foster Families is a mobile app designed to help support foster youth and their caregivers as they navigate common challenges. The app includes an extensive library of video interviews with foster youth and caregivers sharing what has been helpful for them, and experts providing guidance and how to best navigate the legal, school and child welfare systems. iFoster app connects current and former foster youth to the resources they need to succeed. Hundreds of free and discounted resources for employment, education, daily living and health/wellness all curated for foster youth by iFoster. Grief, Trauma and Loss Exploring and dealing with emotions like grief, trauma and loss can be confusing and overwhelming at any age. Big and intense feeling are hard to navigate, and there is no right or wrong way to go about experiencing your emotions. However, it is important as a parent to help children learn about healthy coping tools to help them succeed. Check out the articles below that take a deeper dive into grief, trauma and loss. How Loss & Trauma Impact Youth Children and youth who experience trauma and loss carry that trauma with them. It can affect them throughout their lives. As a parent, being Is this Normal? Understanding Grief in Foster Children When children are away from their homes of origin, they experience a profound loss. It is important that foster parents support the children How Complex Trauma Affects Children Complex trauma results from repeated traumatic experiences. It usually begins early in life with the child's caregiver. Affecting the child' Free Resources IFAPA: Life Book Pages DCFS: Become a Foster/Adoptive Parent DCFS: Conviértase en Padre de Crianza/Adoptivo Youth Villages: LifeSet Community Based Program One Simple Wish: For Current/Past Foster Children Know Before You Go: Aging out of Foster Care Related Content Partner Resources Learn More Become a Foster Parent Learn More Back 2 School Fair Learn More

< All Staff Ms. Maria Roman mroman@associationhouse.org Receptionist, Attendance Clerk How long have you worked in your field? I have worked in education for 3 years. What is your favorite part of your position? It is a place where all the staff are friendly and respectable, and the students are amazing. What is one fun fact about yourself? I really like to be creative and inspire myself with my own ideas. Related Content Afterschool Programs Learn More Mentoring Programs Learn More Curriculum Learn More

Association House is a Humboldt Park nonprofit offering job training, educational programs, counseling, mental health services, child welfare and a wide range of bilingual support in English and Spanish. old logos Our Program Areas Behavioral Health Mental health, substance use, and developmental disabilities programs. High School Charter school for youth left behind by the traditional school system. Workforce Development Job training, coaching, and placement for under-employed and unemployed individuals. Child Welfare Bilingual foster care and intact family services. Community Health Outreach and wrap-around programs advancing health outcomes. Behavioral Health Mental health, substance use, and developmental disabilities programs. High School Charter school for youth left behind by the traditional school system. Workforce Development Job training, coaching, and placement for under-employed and unemployed individuals. Child Welfare Bilingual foster care and intact family services. Community Health Outreach and wrap-around programs advancing health outcomes. Behavioral Health Mental health, substance use, and developmental disabilities programs. High School Charter school for youth left behind by the traditional school system. Workforce Development Job training, coaching, and placement for under-employed and unemployed individuals. Child Welfare Bilingual foster care and intact family services. Community Health Outreach and wrap-around programs advancing health outcomes. Behavioral Health Mental health, substance use, and developmental disabilities programs. High School Charter school for youth left behind by the traditional school system. Workforce Development Job training, coaching, and placement for under-employed and unemployed individuals. Child Welfare Bilingual foster care and intact family services. Community Health Outreach and wrap-around programs advancing health outcomes. Behavioral Health Mental health, substance use, and developmental disabilities programs. High School Charter school for youth left behind by the traditional school system. Workforce Development Job training, coaching, and placement for under-employed and unemployed individuals. Child Welfare Bilingual foster care and intact family services. Community Health Outreach and wrap-around programs advancing health outcomes. Behavioral Health Mental health, substance use, and developmental disabilities programs. High School Charter school for youth left behind by the traditional school system. Workforce Development Job training, coaching, and placement for under-employed and unemployed individuals. Child Welfare Bilingual foster care and intact family services. Community Health Outreach and wrap-around programs advancing health outcomes. Neighbor Helping Neighbor Everyone deserves service with dignity FIND HELP GIVE NOW News & Updates McDonald's Corporate Volunteers Fill Association House with Color McDonald's corporate volunteers after a day of hard work at our Borinquen Bella affordable housing property. Every year, our friends at the McDonald's Corporation come to Association House on a mission: to dedicate their day to improving the lives of our participants through hands-on service projects! This year was dedicated to beautifying our public spaces to be as welcoming and colorful as our community deserves, and our volunteers did not disappoint. We're incredibly grate Nick Malone Jun 1 2 min read How LUCHA Helped Roy Secure His Bronzeville Homecoming Roy turned to LUCHA for help purchasing a home over a decade ago. This year, he did it again. Proving the Power of Family: Stanley & Frederick's Story How a long-lost family reunited and reached new heights through our Foster Care program. Aux Board & Friends Raise Over $7,000 in Direct Program Support at Summer Soirée 2026! The Association House Auxiliary Board knows how to throw a party — but they also know how to turn a night of dancing, networking, and fun into meaningful support for their neighbors. At this year's Summer Soirée, nearly 50 guests gathered at El Cid in Logan Square and raised nearly $7,500 in direct support of Association House programs. The annual end-of-summer bash brought together young professionals from across Chicago for an evening of margaritas, Mexican fare, dancing, a Join Our Email List!

Have you ever thought about becoming a foster parent? We provide training and support throughout your journey, so you can make a difference in the life of a child. Become a Foster Parent How it Works When a child is removed from their home, foster parents provide safe and loving homes, and support a child during a difficult time. Association House helps foster parents meet and exceed licensing requirements. Our bilingual staff provides training and support throughout your time as a foster parent, so you can make a difference in the life of a child. Eligibility Anyone can become a foster parent regardless of your gender or marital status. To become a foster parent at Association House’s Child Welfare program, you must complete the following requirements: Must be at least 21 years old. Legal residency/citizenship of the United States Extra bedroom in home Medical exams and fingerprinting for each person residing in home Income & Financial Stability Completion of 27 hours of Foster Parent Training 3 reference letters "What inspired me to be a foster parent was the desire to be a mother to someone who really needs that mother figure. Even though I know it could be temporary, I still feel like it is worth it to be that nurturing parent for however much time that child needs it. Helping that person become who he will become is a privilege for me." - April, Foster Parent 154 children were protected and cared for in foster care. FAQs How long does it take to become a foster parent? The process takes approximately 3 – 6 months. To receive your foster care license, you must go through 27 hours of training, each adult in your household must pass a federal background check, and there is a home study which assures that your home or apartment is appropriate for a child. As soon as your process is complete your case worker will begin to explore placements with you. Do I need to own a home to be a foster parent? Nope! Renting a home is totally fine, as long as all other requirements are met. Do a child's birth parents visit him or her? A large part of a child’s identity comes from his or her family. As a foster parent, you will need to make an effort for your child to stay connected through visits. Your case worker will work with you on the time and location of these visits. Sometimes it’s a grandparent and/or siblings that desire to stay in touch with a child. Learning about this and becoming comfortable with this is part of your foster care training. How much does it cost to become a foster parent, or to adopt through foster care? It is free to become a foster parent. And it is free to adopt from foster care. There are no legal expenses. Note that adoption through an adoption agency (either domestic or foreign) can cost between $25,000 – $40,000. Each child who is adopted through foster care receives a small stipend until the age of 18. And, there are many college scholarships for children who have been adopted through foster care. Please note that in foster care, our goal is always reunification first. If reunification simply is not possible, as determined by the courts, then foster families may choose to adopt the children they have cared for. What kind of support will I receive as a foster parent? Each child is covered with health insurance and each child receives a stipend for his or her individual care. The stipend is different according to each child’s needs. On top of that, Association house has Direct staff service involvement – both case managers and licensing representatives are easily accessible for our foster parents to ensure their questions are being answered, follow up with information or provide guidance. Want More Information? Related Content Intact Services Learn More Parenting Resources Learn More Foster Care Learn More

Are you ready to change a life? We appreciate any and all donations, whether they be monetary, in kind, or volunteer hours. 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