Search Results

On August 5th, Association House held its 17th annual Back 2 School Fair. Despite the rainy weather, our community showed up. Volunteers distributed 548 backpacks filled with school supplies, notebooks, pencils, and other essentials to students. In addition, 46 children received physicals to prepare for the upcoming year. The Back 2 School Fair also gave parents the opportunity to connect with over a dozen community partners to learn about local resources to support their families. At one of the booths, WEBZ's Nereida Morena interviewed kids to hear their thoughts ahead of the school year. This amazing day was complete with face painting, balloon animals, bike raffles and a bubble show. Thank you to everyone who made this year's Back 2 School Fair a success! Major support for this event provided by Comcast NBC Universal and WBEZ Chicago.

Four years ago, Renease never could have imagined her life as it is today. She was in the midst of one of the most challenging times she had ever faced. In 2019, Renease was diagnosed with cancer. Shortly afterward, she found out she was expecting a child. With no other options, Renease knew she had to prioritize her health and leave her job. Soon enough, Renease was on the road to remission, and welcomed her baby in March of 2020. Despite the joy of becoming a mother to her second child, COVID-19 surfaced, making it hard to secure employment and provide for her growing family. And then there was hope. One day, while scrolling through her Facebook feed, Renease came across an interesting advertisement for the BankWork$ program offered at Association House. Given her long-time interest in banking and the convenient west-side location of the program, Renease decided to take the leap of faith. “I wanted to get into banking years ago, but I let that go because I didn't have any real cash handling experience…The program fit the schedule at the time and everything that I needed so I figured why not?” said Renease. Renease’s journey through the program was difficult. She was still working through personal challenges and would often have moments of self-doubt. Yet, Financial Careers Facilitator, Sherri Richardson, emerged as a mentor for Renease. Sherri listened to Renease’s struggles and helped her find the strength she needed to finish the program. “If you’re looking for a change in your life or want to feel like you belong somewhere or want to feel encouraged and not judged, come to Association House,” Renease shared. Not only did she finish the program, she found the confidence to give a speech at the BankWork$ graduation ceremony. Afterwards, she went on to take classes through Association House’s Tech#Ready program so she could excel in her new career. Through hard work and dedication, she graduated at the top of her class. “I don't know where I would be right now if I didn’t come across BankWork$. It jump-started me getting back on my feet, defining who I am, getting on the path back to independence and starting over. That’s what BankWork$ was for me – it was starting over,” said Renease. Empowered with the skills and confidence instilled by her time at Association House, Renease is thriving. Today, she serves as a Client Service Analyst at JP Morgan Chase. Though her work can be stressful, she is finding fulfillment in her career and ensuring stability for her children. Association House is proud to walk alongside participants like Renease, down the path to a brighter future. We would like to thank Boeing for their support of the BankWork$ program, making stories like Renease’s possible. Their considerable investment is helping build a more equitable future for BankWork$ graduates and their families. Boeing proudly supports innovative partnerships and programs that create value and help build better communities worldwide. This includes improving access to globally competitive learning as well as workforce and skills development and supporting military and veteran communities. Learn more about their impact on their website.

On the final day of the UnidosUS Annual Conference, Latinos and Allies gathered to learn and collaborate on community issues. During the event, Lillian Bui, the Development Director at Association House, spoke with Sabrina Franza from CBS 2. The discussion centered on Vice President Kamala Harris's speech, which covered the Biden administration's actions to support struggling families. When asked about the speech, Bui commented: "People's future shouldn't be determined by the systemic forces that have created oppression, that have created low incomes." Click the button below to read the full article.

Association House was awarded the 2023 Advancing Minority Mental Health honor by the American Psychiatric Association Foundation. This prestigious $5,000 award recognizes Association House's behavioral health programs for their dedication to raising awareness and improving access to mental health in underserved minority communities. In an interview with Austin Weekly News, Clinical Director, Tanya Wade, said, “We all know that in Black and Brown communities, our folks are not necessarily seen and what I mean by seen, is recognized for their humanity and what they bring to the table, the strength, pride and culture that we have, so being able to work at an agency to provide services to the folks that are underserved within the community is important.” Click the button below to read the entire article.

This past weekend, Child Welfare recognized our foster parents at Foster Appreciation Day! To recognize the endless love and support our foster parents give, we invited foster families to celebrate themselves! Families had a blast eating delicious food, dancing to music, and participating in games and raffles. We are beyond grateful for our foster parents who opened their hearts and provided vulnerable children in our community with a safe and nurturing environment. For more information about becoming a foster parent, click the button below.

Join Association House's Clinical Director, Tanya Wade, and High School Culture & Climate Coordinator, Jemina Lyle, at Impact for Good, a virtual series hosted by American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation, on July 26 at 3pm. Listen to our staff discuss why whole-person and culturally responsive services are imperative to cultivating a supportive community — and learn how you can assist in reducing access barriers in your own neighborhood. We can't wait to see you there!

Join us at Association House of Chicago for the 17th annual Back 2 School Fair on Saturday, August 5, from 9am - 1pm. Parents and children are invited get ready for the upcoming school year with the tools they need for success! Get ready for free backpacks, school supplies, health screenings, physicals, haircuts, and tasty snacks! In addition, there will be games, raffles, balloons, and an incredible bubble show to keep the whole family entertained. For more information on how to participate, visit www.associationhouse.org/back-2-school. Major support for this event provided by Comcast NBC Universal and WBEZ Chicago. ** Únase a nosotros en Association House of Chicago para la 17 feria anual Back 2 School el sábado 5 de agosto de 9 am a 1 pm. ¡Los padres y los niños están invitados a prepararse para el próximo año escolar con las herramientas que necesitan para el éxito! ¡Prepárese para recibir mochilas, útiles escolares, exámenes de salud, exámenes físicos, cortes de cabello y refrigerios gratis! Además, habrá juegos, rifas, globos y un increíble show de burbujas para entretener a toda la familia. Para obtener más información, visite www.associationhouse.org/back-2-school. Gracias Comcast NBC Universal and WBEZ Chicago por el apoyo por este event.

Every May, Foster Parent Appreciation Month gives us the chance to recognize the extraordinary individuals who open their hearts and homes to children in need. For these parents, fostering is a remarkable journey filled with incredible highs and challenging lows. It demands compassion, resilience, and a commitment to the child you take into your home. It’s a journey Tonya and Angela began in 2020. “I think one of the biggest things that we have learned along the way is the ultimate goal of foster care is reunification, if possible,” says Angela. It’s true – for most children, foster care is a temporary, safe haven. While many think saying goodbye to a foster child would only feel like a loss, Angela and Tonya agree their favorite foster care moment was the reunification of their first foster child with his biological parent. “It was an incredible feeling to see how happy and relieved they were and how the two of them being together and supported just felt right. It was like we were helping put a piece back together again,” says Angela. For foster parents like Tonya and Angela, how long a child will stay is an unknown. Whether it’s for six days or six years, they provide a stable, loving environment for the child to thrive. Tonya and Angela emphasized how maintaining positive relationships with the child’s biological family is essential to the growth of both the foster child and the biological family. “You do everything you can to play your part to try to build up every person up that’s connected to that child to be a support system for him or her or them,” says Angela. These parents take on the responsibility of being advocates for both the foster child and the biological family’. The relationships they form with the caseworkers and biological family matter. These interactions promote positive change and inspire others to do what is best for the child. To this day, Tonya and Angela still visit their first foster child, who was reunified with his family. Seeing him happy with his family and knowing they are part of his journey is something they do not take for granted. Thank you to the foster parents like Tonya and Angela, whose selflessness, compassion, and support impact the lives of vulnerable children. This month and every month, we are thankful for everything you do to uplift the children and families in our community. If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, learn more here and reach out to a member of our team today. There are more than 20,000 children in need of homes, but only 8,000 licensed foster parents. You can be the difference for a child in need.

On June 8th, 240 individuals came together to celebrate the people and spirit that fuel Association House's work at Faces of Hope. The night was filled with hope, inspiration, and a shared commitment to making an impact in our community. Thank you so much to everyone who came out, raising over $227,000 for our programs - from mental health services for individuals recovering from trauma, daycare for parenting students, and job training for determined adults, you make it all possible. If you missed the Venegas' heartwarming story, click the button below to learn about their journey fostering with Association House and how it changed their lives forever.

Congratulations, Class of 2023! This month, we celebrated 32 students who earned their diplomas from Association House High School. We are so grateful for our amazing teachers, counselors, and staff, who supported students every step of the way. We would also like to give a special thank you to our keynote speaker, Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas, and our student speaker, Constance Jones, for your inspiring words. Congrats again to all of our graduates! If you or someone you know is interested in learning about our high school, click the button below to fill out our interest form.

Give it up for Association House High School's new Assistant Principal! For five years, Tiana Thomas has been a Learning Behavior Specialist and Case Manager for Diverse Learners at Association House High School. In her time at AHHS, her exceptional leadership skills and dedication to fostering a positive learning environment have been an inspiration to all. We sat down with Ms. Thomas to talk about what she is looking forward to most in her new role. What does Association House High School and the students mean to you? Of all the schools that I have served since my start in the education field 17+ years ago, AHHS is the 2nd school that is unparalleled in familial ties and sense of community present in the building. The school stresses the importance of connectedness and unity towards a common goal despite different cultural backgrounds, values, and opinions. The students are “my why”. They are the reason I serve. Having experienced the reality of growing up in an underserved community and facing some of the students’ many challenges, I feel that it is my diligence to open their hearts and minds to “being from the community not of the community”. What are you most looking forward to in your new role? When I chose the field of education as my career choice, my mission was then and is now to serve and meet the needs of our students and their families. The needs of our students go far beyond what is required to earn a high school diploma. Therefore, I am also looking forward to making connections in our various underserved communities to advocate for educational reform and equity. What kind of impact would you like to have on the school? The kind of impact I would like to have on Association House High School is one that demonstrates that I am a leader who is compassionate and committed. I would also like my impact to show that I can be transparent and supportive. Furthermore, I am dedicated to fostering an environment that is diverse, engaging, and valuable, while still maintaining an expectation of excellence. Favorite memory at Association House? My favorite memories at Association House are every graduation I have had the pleasure to attend. It is not only a monumental achievement for the students that are graduating and their families. It is also a significant event for us as a school community to see that our support in helping them cross the finish line has not been in vain. The thing I love most about graduation from high school is that it’s a pivotal moment in the lives of young people as it is the moment where they make a transition into adulthood and launch what is the next major event in their lives.

Veronica works in our Behavioral Health division managing the Respite Care and Home Based Self Directed Assistance programs. She has been working with individuals with developmental delays and intellectual disabilities for 14 years and is considered a power house on the team. Read how Women's History Month empowers Veronica to use her voice. What does woman’s history month mean to you and how do you plan to observe it? It allows me to remember women of our past that fought valiantly to let us have the freedom and the rights that we have today. I plan to keep empowering every woman I come across, young or old to keep fighting for their rights and to always use their voices, every day, not just in the month of March. What woman has influenced you the most in your life and/or career? My mother, my sisters and my daughter. Also, all the women I have had the honor to work with and the women that I have met while in the community. Why do we need more women in leadership? We need more women to use their voices against oppression in every career field and at home, more women need to know how to spread the word that we too, can reach the greatest lengths that this world offers. What female historical figure inspires you to be a leader? Hilary Clinton. She inspires me because she is proof that women can get to a position of power in a field that is dominated by men. Queen Elizabeth is also an inspiration, she was the longest reigning queen in time, she taught the world how to be a leader and be graceful in a seat of the utmost power without the need of a man to keep her in power. In our world, it is not seen where a president does not have a wife, or even kids. She had a husband, but as law sets it, she always walked first, never behind him or at his side.