Chicago HOPES Blog

Photo of the Week!

Chicago HOPES — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 04:17:20 +0000

"If I were President, I would help people in shelters and give money to them"

Behind HOPES: Luis

Chicago HOPES — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 01:56:12 +0000

Hello, my name is Luis H. Valadez and I have been with Chicago HOPES since August
of 2008, when I started working with the program as an AmeriCorps VISTA Member. I
became the Program Director in August 2010. I have been with HOPES through a lot of
changes and am truly appreciative of the fact that I have been granted the opportunity to
see the program through them. I have enjoyed every moment that I have spent working
with our students and tutors and am continually awed by the good will that attracts
to Chicago HOPES. I currently site coordinate at Madonna House on Tuesday’s and
Lena Washington’s Oneness Shelter on Thursday’s. I went school at Columbia College
Chicago and received a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Writing and Poetics from Naropa
University. In addition to my work with Chicago HOPES, I am a poet with a book
published by University of Arizona Press called “what I’m On”

We are together in our struggle against lonesomeness, and alone in our struggles against the world.I know it looks the other way around, but it’s not. Matter of fact, if we knew that altogether, at once, there would be more reasons to hold on than to give up. –Steven Jesse Bernstein

Friday News Round Up

Chicago HOPES — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:01:59 +0000

A few articles worth reading to better understand the changes in the housing market and the affect it has on the working and lower classes.

Chicago Tribune: Housing Market Improves, but Growth Years Away: Prices are stabilizing, but not going

Time Magazine: Credit Standards May Finally Be Loosening for Housing

Huffington Post: America’s Poorest People Running Out Of Places To Live: Study

Photo of the Week! Madonna House

Chicago HOPES — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:33:10 +0000

A Chicago HOPES' student and her awesome tutor Sophia take in a rousing game of Dino Math Tracks after homework is done. So many place values, so little time.

Behind HOPES: Brandi

Chicago HOPES — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:59:41 +0000

My name is Brandi Cook and I am practicum student and co-site coordinator with Chicago HOPES. I help develop enrichment activities, donation distribution, special projects, and act as co-site coordinator at Cornerstone on Wednesdays. I got connected with HOPES through my school, Adler School of Professional Psychology. Practicum students from Adler provide at least 200 hours of volunteer time with their placement sites and I began this process with Chicago HOPES in January 2012.

I recently moved to Chicago from Terre Haute, Indiana. I am working towards being a child psychologist, especially working with children in underserved/underprivileged areas. I believe in order to make our world a better place we must help our future generations – children! I am also a Zumba® instructor. It is fun and helps keep balanced in the hectic world. I also love to travel and see and experience new places and learn about other cultures.

“Meanings are not determined by situations, but we determine ourselves by the meanings we give to situations.” Alfred Adler

Friday News Round Up: The Homeless Children and Youth Act

Chicago HOPES — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:57:31 +0000

A new bill has been introduced by Congresswoman Judy Biggert of Illinois with efforts to amend the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to include homeless children and youth. As of Tuesday the bill has been passed by a voice vote, meaning that it can continue its process to the financial service committee.

The following articles help the public to understand the bill, as well as the actual transcipt of the bill that was proposed to Congress:

The Homeless Child and Youth Act of 2011: H.R. 32

The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) provides details and ways for the public to support the bill: Support the Homeless Children and Youth Act: Help Cut the Red Tape for Homeless Children and Youth!

Through the passing of this bill, HUD will have more flexibility with their funds in order to help families and children that are in need of HUD’s services. The bill has already taken great strides in Congress and continues to find its way to being fully approved, signed and placed into action.

Photo of the Week!

Chicago HOPES — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:51:45 +0000

A HOPES' student crafts when she finishes her homework.

Behind HOPES: Laura

Chicago HOPES — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:34:36 +0000

Every Monday this semester we will be featuring a spotlight on the site coordinators, co-coordinators, and interns that work with Chicago HOPES.

This Week: Laura Hawkinson

My name is Laura Hawkinson and I have had the joy of working with Chicago HOPES since last September. I started my journey with HOPES as a marketing intern and still continue in this position. I also have the pleasure of working with the students at Cornerstone on Mondays. This whole process has been amazing from interacting with the students to brainstorming and being encouraged by HOPES’ staff. I will be graduating in May from Concordia University Chicago with a dual degree in Business Communications and Spanish. I love traveling, trying out coffee shops and of course drinking coffee. This experience has been amazing and I am ever so grateful for the hands on experience and life experience that HOPES has and will continue to provide me with.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

First Week Success

Chicago HOPES — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 19:10:12 +0000

With HOPES’ first week successfully finished, looking back we couldn’t have asked for a better start to our spring semester. At all three locations, Cornerstone Community Center, Lena Washington and the Madonna House, students and tutors alike were ready to once again begin the process of learning alongside one another. Growth in the program could already be seen from one day to the next. We have high hopes for a successful semester that we know will be achieved as we have already began to see the fruits of the program in action. With many more weeks and sessions to come, HOPES is excited to continue to see the growth and progress of each of our students.

Friday News Round Up

Chicago HOPES — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:40:55 +0000

Recent news that is helpful to stay up to date with the plans and ways that homelessness is being combated on a local and national level

The New York Times: “Ordinary Families, Cloaked in Normality”

Journey with a homeless New York family through their day and the challenges that they face trying to be “normal”

Chicago News Cooperative: “A New Plan to Help the Homeless”

Chicago News Cooperative: “City Creating New Plan to End Homelessness”

Catch up on how Chicago is planning on updating and continuing their 9 year Plan to End Homelessness