Children's Home & Aid Blog & News
Foster Parents Continue to Invest through Difficult Times
Despite a tidal wave of changes disrupting all of our lives this spring, foster parents and caregivers haven’t missed a beat caring for our kids. When the Illinois stay at home order went into place in early March, Children’s Home & Aid was caring for more than 1,000 children in foster homes across the state. […]
Remembering Ellen Constance
Ellen Constance, Director of Child Welfare in the Southern Region, died on July 3 after a short battle with an aggressive form of cancer. Her loss is deeply felt by her family and friends and her colleagues who loved and respected her. Our grief is softened only by the knowledge of the difference she made […]
Nancy B. Ronquillo Award for Excellence Recipient – Christine O’Reilly-Riordan
We sat down with Christine O’Reilly-Riordan, the 2020 Nancy B. Ronquillo Award for Excellence recipient and Vice President of Community Relations and Executive Director of White Sox Charities, to hear about what inspires her. To hear more about her journey, visit our website and our social channels on June 11. Question: How did […]
An important message from President and CEO Mike Shaver: Facing two crises at once, together
Our world today is very different than it was just a few months ago – the peril created by the COVID pandemic has intersected with the outrage related to yet another inexplicable death of an unarmed black man, George Floyd. Sadness and anger have been on display during nightly protests as black Americans mourn this […]
How Donors are Helping do #WhateverItTakes (and how you can help too!)
How are the children? How are the families? The truth is, our families are struggling. Things were tough before the pandemic, but now, more than ever, things are more complicated and challenging. However, Mike Shaver, Children’s Home & Aid CEO recently noted, “We are seeing tremendous resilience, strength and hope among the children and families […]
Making a way in troubling times
A drive by shooting shattered Chris’s world – but not his spirit. Just 17, he had already experienced so much pain, violence and trauma during his lifetime. But the shooting was his wake-up call. Determined not to become a statistic, Chris was ready to turn his life around. He found hope and support through Jessica […]
Rooting for the Home Team
For more than 30 years, the Chicago White Sox have helped Children’s Home & Aid go where the need is greatest in communities throughout Chicagoland. Their dedicated partnership and tradition of giving back to the community has helped countless children, youth, and families receive the vital care and services they need to put them on the path to a better life […]
Meet Child Abuse Prevention Advocate, Maureen Blaha
April marks the time to recognize National Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Blue Bow Campaign. We’re highlighting a handful of sponsors and committee members to learn what the month means to them and why it’s so crucial. Maureen Blaha was the executive director of the National Runaway Safeline for 18 years, the national communications system […]
Meet Child Abuse Prevention Advocate, Jennifer Samartano
April marks the time to recognize National Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Blue Bow Campaign. We’re highlighting a handful of sponsors and committee members to learn what the month means to them and why it’s so crucial. Jennifer Samartano is an active, dedicated member of the Blue Bow Committee and represents Prevent Child Abuse […]
Meet Child Abuse Prevention Advocate, Sherry Cobbins
April marks the time to recognize National Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Blue Bow Campaign. We’re highlighting a handful of sponsors and committee members to learn what the month means to them and why it’s so crucial. We recently heard from Sherry Cobbins, she is the Community Based Child Abuse Prevention Grants Administrator for […]
Meet Child Abuse Prevention Advocates, Sara Castillo & Arely Cerda
April marks the time to recognize National Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Blue Bow Campaign. We’re highlighting a handful of sponsors and committee members to learn what the month means to them and why it’s so crucial. Sara Castillo and Arely Cerda of Casa Central are active, dedicated members of our Blue Bow Committee. […]
Meet Child Abuse Prevention Advocate, Karen Petties
April marks the time to recognize National Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Blue Bow Campaign. We’re highlighting a handful of sponsors and committee members to learn what the month means to them and why it’s so crucial. Karen Petties – an active, dedicated member of our Blue Bow Committee who organizes Blue Bow events […]
Meet Child Abuse Prevention Advocate, Sue Walton
This month as we recognize National Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Blue Bow Campaign, we’re highlighting a handful of sponsors and committee members to learn what the month means to them and why it’s so crucial. Sue Walton is a long-time supporter of Children’s Home & Aid and Parents Care & Share. She was involved […]
2020 Walton Blue Bow Award – The Robert G. Cunningham Family
Every April, Children’s Home & Aid’s Blue Bow Committee gives the Walton Blue Bow Award for significant contribution to the prevention of child abuse and neglect. The name of the award honors Sue Walton, an educator and the founder of the Blue Bow Campaign at Children’s Home & Aid twenty-six years ago. This year’s recipient […]
Meet Child Abuse Prevention Advocate, Dr. Melissa Merrick
This month as we recognize National Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Blue Bow Campaign, we’re highlighting a handful of sponsors and committee members to learn what the month means to them and why it’s so crucial. We recently heard from Dr. Melissa Merrick, President and CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America, for her thoughts […]
Serving Families and Children: How Our Work Continues with Your Help
It’s a tough time for the children and families served by Children’s Home & Aid across Illinois. The double whammy of the COVID-19 virus and the resulting economic downturn are having a huge impact on families who were already stressed before the virus hit. “The families we work with were already under tremendous stress before […]
Meet Child Abuse Prevention Advocate, Ed Davies
This month as we recognize National Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Blue Bow Campaign, we’re highlighting a handful of sponsors and committee members to learn what the month means to them and why it’s so crucial. We recently heard from Ed Davies, Director of the Power of Fathers Initiative, for his thoughts on this […]
Meet Child Abuse Prevention Advocate, Lesley Schwartz
This month as we recognize National Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Blue Bow Campaign, we’re highlighting a handful of sponsors and committee members to learn what the month means to them and why it’s so crucial. We recently heard from Lesley Schwartz, LCSW – Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Project Director […]
Meet Child Abuse Prevention Advocate, Mike Shaver
This month as we recognize National Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Blue Bow Campaign, we’re highlighting a handful of partners, advocates and staff to learn what the month means to them and why it’s so crucial. Mike Shaver, President & CEO of Children’s Home & Aid, shared his thoughts about this very important month: […]
Keeping it in the Family: Children’s Home & Aid and the Mitzi Freidheim Center
This week we are celebrating the Week of the Young Child where we recognize that the early childhood years (birth through age 8) lay the foundation for children’s success in school and later life. The Week of the Young Child is a time to consider the role we all play in meeting the needs of […]