Driving to Independence: January is Teen Driving Awareness Month
Many of us vividly remember going to the DMV to get our driver’s license on our 16th birthday. The thrill of driving, and the independence brought with it, is something many can look back on as a moment of liberation and excitement. What we might not have realized at the time is the statistical significance […]
Shining a Light on National Adoption Month
Did you know there are nearly half a million children in the US foster care system? Each year, just 150,000 children are adopted, with only one-third coming from foster care. The majority of these young people spend months –– even years––waiting for a home to call their own. Here at Children’s Home & Aid, we know that the waiting, the doubt and the trauma of a young person caught […]
Learning to Solve Problems Together
“Kids arrive scared and angry. They’ve been through a lot. We listen without judgment to understand their perspective. When kids start feeling safe to come and talk to us about what they are experiencing, you see progress.” ~ Melvyn Tate, Coordinator, Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Child & Family Center A safe space to […]
Celebrating Patty York
This Friday is Patty York’s last day with Children’s Home & Aid. She is retiring after 16 years with the agency – but Patty has been involved with Children’s Home & Aid for over 25 years. Patty is a licensing coordinator in Rockford – she has truly lived the values of Children’s Home & Aid through her career. The many staff and families […]
The Ellen Constance Caring Spirit Award
In the summer of 2020, Children’s Home & Aid lost an extremely valuable member of our team. Ellen Constance, Director of Child Welfare in the Southern Region, passed away 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 […]
One Year In: How Our Children and Families are Doing
Over the past year, we have seen firsthand the devastating impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the 30,000 children and families we partner with, many living in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the virus. The pandemic not only exacerbated the issues that our families already face—including poverty, chronic stress and mental health […]
Foster Care Spotlight: Nick & Chris
“We want what’s best for this little boy which is reunification with his family,” Chris said, “but he is a part of our life, it will be hard.” Chris, and his husband Nick, are currently fostering a young boy in the Chicagoland area, and their complicated feelings reveal a common challenge for foster parents: […]
