Remembering Camille Harmon
“Her love, infectious smile, high spirit, humility, and integrity impacted everyone she knew. Never once did Camille doubt our abilities, empowering us to excel and to be the best in all our endeavors and not lose sight of that.” Our agency is deeply saddened by the news of Camille Harmon’s passing on February 22, 2022. […]
This is what opportunity looks like
I’m coming to you a bit earlier this week because I’m excited to share some real ground- breaking work going on at Children’s Home & Aid. I want to do this by returning to our values – our SCOPE. First, a bit of a recap. In the fall, I introduced the first two values of […]
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 […]
Celebrating the legacy of Barb Buckavekas
Today marks a significant milestone for one of our fellow teammates. Barb Buckavekas, a secretary who supports our agency’s foster care team in the northern region, is retiring after serving 35.5 years at Children’s Home & Aid. Barb’s passion for the agency’s mission and longstanding commitment to our families, staff, and partners through her work deserves the highest recognition. She […]
Blueprint for Impact: Our vision for the future.
“I’ve seen momentous change because of this program. Because of my brothers. They sit and they talk to me. They don’t talk at me. Nobody in here puts anybody down. And this is one of the greatest things that a father needs.” ~ Fatherhood program participant Rising to the challenge The pandemic exacerbated hardships that […]
Children’s Home & Aid Centers Receive Book Donations in Celebration of Life for North Shore Librarian
J.T. Morand was looking for a special way to honor his mother, Betty. She passed away almost a year ago, but due to the pandemic, a memorial couldn’t happen until this summer. According to J.T., Betty knew the value of a book in a child’s life, so it made sense to collect books at her Celebration […]
Prevention with a Purpose: An Interview with Dorothy Davis of Parents Care & Share
In April we recognize National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This year’s theme of Thriving Children and Families: Prevention with Purpose is bringing light to the immense pressure families are under from increased responsibilities and unforeseen challenges due to COVID. Through our Blue Bow Campaign, Parents Care & Share program, and other services, we offer resources and tools for managing these stressors and share steps that everyone can […]
Legacy of Love: Your Gifts At Work
Estate gifts and bequests help build our endowment, giving us a vitally important cushion against changing funding priorities. Bequest gifts come in all sizes, and each one helps ensure that our life-changing services will be available for generations of children and families to come. “A significant source of support for our work comes from donors […]
This Year, Turn Your Tax Savings into a Brighter Future for Every Child!
Did you know that a recently passed legislation offers you a way to support charities you care about, like Children’s Home & Aid, while receiving potential tax savings? The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, (CARES Act) was signed into law in late March 2020 to provide relief from the economic hardship of the […]
Remembering Deborah Whitted
In April, Children’s Home & Aid’s Deborah Whitted passed away suddenly. Staff who worked with Deborah gathered in May to dedicate a garden at the Marshfield office in her honor. Deborah had been working in foster care in Illinois since 2003 and came to Children’s Home & Aid in 2012 through the programs from Hull […]
Home Visiting Programs Reduce Chances of Opioid Addiction
On Wednesday, April 18 Sherri O’Toole, Program Supervisor for our Stronger Beginnings for Families home visiting program, joined members of law enforcement from across Illinois at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield to release a new report by Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Illinois. The report highlighted home visiting programs as an effective way to combat Illinois’ […]
Purple Up Day – Celebrating Military Children
Each year, April is designated as the Month of the Military Child – a time to recognize and thank military children and youth for their heroism, character, courage, sacrifice and continued resilience. Today on Purple Up for Military Kids Day, Children’s Home & Aid staff from across the state wore purple to raise awareness of […]
$1 Million Investment in Violence Prevention
Five major Chicago sports teams – the Bulls, Blackhawks, Bears, Cubs and Chicago White Sox – recently announced a combined contribution of $1 million to address community violence in Chicago. This funding, part of the newly formed Chicago Sports Alliance, will allow us to continue to provide Choose to Change (C2C) in coordination with Youth […]
Spring 2017 Newsletter
Our Spring 2017 newsletter is now available online! Read about how your support can help new moms, how we can break the cycle of violence, a note from our CEO and President Nancy Ronquillo, and more. Featured in the newsletter is an opportunity to honor Mother’s Day with a gift to Children’s Home + Aid. […]
Opportunity Youth
Children’s Home + Aid’s Director of Youth Services, Jimi Orange, Youth Mentor Avery Sterling, and client Lewis Blake spoke with Chicago Tonight recently to discuss the City of Chicago’s efforts to reengage youth ages 16 to 24 who are neither in school nor currently working. The Chicago Tonight story is a follow up from the Thrive Chicago Opportunity […]
State Senator Schimpf Visit
On February 20, we welcomed State Sen. Paul Schimpf (R-Waterloo) to the Lighthouse Learning Center in Cahokia. Sen. Schimpf spent nearly two hours at the Center discussing the importance of early childhood services with our staff. During the visit, Sen. Schimpf shared quite a lot about himself and how he came into office. A former U.S. […]
National Mentoring Month
In honor of National Mentoring Month, we want to highlight our Rice Foster Friends Mentoring Program in Evanston. The Rice Foster Friends Mentoring Program matches residents with long-term mentors who serve as positive adult role models. Mentors help youth find ways to cope with past trauma, provide friendship and stability, and broaden their mentee’s horizon. […]
National Conference of Mayors
As a teenager growing up in Englewood, Avery Sterling often believed he had no future and that no one cared. A few years ago, Avery came to Children’s Home + Aid and with the guidance of a mentor, he got a job through the One Summer Chicago program. Today, Avery is employed full-time with Children’s […]
