Kinship Initiative

1. Blessed Sacrament Catholic Youth Center

3600 W. Cermak Road

Chicago, Illinois 60623

Brian Norkett, Executive Director

www.bsyc.org

As a satellite outreach of St. Agatha’s Catholic Church, the center serves young people of North Lawndale. Founded in 1987 and housed in an unused Catholic church, programming is led by a part-time director and two volunteers.  The large facility houses a basketball court, ping pong tables, computer stations, games, meeting spaces and a full kitchen.  As a safe place for homework time, rollerblading, socializing, sports, field trips and arts & crafts, its goal is to promote good values and nurture maturity and skills youth need to become responsible leaders. The center is open to all young people without regard to their religious affiliations and it serves over 188 registered members.

Kinship Initiative Volunteer Opportunities:

1. Tutors for young people
2. Event coordinators and chaperons
3. Fundraisers / funders
4. Equipment and resource donations
5. Special recreation instructors/leaders
6. Other roles yet to be identified

3. Firehouse Community Arts Center

Lawndale Community Church

3827 W. Ogden Ave.

Chicago, Illinois 60623

Pastor Phil Jackson, Executive Director

www.thaFirehouse.org

Once home to the Chicago Fire Department’s Engine 38, the House Covenant Church and Lawndale Christian Community Church have reclaimed the facility as a state of the art community center to help rescue a generation of youngsters.  The mission is to engage students from North Lawndale and Little Village, to build strong relationships with them and to help them discover their gifts.  The center is an outgrowth of Pastor Phil Jackson’s “hip-hop” church services which attract hundreds of teens each month.  Due to open in early 2014, the center will offer a safe place to socialize, web design, graphic arts and video editing so the youth will be active and more marketable whether they go off to college or desire certifications to actually go out and start working. The facility will contain a well-equipped kitchen to teach culinary arts, a dance studio, a graphic arts center and photo lab and a music recording studio.  The visionary organizers deem the $700,000 price tag to finish the building’s renovations and hire staff to be “worth it” to achieve the dream.

Kinship Initiative Volunteer Opportunities:

1. Craftsmen to work on the Firehouse renovation
2. Funders / Fundraisers
3. Development / Marketing specialists
4. Donors of equipment and other resources

4. Greater Love Church of God in Christ

1612 S. Hamlin Avenue

Chicago, Illinois 60623

Minister Rex Peel, Pastor

www.glcogic.org

Since 1967, the Greater Love Church of God in Christ has been reaching and teaching the hopeless that there is hope in Christ. Through God’s love, the ministers and congregation seeks to serve and uplift the deprived and unemployed through community based outreach ministries to men, women and children. The ministry also advances the community through the “Word”, seminars, after-school youth programs, music, and drama and community outreach that creates a Godly environment and stimulates a desire and willingness to believe on Christ Jesus.

Kinship Initiative Volunteer Opportunities:

1. Legal assistance to establish a community development corporation
2. Support for occasional social and community initiatives

5. Intersection Café

1211 S. Western Avenue, #200

Chicago, Illinois

Lydia Wong, Café Coordinator

www.htcchicago.org/west-side

An outreach ministry of Holy Trinity Church
The North Lawndale Kinship initiative serves meals to approximately 50 cafe’ visitors struggling with homelessness the first Friday of every cold weather month from 5:30 – 7:30pm.  Volunteers are responsible for purchasing, cooking (off site) and serving hot, nutritious meals at the facility.  There are no kitchen facilities on-site. Afterwards, meal guests socialize by playing cards, board games and through other entertainment.  Some guest stay for safe, warm overnight shelter if needed.  Volunteers may drop-off and (or) serve meals and also assist in after meal entertainment.

Kinship Initiative Volunteer Opportunity:

A.Sign-up for one Friday of service to the café.  You may sign-up either individually or as a group.

6. The Learning Center

2153 S. Millard Avenue

Chicago, Illinois 60623

Sr. Monice Kavanaugh, O.P.- Executive Director

www.tlcchicago.org

Since 1983 the Learning Center has proudly served the North Lawndale and Little Village communities in Chicago with the beliefs that “all adults can learn, they have a right to quality education, and that education is liberating.”  Thus with quality education as the main goal of the center, programming includes free classes offered in partnership with Malcolm X College, employment assistance and financial and future education counseling. Adult Literacy and GED preparation is offered on site, as are ESL classes and access to new computer labs to provide training in basic and job-related computer skills. The center looks to equip adults for effective personal lives, productive employment, and positive contributions to the community.

Kinship Initiative Volunteer Opportunities:

1. Literacy tutors for adult learners
2. Speakers for adult education sessions
3. Computer experts
4. Fundraisers / Funders
5. Marketing/Promotions Professionals
6. Other

7. Mercy Home for Boys and Girls
Friends First Volunteer Mentoring Program

Hay Boys Campus

1140 W. Jackson Blvd.

Chicago, Illinois 60607

Girls Campus

11600 S. Longwood Drive

Chicago, Illinois 60643

Katie Keller-Smith, Director of Volunteers

www.mercyhome.org

The home, founded by a Catholic priest, has been a children’s charity and residential facility that serves at-risk youth and helps them pave the way to brighter futures since 1887.  Today the impressive facilities still provide safety, nurturing, counseling and solid educational opportunities all to foster healing, personal growth, encouragement and support that young residents need.  This ministry is sustained by generous benefactors and volunteers who believe in the miracle of God’s mercy in action.   The Friends First Mentoring Program began in 1987 to match children one-on-one with well trained and supported volunteer adult mentors.

Kinship Initiative Volunteer Opportunity

1. One-on-one mentor for a resident of the home

• Other

8. North Lawndale College Prep High School (N.L.C.P.)

Collins Campus

1313 S. Sacramento Blvd.

Chicago, Illinois 60623

Christiana Campus

1615 S. Christiana Ave.

Chicago, Illinois 60623

John Horan – President

www.nlcphs.org

Since 1998, N.L.C.P. has prepared 9th – 12th grade students from under-resourced communities for graduation with academic skills and personal resilience necessary for successful completion of college.  It’s academically rigorous, yet socially and emotionally supportive, small school environment personalizes services for students on two campuses. 100% of graduates are accepted to at least one college or university, and college attendance and retention rates have increased each year and surpassed national and Chicago Public School rates.

Kinship Initiative Volunteer Opportunities:

1. Panelists for end-of-the-year Senior Projects
2. Professional advisory and development board members
3. Young adult professional advisory board members
4. One-on-one mentors of students
5. Morning greeters
6. Tutors
7. Provide post graduation jobs / internships
8. Outreach to N.L.C.P. graduates living away from home
9. Funder / Donor of resources
10. Other

9. North Lawndale Employment Network (N.L.E.N.)

 3726 W. Flournoy Street

Chicago, Illinois 60624

Brenda Palms-Barber, Executive Director

www.nlen.org

With the belief that everyone deserves an opportunity to work and that the community flourishes when good jobs give residents both paychecks and self-worth, NLEN serves unemployed and underemployed people in North Lawndale and beyond.  Many clients are formerly incarcerated and dealing with other significant barriers to employment. The organization helps them to prepare for, find, and succeed at new jobs through motivation, training and tracking their progress — qualities that employers value. NLEN welcomes donors and supporters to contribute to the organizations stellar 13 year track record of enhancing the lives of individuals and the wider community one person and one job at a time.
N.L.E.N. Programs:

• U-Turn Permitted—coaching and training to help people with records of criminal convictions to transition to the world of work
• Sweet Beginnings—a for profit enterprise through which participants enhance employment skills by tending beehives, harvesting honey, managing inventory and manufacturing natural skin care products infused with locally produced honey or beeswax
• Resource Center—one-stop shop for clients to access telephones, computers, photocopiers, and fax machines; learn financial literacy, computer, and resume-writing skills; view job postings; attend job readiness workshops; and receive job coaching as well as links and referrals to government programs and social services.

Kinship Initiative Volunteer Opportunities:

1. Provide jobs and internships
2. Advisory and development board members
3. Fundraisers/committee members for annual tea
4. Advocates for job seekers and U-Turn Permitted Program (re-entry) clients
5. Trainers for job seekers and re-entry clients
6. Job readiness mock interviewers
7. Launch a community garden
8. New facility acquisition and upgrade assistance
9. Technical assistance with grants
10. Guest speakers for U-Turn Permitted Program
11. Beekeeping for one of 5 apiaries (bee hives)
12. Funder / Donor of equipment and resources
13. Other

10. St. Agatha Catholic Academy

3151 W. Douglas Blvd.

Chicago, Illinois 60623

Patricia Williams, Principal

www.stagathaacademy.org

Established in 1895 the school has continued to develop academically strong and morally upright young people who serve God, their families and the community and who are also well prepared for high school and beyond.   The 85 Pre-K through 8th grade students, 15 faculty, staff members and volunteers, plus families and other supporters comprise the loving, caring Christian community working as an educational partnership.  Programming includes a comprehensive academic curriculum, technology, enrichment programs, before and after-care, financial-aid, physical education and more.

Kinship Initiative Volunteer Opportunities:

1. Tuition sponsors
2. School development / Marketing team members
3. School fundraising team members
4. School hallway painting party aids
5. Donations of technology equipment and curricular supplies
   1. I-Pads
   2. E-books
   3. Digital cameras
6. Tutors…  Mentors…
7. Tuition sponsor
8. P.E. / Athletic fund donor
9. School day volunteer
10. Special program instructor
11. Other

11. St. Agatha Catholic Church

3147 W. Douglas Blvd.

Chicago, Illinois 60623

Fr. Larry Dowling, Pastor

www.st-agatha-chicago.org

A vibrant Christian faith community of 450 families and over 25 ministries that has served North Lawndale since 1893.  Its soul-stirring liturgies reflect African-American spirituality and preaching and the Gospel Style of music thus welcoming, engaging, comforting and challenging the assembly.  It’s S.A.F.E. (St. Agatha Family Empowerment) Program, established in 1991, provides 175 youth per week with after-school, weekend and summer alternatives to gangs, drugs and violence.  S.A.F.E. programming includes tutoring, computers, leadership training, choir, dance, African drumming, arts & crafts and field trips.

Kinship Initiative Volunteer Opportunities:

1. Prayer partners / Prayer Circles
2. Fundraising / Funder / Donor of resources
3. Skilled labor for facility upgrades
4. Gardening / Grounds keeping
5. S.A.F.E.  Volunteer / Supporter
6. Participate in occasional one-time events to be announced at OSP Church
7. Other

12. Young Men’s Education Network (YMEN)

1241 S. Pulaski

Chicago, Illinois 60623

Michael Trout, Executive Director

www.ymenchicago.com

A dynamic organization serving Chicago’s West Side since 1996 to address academic and social needs that cripple the futures of many youth in North Lawndale; particularly males 10 to 18 year old. YMEN serves about 150 families weekly through academic support, skill enhancement, entrepreneurial training, arts education, value based classes, mentoring, tutoring, sports, recreation and a variety of field trips. The organization emphasizes responsibility and program ownership to foster leadership, academic excellence and positive alternatives to student apathy and gang involvement.

Kinship Initiative Volunteer Opportunities:

1. Tutors for youth
2. Mentors for youth
3. Fundraisers / Funders
4. Instructors for after school programming
5. Development and advisory board members