Check below to learn and read about some of our partner agencies…
2010
May
We are proud to present our newest highlighted agency:
Ray Graham Association
For over 58 years, Ray Graham Association has been dedicated to the full participation of people with disabilities in a quality life by providing leadership that supports the accomplishments of individuals, strengthens families and inspires community involvement. Ray Graham Association offers a broad array of services and supports through our 35 program sites throughout DuPage County to more than 2,500 children and adults with disabilities that include mental retardation, cerebral palsy, and autism. Services include vocational, respite, early intervention, recreational, home-based and residential programs.
We thank Cathy Ficker Terrill, President and CEO, for answering our questions:
1. How do your programs help clients improve their lives and make lasting changes?
RGA has a diverse offering of programs to help people with disabilities live meaningful lives. Through our Community Living Centers, people are supported to participate in their communities through employment, volunteerism and recreation. Our residential services allow people with all levels and types of disabilities to live in the community to maximize their independence and quality of life. Other programs include Employment Services, Home-Based Support Services and Early Intervention, all of which assists people with disabilities to reach their highest potential.
Ray Graham’s Hanson center provides recreational programs for children and adults with and without disabilities. The Gateway Special Recreation Program provides recreation services throughout the year that stress teamwork, positive interaction and skill building. Our Therapeutic Horsemanship Program provides children and adults with and without disabilities the opportunity to experience the benefits of therapeutic horseback riding, and the Morris Service Dog Program provides people with specially trained dogs to help each person function more independently.
2. How has United Way of the DuPage Area helped your agency fulfill its mission?
Through helping to fund our micro-businesses and community employment services, United Way of DuPage Area is at the center of our mission as the two programs allow for individuals with disabilities to increase their community involvement and live a quality life. Without the help of United Way, many individuals would not have the opportunity to fulfill their personal and vocational goals. Our staff and volunteer network view the United Way as an integral part of our support team.
3. What’s the most interesting aspect of your job?
The most interesting aspect of being CEO of the Ray Graham Association is the people we support. Although these individuals have disabilities, they have a positive attitude. They believe in themselves. They set great goals for themselves and they are fun to be around. Whenever I have the opportunity to interact with the people we support, I always learn something. Their “can do” attitude is inspiring and humbling. They motivate me to do more.
4. What can members of our community looking to GIVE, ADVOCATE, and VOLUNTEER do for your agency?
As advocates of Ray Graham, members of the community are supporting over 2,500 individuals with disabilities to help RGA maintain the highest standards of quality services and supports. This can be done through donations, joining our President’s Circle with an annual gift of $1,000 or more, joining the Monarch Society by pledging to include Ray Graham in estate plans, or through our Adopt-a-Home.
Volunteering for RGA is another way to become an advocate of RGA, as there are several opportunities. Each year RGA hosts a Butterfly Ball, a golf benefit, and a Walk Benefit where volunteers are needed. We also are looking for people who would like to host their own fundraiser or become a part of the development or capital campaign committee. Volunteers are also always needed for facility care at our 35 sites. This can include such activities as spring cleaning, washing windows, painting, carpentry, helping individuals decorate their living spaces, and landscaping. If working with horses is an interest, our horsemanship program is always looking for volunteers to be leaders and side walkers for riding lessons, or assistance in barn maintenance. These are just a few ways members of the community can volunteer, to further discuss these opportunities or to suggest new ideas, you can contact our volunteer coordinator Mary Beth Glenn at 630.628.7172.
Joint advocacy tactics and strategy aimed at Springfield with our local legislators would also be welcome.
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April
Family Shelter Service
Family Shelter Service has been providing “help and hope for victims of domestic violence” for the past 34 years. During 2009, 242 women and children spent a combined total of 12,874 nights in our emergency shelter. There they began to heal from the violence and abuse they experienced and plan for a new life. Another 694 adults and children received counseling and services to deal with the abuse in their lives, and 8,434 persons contacted our 24-Hour Crisis Hotline for assistance. To help clients transition into their new lives in safety and wellness, Family Shelter also offers these important programs: 24-hour hotline, education and outreach, court/victim advocacy, intermediate housing, career assistance, financial literacy, children’s counseling, and Latino outreach.
We thank Karen Kuchar, Executive Director, for answering our questions:
1. How do your programs help clients improve their lives and make lasting changes?
Most importantly, Family Shelter Service provides domestic violence victims a safe place to live to begin to work through the trauma and feelings of guilt that they carry with them as a result of their abuse. Our counselors are skilled in assisting our clients with this difficult task, as abusers are very good at convincing their victims they are responsible for their own abuse. While we help clients work on their emotional health, we also help them work their way through the court system, including writing a personal safety plan and gaining Orders of Protection against their abusers. Through our career assistance and financial literacy programs, clients begin to plan for their new lives and gain new skills to transition from shelter with greater confidence and sense of well-being.
2. How has United Way of the DuPage Area helped your agency fulfill its mission?
The financial assistance Family Shelter Service receives from United Way is critical in helping us accomplish our mission to help victims of domestic violence break free and begin new lives. We also have the distinct privilege of being a United Way partner, giving us a “seal of approval” from an agency that is much esteemed by the community. Because United Way supports us our current and future donors, sponsors, volunteers and clients know that Family Shelter meets the standard of performance expected from a United Way agency.
3. What’s the most interesting aspect of your job?
Helping people understand the far-reaching and long-lasting effects of domestic violence on victims—especially children—and its negative repercussions in our community are critical messages that I will never tire of delivering. It is a great moment of joy watching someone move from unawareness to enlightenment and action—adding one more advocate to our efforts to end the cycle of violence and abuse. And when victims know that the community understands their dilemma, it helps diminish their shame, making it easier for them to come forward and ask for help.
4. What can members of our community looking to GIVE, ADVOCATE, and VOLUNTEER do for your agency?
As Family Shelter goes into its second year of state budget cuts and diminished foundation funding, we are seeking financial and in-kind contributions from our friends, old and new, to help us ensure that our shelter and counseling doors remain open. As the economy worsens, the demand for shelter and services in our area has increased. With so many women and families at risk, Family Shelter must continue to be an option for victims of domestic violence in DuPage County.
Family Shelter also relies heavily on its volunteers to help us answer hotline calls, provide children’s programs, maintain our facilities, raise funds, advocate for victims and much, much more. To learn more about how you can help, please call 630-221-8290 or visit our website at www.familyshelterservice.org.
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2009
December
Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana
Mission: Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place
We thank Monica Woodson, Regional Vice-President, Central Region, for answering our questions:
1. How do your programs help clients improve their lives and make lasting changes?
The Girl Scout Leadership Experience encourages girls to take increasing responsibility for designing and implementing their own activities, which results in extensive opportunities for them to see how their actions can impact the lives of others.
Girls say a leader is defined not only by the qualities and skills one has, but also by how those qualities and skills are used to make a difference in the world.
Age-appropriate activities in Girl Scouting introduce girls to new concepts. Through these activities, caring adults encourage girls to explore a variety of related topics, empower them with the ability to choose the direction they will take to accomplish a goal, and then support them as they put their ideas into action. The experience often illuminates a girl’s personal skills and interests and gives them the confidence to make an impact with their words and actions.
2. How has United Way of the DuPage Area helped your agency fulfill its mission?
The support received from United Way of the DuPage area has and continues to allow us to provide age appropriate leadership building programs for girls in DuPage County. This ongoing support offers girls access to Girl Scouting pathways and experiences that include camping, field trips, service projects, and experiential learning opportunities that allow girls to Discover, Connect and Take action in their communities.
3. What’s the most interesting aspect of your job?
The uniqueness of my job is what I find most interesting. Serving as Regional Vice President of our Central Region is distinctive in that it allows me to work both as an administrator and “implementer” of strategies designed to strengthen our service to girls and adults involved in Girl Scouts. While the majority of my colleagues utilize their expertise in concentrated areas, such as fund development, membership or retail sales, the Regional Vice Presidents are afforded a great opportunity to manage and oversee several departmental areas within our region.
From developing and implementing recruitment strategies with my staff to collaborating with our Product Program team to ensure that girls receive the full experience of our cookie and fall product sales, serving in this capacity allows me to play an integral role in all aspects of our council’s activities.
Having been a Girl Scout, I consider it a privilege to be in a position to work with our staff, funders, and other community collaborators in introducing girls to the Girl Scouting experience.
4. What can members of our community looking to GIVE, ADVOCATE, and VOLUNTEER do for your agency?
One of the great advantages of being associated with the Girl Scouting movement is that it offers opportunities for people to serve in many ways. If a person is interested in making a monetary donation, they can make that donation through our fund development department to support our general operations, camp properties, or a specific program such as our Journey World facility located in downtown Chicago.
If advocacy is where the interest lies, Girl Scouting has a strong advocacy movement that works with local, state and national leaders to ensure that the needs of girls and young women are at the forefront of their planning and funding.
Since volunteerism is at the core of the Girl Scouting philosophy, there are always opportunities for individuals to donate their time. Serving as a troop leader, assisting in one of our Regional service centers, facilitating girl programs, and helping girls involved in our community engagement programs manage cookie sales are just a few ways in which a person can donate their time. Volunteer opportunities are designed to best utilize the talents of the volunteer and our volunteer services department offers thorough training programs designed to fit the needs of each individual.
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September
Heritage YMCA Group
The Heritage YMCA Group serves the communities of Naperville, Aurora and Oswego. They have over 21,000 members and serve thousands more as community participants in a wide range of programs. Their mission is to enhance the quality of life for families through programs reflecting Christian principles to build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. In all they do, they work to instill the values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.
The YMCA is not a pool or gym or a camp facility. Their business is about changing people’s lives. Their work is about instilling values in kids today so they will make better decisions tomorrow. Their business is about developing character and leadership skills. And the way they do that is by putting heroes in the lives of kids everyday in every program they offer.
We thank Tom Beerntsen, President/CEO, for answering our questions below.
1. How do your programs help clients improve their lives and make lasting changes?
Our vision is to be top of mind when people think about kids and families, to be the recognized expert on healthy lifestyle in spirit, mind and body and to be recognized as the best place to work, volunteer and give.
At the YMCA we are working to create a sense of community where kids and families want to spend time together. Our nation faces a health epidemic as obesity approaches a crisis level. The YMCA is a leader in advocating for healthy lifestyles to improve health and reduce stress in a world that is
becoming more stressful. The Y works each day to provide a safe place for children where they can have fun with their peers.
2. How has United Way of the DuPage Area helped your agency fulfill its mission?
United Way support is invested in two critical programs. The YMCA operates a before and after school care program called Safe ‘n Sound at 39 elementary schools sites in three school districts. This extraordinary program is a partnership with the United Way, our schools and business. Moms and dads can go to work each day knowing that their children are safe and in good care. United Way support helps us honor our promise to never deny Y programs to kids and families because of a lack of financial resources. This year we will provide over $100,000 in financial assistance to families in our Safe ‘n Sound program.
In addition, United Way funding helps support our work with the YMCA Naperville
Family Resource Center. This special partnership between Scott School in Naperville, the United Way and many individual, civic and business donors focuses on academic improvement, character development and providing positive social experiences. Kids who had been struggling in school are now thriving because donors cared enough to create and maintain this special program.
3. What’s the most interesting aspect of your job?
I am privileged to be surrounded by a staff that shows up each day believing that by the end of the day we will have improved the lives of kids and families. The YMCA is in the right place at the right time with the right programs in a world that needs to refocus on a less stressful, healthier lifestyle where kids and families spend more time together. It is exciting to be part of an organization where people are committed to shaping a better tomorrow for our children.
4. What can members of our community looking to GIVE, ADVOCATE, and VOLUNTEER do for your agency?
We will never turn anyone away from the Y because of an inability to pay the costs of participation. Our annual Strong Kids Campaign, along with Our United Way support, allows up to honor that promise. We also work year round to engage volunteers as coaches, program assistants and board members. Individuals interested in learning more about our YMCA may call me directly at: 630-420-6277 or by visiting our website at: www.heritageymca.org. We are always looking forward to involving good folks who want to help us advocate building strong kids, strong families in strong communities.
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April
World Relief DuPage
World Relief is a not-for-profit agency that works with local churches, hundreds of individuals, and community groups to offer a comprehensive range of services to refugees and immigrants living in DuPage County. Each year World Relief helps more than 7,000 clients, 90% of whom are low income. World Relief focuses on helping clients who, because of language or income barriers, cannot yet be served by other area agencies.
We thank Hayley Meksi, Executive Director of World Relief DuPage, for taking the time to answer some of our questions.
1. How do your programs help clients improve their lives and make lasting changes?
Our most intensive service provisions are in Refugee Resettlement. The primary focus of this program is to assist refugees, who have fled war, torture, and persecution, to resettle in the United States with U.S. government approval. Our model of service is to link newly arriving refugees with community volunteers and churches to assist them in the process of adjusting to their new life. Other programs include:
• Refugee Services which support refugees in specific ways as they transition to independence in the U.S.
• Citizenship and Immigrant Legal Services which help more than 4,000 eligible area residents. Immigration Counseling and Citizenship Outreach and Application Preparation are conducted through World Relief’s Wheaton location as well as in local churches.
• Volunteer and Church Mobilization Services which help to link refugee and immigrants served by World Relief to local churches and volunteers to facilitate life changing relationships.
• Education Services provided by World Relief which help refugees and immigrants become self sufficient.
2. How has United Way of the DuPage Area helped your agency fulfill its mission?
World Relief DuPage is immensely grateful for its partnership with United Way and the resources that it provides to newly arrived refugee and immigrant families. One of the programs supported by United Way is our Youth Services program. The goal of this program is to provide opportunities for refugee students to learn, grow, and thrive in their new communities. Through funding from United Way, we are able to provide 5 after-school clubs to newly arrived refugee students. These clubs represent a beautiful example of how we are able to live out our mission by providing quality services to students and engaging the community to enter into this work with us.
3. What’s the most interesting aspect of your job?
The most interesting part is hearing stories of refugees and immigrants being welcomed into and cared for by their new communities. These stories of lives being changed, both of the immigrants and their neighbors in DuPage County, are reflective of the reciprocal relationships that we at World Relief are honored to be a part of. DuPage County is celebrating its 30th year of welcoming refugees – and this is work that originated in local churches. WR has been privileged to come alongside churches and others in the community to help equip them and provide additional much-needed support to our newest residents.
4. What can members of our community looking to GIVE, ADVOCATE, and VOLUNTEER do for your agency?
Donate Your Resources
• Financial: All gifts to World Relief are sincerely appreciated
• Used furniture: Each newly-arrived refugee family is provided with a basic home set-up from our warehouse of donated furniture.
• Used cars: We accept cars in any condition.
Donate Your Voice
To receive World Relief’s bi-monthly Advocacy Update which includes ways in which you can advocate for and speak up on behalf of the under-resourced and marginalized, please email Jenny Hwang at jhwang@wr.org.
Donate Your Time
World Relief provides many one-time and ongoing volunteer opportunities for you to plug in to. To hear more about our opportunities, please contact Jenna Liao at (630) 462-7566 x46 or at jliao@wr.org.
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2008
December
Access DuPage
Access DuPage is a collaborative effort by thousands of local individuals and hundreds of DuPage County organizations to provide access to medical services to the county’s low income, medically uninsured residents. Access DuPage is supported and sustained by a unique partnership of hospitals, physicians, local government, human service agencies, community funders and community groups working together to address the local impact of a national health care crisis.
Access DuPage Staff
Kara Murphy, Managing Director of Access DuPage (middle row, second from the right in the photo above) was kind of enough to answer some of our questions.
1. How do your programs help clients improve their lives and make lasting changes?
The truth is that no one can afford to be uninsured, but the consequences of a lack of healthcare are particularly devastating to our low income neighbors abilities to live and work. For the individuals who meet our guidelines and enroll in Access DuPage, their program enrollment means that they have access to a wide range of health care services. They have access to basic primary care services through a local volunteer provider with whom they can receive ongoing medical treatment. Enrollees also have access to diagnostic services, medication, specialty care, and hospital based services. Medical treatment is provided at a low or no cost basis, with patients paying small copays that represent a fraction of the cost of their treatment.
2. How has United Way of the DuPage Area helped your agency fulfill its mission?
United Way funding is vital to Access DuPage’s ability to coordinate health care services for our patients. Current Access DuPage enrollment exceeds 7,500, and more than 10,000 patients will be treated through Access DuPage this year. Each month brings a new record high volume, and in these difficult financial times, it is our wish and commitment to continue to enroll any and all eligible applicants. Our costs per patients are drastically lower than the cost of traditional health insurance ($403.08 per pt in FY 08 vs. $4,479 average cost of employer sponsored individual health insurance in 2007). Nonetheless, every United Way dollar that Access DuPage receives ensures that we are able to continue to provide our patients with the services they need.
3. What’s the most interesting aspect of your job?
There are so many parts of my work that I find fascinating. Our patients are incredibly diverse–gracious and typically resilient in the face of challenges that most of us would find unbelievably daunting. Working in healthcare ensures that no day is ever dull, because the human body is such a complex instrument, and medical science continues to amaze me. But mostly I am humbled by the way that our community has embraced Access DuPage and the patients that we serve. Every day I talk to providers and application agents whose efforts make this program possible, and they participate because they believe that their individual efforts have the power to affect real difference in people’s lives. And they are absolutely right.
4. What can members of our community looking to GIVE, ADVOCATE, and VOLUNTEER do for your agency?
If folks want to get involved in Access DuPage’s mission, we would certainly welcome their support. We recently moved to a new office, and for the first time we have space to accommodate volunteers in our administrative offices. We could really use the assistance. In terms of advocating, I would encourage folks to speak to their personal health care providers about Access DuPage, and encourage them to participate in whatever way they can. And for individuals who may not have medical skills to volunteer, or time to serve directly, please know that even modest donations of funding support are enormously beneficial. Since every dollar of direct funding is matched by ten dollars of donated services, you can also be confident that funds provided to Access DuPage (through United Way Giving) have amplified power to change our patient’s health. Thank you so much for your support!
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October
Bridge Communities
Bridge Communities has been helping homeless families move from homelessness, financial instability and limited employment to financial self-sufficiency and permanent housing since 1988. Homelessness in DuPage County is a hidden epidemic. There are an estimated 48,000 homeless people in DuPage County, the majority of who are children. The average age of a Bridge Communities client is 8 years old.
The two-year Bridge Communities Transitional Housing program provides each family with safe and affordable housing, case management, life skills mentoring, transportation, job readiness and training, and after school tutoring in order to achieve lifelong self-sufficiency. All of this is accomplished through partnerships with more than 40 faith-based and community service groups located throughout DuPage County.
“Our dream has always been to provide quality, affordable housing for families who want to raise their families in the communities where we have lived and raised our families. Our mission is to create this dream, one family a time.” Co-founders: Mark Milligan and Bob Wahlgren.
Joyce Hothan, Executive Director of Bridge Communities
1. How do your programs help clients improve their lives and make lasting changes?
Bridge Communities is a transitional housing program that works. Comprehensive surveys, conducted after completion of our 2-year program, show that Bridge clients develop the knowledge and skills necessary to live self-sufficiently. Our clients are able to maintain permanent, stable housing and employment; they have stabilized or decreased their debt and improved their education level.
Our most recent statistics show:
-97% of it clients who completed the program were able to maintain permanent, stable housing
-91% were able to maintain stable employment
-78% have not increased their level of debt since exiting the program
-40% received additional job training or education since exiting the program
2. How has United Way of the DuPage Area helped your agency fulfill its mission?
Bridge Communities is thankful for the collaboration and resources that United Way of DuPage Area has provided to our organization and in turn to the families we serve.
Bridge Communities has always prided ourselves on working uniquely with other community organizations to solve the problem of homelessness and we value the collaborative expectations from the United Way of DuPage Area. Our agency is stronger because of these expectations and efforts.
Funding provided by the United Way of DuPage Area has helped provide housing, employment services, tutoring for adults and children, life-skills mentoring, donated automobiles and financial planning for our families.
3. What’s the most interesting aspect of your job?
My work as Executive Director of Bridge Communities is motivated by the wonderful transformations that happen with our homeless families each and every day. Once a homeless family is able to have secure housing, the process of rebuilding their lives can happen. I am so privileged to be part of creating a climate of change that can take hold through mentoring, additional training or education, job placement which can then lead to better paying jobs and long term financial security.
I also love the partnerships we are able to forge with employers, school districts, faith communities, social service and academic institutions, as well as with The United Way DuPage Area to solve the problem of homelessness – one family at a time. Can you tell I love my job?
4. What can members of our community looking to GIVE, ADVOCATE, and VOLUNTEER do to benefit Bridge Communities?
There are many ways to help Bridge. You can donate money directly to Bridge through our website at www.bridgecommunities.org.
Another great way to support us is through Sleep Out Saturday. You can create your own sleep out group or you can join a group who is sleeping out on November 1st. This is a great event for youth groups and families. Some groups sleep out in backyards or in their cars.
There are many other Bridge events during the course of the year, all of which are detailed on the website.
Pictures of Bridge Communities client and mentor working together.
Megan and Mary
Megan, Mary and Jacq
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