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Chicago Cares Program Areas

Chicago Cares volunteers participate in ongoing service projects that address critical needs in the following areas:

Adult Education and Development Programs are designed to assist and facilitate adults in improving their math and reading skills, learning English as a second language, conducting a job search, or maintaining a positive self-image during a time of transition. Program Highlight: Chicago Cares partners with two community organizations - Erie Neighborhood House and Logan Square Neighborhood Association - to provide additional help to immigrants enrolled in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses. Volunteers are a valued resource for these students, as it is one of the few opportunities many of them have to practice proper pronunciation, and ask questions in a one-on-one or small group setting.

Children’s Education and Development Programs offer youth and volunteers shared experiences such as reading together, working through homework assignments, or exploring the vast cultural opportunities in the city. Program Highlight: The Discovery Program is a model educational initiative that boosts the aspirations and self-confidence of public elementary school students from under-resourced neighborhoods. This volunteer-led, multi-faceted program strives to interest children in learning, to raise their self-esteem and to provide additional positive role models to children. Through their participation, Chicago Cares volunteers see first-hand the challenges facing public schools and the needs of children in under-served communities.

Environment Programs give volunteers the opportunity to get their hands dirty as they tend to the city’s environmental needs by maintaining city parks, assisting conservatory exhibits, working alongside fellow citizens in local clean-up campaigns, and preserving our nature areas throughout the city. Program Highlight: Chicago Cares partners with the Lincoln Park and Garfield Park Conservatories to allow volunteers a meaningful way to experience these facilities while contributing to the sites’ educational exhibits. Chicago Cares volunteers visit local conservatories three times each month, with work varying between plant propagation, exhibit installation, weeding, watering, and on-going exhibit maintenance.

Health and Wellness Programs include providing vision screening for children from low resource communities and serving individuals and families living with HIV and AIDS by cooking meals and helping them select groceries at a neighborhood pantry. Program Highlight: Prevent Blindness America is the nation’s leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight by offering free vision screening to children and seniors with low resources and providing referrals to medical professionals when needed.

Hunger Programs give volunteers the opportunity to work at a soup kitchen, food pantry or food depository to directly address the issue of hunger. Program Highlight: The Living Room Café serves men, women and their families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness with meals and supportive services. Chicago Cares volunteers cook breakfast and then serve guests as though they are patrons in a restaurant, adding warmth, dignity and mutual respect to the helping process.

Senior Service Programs provide much needed companionship for seniors living with low resources and lacking family support systems. At our variety of senior service programs, volunteers and seniors may enjoy games, warm meals, or work together to record the seniors’ life stories. Program Highlight:: Through the Senior Breakfast Club programs, Chicago Cares partners with the Chicago Housing Authority and the Chicago Department on Aging to serve low-income senior citizens. On Saturday mornings, volunteers prepare and serve a hearty breakfast to residents, and then spend time socializing and playing Bingo, a favorite pastime among many of the residents.

Chicago Cares Youth in Service Program empowers and encourages youth to become active within their community through volunteerism. The program focuses on creating service projects within the Senior Services, Hunger and Homelessness, Health and Wellness, Environment, and Renovation and Beautification Program Areas. Whether it is working in a community garden or providing companionship to a senior in senior assisted living, Chicago Cares realizes that it is important to provide hands on learning opportunities for youth. These invaluable opportunities provide youth the chance to become an integral and active part of their community. Chicago Cares engages youth in one of three ways, through service with a youth group or school, as part of our existing family friendly programming and through our large scale service events.