Loaves & Fishes Community Pantry and the Naperville United Way: An Important Community Partnership
November 1, 2007 | 1 Comment
Investing in United Way helps more than one person, one agency or one issue, because we support a broad range of programs that improve lives.
One such program is the Community Food and Nutrition Program at Loaves & Fishes Community Pantry, which helps people in crisis by ensuring no one goes hungry. Joanne Mitrenga is Executive Director of Loaves & Fishes.
How does the program work?
The program provides a dependable source of nutritious food for families who are struggling to make ends meet. It frees up scarce dollars, which can be used toward the high cost of rent, utilities, transportation and other critical family expenses. There are several specially designed parts of this program that are for the benefit of children including the Infant Care Program, the Breakfast Assistance Program and the Summer Lunch Program. Other children?s programs include school supplies needed to equip students to learn, birthday bags to make a child?s birthday special, and special foods and gifts to celebrate the holidays.
Who does the program help?
Loaves & Fishes assists 1,675 Naperville area families (5,765 individuals) including 2,080 children from infants through age 18 to find help and a betterment of their living situation. Most of our families are characterized as the ?working poor,? who struggle year round as they try to balance high rents and low wages. Many seek help at Loaves & Fishes because they are overwhelmed by an unexpected crisis, such as job loss, costly auto repairs, loss of a spouse through death or divorce, or extraordinary medical expenses. Still others are feeling the tight financial squeeze of dwindling pensions and rising medical costs. What the majority have in common is that they never thought they?d find themselves in the situation of turning to others for food.
How does Naperville United Way Help?
One way is through their financial investment in our mission. This is particularly important to sustaining our programs at a time when both the poverty rate and food prices are rising, and government support in the form of commodities, which are tied to farm subsidies, is dropping. Naperville United Way also helps us further our mission by increasing our organizational effectiveness. Their application and reporting processes are rigorous with a strong emphasis on evaluation and measuring outcomes. We have gained so much from the partnership that has served to strengthen our operation.
Naperville United Way researches the issues facing people here in our community, researches the programs that best address those issues, and invests resources where they are needed most.
NCO and the Naperville United Way: An Important Community Partnership
May 1, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Investing in United Way helps more than one person, one agency or one issue, because we support a broad range of programs that improve lives.
One such program is Life Workshops, which is one of the many programs of NCO Youth & Family Services – Helping Children and Youth Succeed. Ron Hume is Executive Director of NCO Youth & Family Services.
How does the program work?
On a daily basis NCO works to respond to the needs of the youth in our community, by helping to guide them successfully to adulthood. The Life Workshops program of NCO is an eight-week series of innovative workshop sessions, designed to empower high school age females to better cope with the many stresses of life. This program helps to show teenage girls how to reduce their stress levels, thus preventing further issues with depression or anxiety.
Providing a fun, creative and supportive environment for the girls to learn about handling life is the goal. Through the program, teenage girls are exposed to a variety of tools to help them learn how to understand and appreciate themselves, how to deal with others, and how to take care of themselves both emotionally and physically. The participants learn how yoga, guided imagery, nutrition, self-expression, communication and organizational skills can impact their ability to navigate their way through life with greater ease and confidence.
Who does the program help?
This program targets 14-18 year old females who are having difficulty dealing with the everyday stressors of life. A counselor from NCO Youth and Family Services conducts these weekly workshops, which included teaching coping and communication skills to reduce stress. Each workshop includes an educational component, a discussion of how this applies to the teens? lives, and an opportunity to practice some of what they learned that night. The final workshop presentation includes the parents who learn how they can be a continued support to their children beyond the workshops.
How does Naperville United Way Help?
Through their strategic initiative process, the Naperville United Way identifies the needs of our community, and lends support to activities that address these issues. With the support of the United Way, the Life Workshops started as a strategic initiative and was able to develop a very positive impact on youth. In fact, one father said they saw immediately changes in their daughter. ?She was more talkative and was able to relax and sleep at night,? he said. The United Way is now continuing to fund this effort and more Life Workshops will be offered in the fall.
Naperville United Way researches the issues facing people here in our community, researches the programs that best address those issues, and invests resources where they are needed most.
DuPage PADS and United Way: An Important Community Partnership
March 1, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Naperville United Way is made up of local residents and businesses who volunteer their time, energy and support to answer the needs of our community.
One such agency is DuPage PADS, providing housing solutions for people in crisis. Carol Simler is Executive Director of DuPage PADS.
How does the program work?
DuPage PADS provides housing solutions for men, women and children who are experiencing the crisis of homelessness. This is accomplished with 3 important resources. Housing ? Interim (overnight), transitional, and permanent supportive housing programs assist people as they stabilize their lives and move back into the community. Support services ? Basic need services are available at the Support Center, located in Wheaton, is the only daytime center for people who are homeless in DuPage County. Community action ? Over 4,000 volunteers within 130+ congregations provide meals, support and hospitality for 1,192 men, women and children who were without a place to call home last year.
Who does the program help?
The program supports men, women and children who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. This population of people is growing as lack of affordable housing and healthcare costs continue to increase in our county. The program enlists volunteer power through faith-based communities and service organizations, adding to the responsiveness and integrity of communities that care for neighbors in need.
How does Naperville United Way Help?
With the help of Naperville United Way, the town of Naperville hosts 3 different congregational sites throughout the week and 12 additional Naperville support teams manage these Interim (overnight) sites. Naperville United Way support allows DuPage PADS to assist individuals and families struggling with homelessness. United Way also models a best practice approach to delivery and assessment of programs and agency finances ? helping us to expand our services and provide positive impact in Naperville.
Investing in Naperville United Way helps more than one person, one charity or one issue, because we support a broad range of programs that improve lives. Naperville United Way is the most effective way to invest in our community to create positive, lasting change.
Samaritan Interfaith and United Way of Naperville Working Together
February 20, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Investing in United Way helps more than one person, one charity or one issue, because we support a broad range of programs that improve lives.
One such program is Samaritan Interfaith’s Fee Subsidy Program. Scott Mitchell is Executive Director of Samaritan Interfaith
How does the program work?
The goal of Samaritan?s counseling program is to provide real-world solutions that heal and help restore hope. We do this through individual, group, couple, or family counseling. It can be many things ? from stress at work, the loss of a loved one, a kid in trouble, divorce or separation. And it can happen to anyone ? a friend, co-worker, or neighbor. Whether one is dealing with depression, anxiety, relationships, self-esteem, or family concerns, Samaritan provides a safe and caring environment that is welcoming to all.
Often people don?t have the resources to get the help they need. Through Samaritan?s Fee Subsidy Program we can provide counseling at reduced rates; no one seeking help is ever turned away. Samaritan is a unique collaboration between our board of directors, area congregations, service clubs and the United Way that provide the funds needed for the Fee Subsidy Program.
Who does the program help?
Counseling is available for anyone from Naperville or in the surrounding area. The reality is that mental health issues can impact any of us at any time in our lives. We work with children, adolescents, adults, families, and couples. Our counselors are experienced in working with a wide range of mental health concerns including depression, anxiety, marital relationships, grief and loss, child and adolescent development, behavioral, and learning concerns.
How does Naperville United Way help?
The Naperville United Way provides important funding that allows many adults, children, and teens who could not otherwise afford counseling receive the help they need. Without the Naperville United Way we would not be able to provide counseling services for many of the people who come to us in need.
Naperville United Way researches the issues facing people here in our community, researches the programs that best address those issues, and invests resources where they are needed most.
Naperville CARES and United Way ? Caring for the Community
November 1, 2006 | 1 Comment
Naperville United Way is made up of local residents and businesses who volunteer their time, energy and support to answer the needs of our community.
One such program is Naperville CARES? Emergency Assistance Program. Janet Derrick is Co-President of Naperville CARES.
How does the program work?
The goal of the program is to provide resources to people within the Naperville community who need assistance to avoid homelessness and attain self-sufficiency.
We coordinate the charitable work of area congregations and private and public organizations to provide funding for qualified recipients. In short, Naperville CARES streamlines what could be an extremely cumbersome process and expedites the recipients? relief.
Who does the program help?
We work only with Naperville residents. The frightening truth is that CARES clients can be anyone of us, or our friends or neighbors. Hard times, illness and job loss can happen at any time to anyone and sometimes people just need a helping hand. That is when CARES steps in to help.
How does Naperville United Way help?
The Naperville United Way provides important funding that allows us to keep clients in their homes while they get their lives back on track.
Naperville United Way researches the issues facing people here in our community, researches the programs that best address those issues, and invests resources where they are needed most.
?Lost Boys? Find Home and Skills for Future
May 1, 2006 | Leave a Comment
Investing in United Way helps more than one person, one charity or one issue, because we support a broad range of programs that improve lives.
One such program is Cornerstone Shelter, a group home for boys ages 13 to 17. Deborah Carr has been Cornerstone?s program director for eight years.
Who are the kids Cornerstone helps?
A lot of these kids have horrendous histories. They may have been taken away from, or kicked out by, their parents. There are very few foster homes that will take angry, frustrated, struggling teen boys. So they need Cornerstone.
How does Cornerstone help?
Our goal is to help kids emerge from being victims to being survivors. We teach them life skills and how to work through emotions. We are very involved with the schools our boys attend. Our staff serves as parents, mentors, tutors, and chauffeurs. We also work with the families to get the boys back home, if possible. I just had a visit from a 22-year old who lived here seven years ago. He has graduated from college and has a terrific job. So we know we are helping these kids.
How does Naperville United Way help you in your mission?
Naperville United Way dollars support staff salaries and program costs. They basically allow us to do what we do ? provide 24-hour, quality care for these boys, giving them as normal and supportive a home as possible.
Naperville United Way is the most effective way to invest in our community to create positive, lasting change.
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