Facing Forward would like to thank the M

Facing Forward would like to thank the Mendel and Moore families for their continued generosity and support of our organization. They were the winners of the Board of Director’s Prepared Dinner from last year’s 3H Social Live Auction. The dinner was this past Saturday and featured four courses with a “Tuscany” theme. Head chef and former Board member Doug Bradshaw created the menu and prepared and served the dinner with help from the rest of the Facing Forward Board of Directors. It was a great evening for everyone involved and we would like to once again thank everyone that participated as well as our gracious hosts, the Mendels and Moores. http://ow.ly/i/1WQSO

Tix will be available soon for the 2013

Tix will be available soon for the 2013 3H Social on 6/20 at @GHLoft. We are honored @MRelerfordNBC5 will be our mc this year.

Congratulations, Gloria!

Gloria has been with Facing Forward for about a year and a half. She has been working hard to make changes in her life and has been employed with a number of organizations in a temporary or part-time capacity during her time at Sanctuary Place.

Thanks to her own hard work and the help of her case manager and the Safer Foundation, Gloria was hired for a permanent full-time position with Greencore Group! We are very proud of her and all she has done to reclaim her life and work toward self-sufficiency.

Education and Employment

The women and children of Facing Forward have been making huge strides in focusing on and continuing their education. We  know that education is key to ending the cycle of homelessness for the individuals and families in our program.

We are proud to share that ten of the children from our program are currently attending college. Of the school-aged children in our program, 98% have regular school attendance. These children and young adults are working hard to give themselves every opportunity to be successful. 

The women of Sanctuary Place are also working hard to improve their lives. We have six women currently pursuing their high school diplomas and four others that have recently graduated from an adult high school program at the Michael Barlow Center.  Six other ladies are attending college at various schools such as Northeastern Illinois University, Malcolm X College, Wilbur Wright College and University of Phoenix.

Additionally, over 20 women have enrolled in, or completed job training programs. Through connections with Urban Growth, Michael Barlow Center, Safer Foundation and the Department of Rehabilitation Services, women in the program have recently found employment with the Chicago Transit Authority, Great Lakes Naval Base and number of other companies. All these women are taking the steps necessary to reach self-sufficiency and reclaim their lives. 

Congratulations Kim!

Facing Forward would like to congratulate, Kim, a resident at Sanctuary Place for earning a 3.5 GPA and making the honor roll at Northeastern Illinois University last semester.

Since Kim (pictured at and Arts and Crafts night at Sanctuary Place), has been with Facing Forward, she has made tremendous strides in an effort to improve her life. With the help of her case manager and support programs as well as her own hard work and determination, Kim has made advances with her career, gone back to college and started saving for her future.

Kim has been employed with the Chicago Women’s AIDS Project (CWAP) for two years. She started her time there as an outreach worker and she has since earned a promotion to a social services position. She has also volunteered her time to the CROP Hunger Walk and the Chicago AIDS Walk.

She is currently enrolled at Northeastern Illinois University working toward a degree in social work. In addition to making the honor roll, Kim has also received a partial academic scholarship for the coming semester. While she initially feared going back to school, her classmates and professors have been very helpful and quickly eased her worries about continuing her education.

Once she finishes at Northeastern, she has already set her sights on earning her Master’s from Dominican University. Keep up the good work, Kim!

Provide hope this holiday season

There will be over 15,000 women and 30,000 children that experience homelessness this year in Chicago. Families are largest growing segment of Chicago’s homeless population, making up over 48% in 2012. Facing Forward is working hard to end the cycle of homelessness for Chicago’s women and families.
 
Gloria had been chronically homeless for three years and struggling with addiction. “I got tired of living on the streets. I needed to get myself together.” She came to Facing Forward last year and has found a home at Sanctuary Place. “When they gave me my key, I didn’t want to leave my apartment. I was so happy.” Over the past year, Gloria has worked with her case manager to complete employment training and start addressing her health needs. She now has a full-time job. Her self-esteem has improved, and she is turning her life around one day at a time. “Sanctuary Place has helped to show me how to live all over again. I am so grateful.”
 
Each of the over 200 people in our program has a unique story, and they are all looking to reclaim their lives. It is because of generous donors like you that we have success stories like Gloria’s to share. 

This holiday season, you can make a difference by providing help, hope and home to a woman like Gloria who has none.  Your donation  (help) will change the lives of homeless families allowing them the opportunity (hope) to move into an actual home. Facing Forward is working to end homelessness with every woman and child that we serve. In fact, ten children from our program are currently enrolled in college and on their way to self-sufficiency. This would not be possible without your help. 

 

Thank you from the families, staff and Board of Directors of Facing Forward.

National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week

The holidays are fast approaching. Along with the sense of family and generosity that comes with this time of year, it also brings colder, harder days for Chicago’s homeless and less fortunate residents.

November 10-18 is National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. Facing Forward provides permanent homes and supportive services for Chicago’s homeless women and families. We provide home, help and hope in an effort to end the cycle of homelessness for these families. In addition, we work with our donors and supporters to ensure that our families are provided with the resources necessary for a happy holiday season. Please visit our website at http://www.ffchicago.org to learn more about Facing Forward, the women and families in our program and how you can contribute this holiday season.