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Commons Connections
| September 2010
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From legacy to legacy - both Besty & James have a parent who served on Chicago Commons' Board.  |
Passing the Torch
Betsy Altman, having served as Board Chair for four years, passed the torch to James Hill III in June. Over the past four years, Commons' neighborhood-level focus has grown even stronger and our financial position is much improved. Net assets increased 500% during this time, and Betsy's persistence and determination are at the heart of why we continue to thrive, even in today's difficult economy. Betsy plans to stay very active with Commons as a member of the Associate Board. Thank you, Betsy, for your remarkable leadership, presiding over a period of growth and transformation!
And our future looks bright too! Our new Chair, James Hill III, has a deep perspective on Chicago Commons. James learned of Commons from his father who served on the Board for more than 20 years. James joined the Board himself in 1995 and recently toured the Harlem Children's Zone in New York, bringing back ideas on how to increase our impact. James will begin to lead Commons through strategic planning, charting our course for the next several years. Thank you, James, for taking the lead at this important time.
Dan Valliere, Executive Director
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 Join us for Wine and "The Wonder of Learning"
Enjoy a sampling of four great Tuesday night wines, hors d'oeuvres, and a viewing of The Wonder of Learning exhibit, showcasing the Reggio Emilia approach to early learning!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Columbia College Chicago
33 East Congress Parkway
$10 per person - pay at the door. Must be 21 or older. RSVP to Amy Anderson by email or at 773-826-4253. |
Fill the Packs!
We need your help to fill 250 backpacks for our youth program! Most needed items include:
School Supplies - Pencil cases, notebooks, pens, pencils, etc. Personal Hygiene Items - deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrush, bath products, etc. Can you help? Send unused items (even travel-sized) to Amy Anderson at Chicago Commons, 700 N Sacramento Blvd, Chicago, IL 60612, or CLICK HERE to make a secure online donation - no matter how small! (Be sure to type "backpacks" in the Special Instructions box.) Questions? Contact Aquea Wynn by email or at 773-376-0367. |
 100 Years Old and Still Independent!
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Promise Neighborhood Hopeful
 Chicago Commons has taken the lead role in
convening a collaboration of public schools, community organizations and
residents to create an initiative called West Humboldt Educational
Pathways. On behalf of the coalition,
Chicago Commons recently submitted a Promise Neighborhood application for funding from a major
new federal effort to create focused zones where human services, community
development and educational reform efforts are tightly coordinated. The leading
example of this strategy is the Harlem Children's Zone in New York. The Education Department received 339 applications, and the recipients will be announced this month. Details about the
applications (including ours) -- for up to 20 planning grants of up to $500,000 each -- can be viewed on this website. |
 Reggio Emilia Learning Tour
In collaboration
with Reggio
Children and Crossroads in Chicago, the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance hosted their sixth Summer Conference on June 24th and 25th. Each participant was able to visit three of the six participating Crossroads
schools, which included three from Chicago
Commons: Nia Family
Center, Paulo Freire Center,
and Taylor
Center.
Additional professional development initiatives continue this fall in
conjunction with the Wonder of Learning exhibit. See more professional development opportunities or register here.
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 Adult Education Celebrations
Our Adult Education program recently celebrated a successful first six months of our new Neighborhood CleanUp program, which provides ex-offenders with transitional jobs and training for vocational success.
Additionally, congratulations are in order for three of our Adult Ed participants who were selected to receive an Elizabeth Harrison fellowship from National-Louis University. These scholarships (up to $50,000 each) were offered to students who have shown leadership potential in teaching or business, and who would be pursuing a B.S. in education or business. Five of our participants went through the rigorous selection process, three were selected to receive scholarships, and the remaining two were asked to reapply in January. We are proud of their hard work and wish them well as they begin their studies!
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Special Tributes
 We gratefully acknowledge these special gifts made in honor or in memory
of a friend or loved one, received in the last quarter (4/1 -
6/30/10): IN MEMORY OF:
Our deepest condolences go out to the family of Eleanor Smith Land, many of whom have been long-time supporters of Chicago Commons. Eleanor's father, George D. Smith II, was Chairman of the Board from 1982-1986, and her brother, the Rev. George D. Smith III, currently serves on our Associate Board. Eleanor herself was a member of the Board in the late 1990's. The following individuals gave gifts in her memory. Mr. & Mrs. John F. Benjamin, Ms. Teresa Chapman, Margaret and John Fecker, Mr. & Mrs. Frederick M. Forbes, Kathryn & Bill Kerr, Diana Hunt King and Neil J. King, Ms. Dolores T. Lad, Ms. Kathryn M. Lad, Ms. Nancy Davis & Mrs. Stuart McCrary, Ms. Gertrude H. Niehoff, Mr. & Mrs. Lane Reed, Mr. Thomas P. Smith Mr. Mark Canmann
Mrs. Arthur M. Adler, Jr.
Ms. Bernice Block
Mrs. Arthur M. Adler, Jr.
IN HONOR OF:
Esther Benjamin, a long-time Board member, celebrated her 75th birthday as well as 55 years of wedded bliss with her husband, John. Congratulations! The following individuals gave gifts in honor of one or both of these occasions. Mrs. Joan B. David, Mr. & Mrs. Karl Eisenberg, Mr. & Mrs. Richard Gibbs, Mr. & Mrs. John L. Hines, Mr. & Mrs. Burt B. Lasko, Mr. & Mrs. Joseph E. Nathan, Mr. & Mrs. Ellard L. Pfaelzer, Jr., Mr. & Mrs. Irving Pielet, Mr. & Mrs. Gordon S. Prussian, Audrey & John Rosenheim, Lynn Straus & Muller Davis, Mr. & Mrs. Frederick G. Uhlmann, Mr. & Mrs. Selwyn Unell, Ms. Dorothy T. Young, Ms. Naomi Walken
Catherine Friedler's Birthday Mrs. Arthur M. Adler, Jr. |
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| SAVE THE DATE! | .
Pour Out Your Heart for Commons!Join us this year at Zealous,
419 W. Superior in River North
Fri, November 5 6:30-9 p.m.Contact Sue G'sell by email or at 773.826.4256, or click on the logo for more info! |
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Windsurfing in Pilsen?
Thank you to Jackie Butzen of Windward Sports, who brought in a training board that could be
set up on a special rotating stand in Harrison Park near Guadalupano Family
Center. A classroom of school age students who had been making boats with paper got to observe how a windsurfer is set-up and experience hoisting the
sail and feeling the pull of the wind. Next stop, Lake Michigan!
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Fast Facts
 Did you know that 93% of every dollar we receive goes directly to our programs? It's true! Every donation, no matter how small, makes a difference! GIVE NOW! |
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B-Ball on the Block
Chicago Commons teamed up with with Ryerson Elementary School for B'Ball on the Block, a program sponsored by the Humboldt Park New Communities Program. On Friday, August 13, over 300 youth came out for face painting, basketball and a community dinner in a fun and safe environment.
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Nia Open House
Our Nia Family Center in West Humboldt Park hosted their annual neighborhood celebration and resource fair on August 27. There were games and painting activities for the kids and lots of neighborhood resource information for the adults. Over 350 community residents, staff, and Nia family members came out together for a great day!
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Thank you! | We thank you for your
continued support of Chicago Commons and our efforts to partner in building the
well-being of the individuals, families and neighborhoods we
serve. In these challenging times, it is needed more than ever! Click here to find out how you can support Chicago Commons or contact Sue G'Sell at 773.826.4256 or by email to discuss how you can help.
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