return to Make A Difference > MIBS Around Town

May 2010  |  By Liz Logan  |  Comments (0)

Kenilworth Union's "Looking Up & Reaching Out"

On April 30, Kenilworth Union Church hosted it's 2010 Outreach Benefit, "Looking Up & Reaching Out."

Monies raised go DIRECTLY to four social service agencies on the North Shore. Those agencies are: The Cara Program, The Josselyn Center, HAVEN Youth and Family Services, and Thresholds.

The benefit included live, silent and wine auctions and was attended by 200+ members from Kenilworth, Winnetka, Wilmette, Evanston, Glencoe, Glenview, Northfield and Chicago.

Here are profiles of the organizations that benefited from the event:

The Josselyn Center The Josselyn Center strives to provide the highest quality interdisciplinary mental health, substance abuse and related services for children, adolescents, adults and families without regard to ability to pay. They also provide these services to organizations, corporations and the community at large. Established in 1951, The Josselyn Center continues to provide comprehensive and affordable mental health services to individuals of all ages who live in the northern suburbs. In addition, therapeutic and support groups for children, adults and families are also available. The Josselyn Center also provides educational and mental health programs for professionals and the community at large.

Thresholds Thresholds assists and inspires people with severe mental illness to reclaim their lives by offering supports, skills, and the respectful encouragement they need to achieve hopeful and successful futures. Thresholds strives to be the provider of choice, employer of choice and a world leader in the development and evaluation of rehabilitation and recovery services. Members range in age from 16 to senior citizens; in addition, services are offered to children of mothers with mental illness. Thresholds provides outreach and programming throughout the Chicago area.

The Cara Program Through an innovative spectrum of service including training, career development, job placement and intensive support, The Cara Program empowers individuals affected by homelessness and poverty to transform their lives and achieve real, lasting success. Founded in 1991, The Cara Program works in coordination with other agencies (several of which are other KUC supported agencies) to source, train and find jobs for the most disadvantaged segment of our population. Developing skills to positively approach work and life is the foundation of The Cara Program. Since 1991, The Cara Program has placed more than 2,500 individuals into full-time, quality jobs with leading Chicago area companies, including several in the Fortune 500. These jobs pay an average wage of $10.88 per hour, with benefits. Currently, 72% of individuals remain employed in that first job for at least one year (in comparison, companies nationwide have a 49.9% employee retention rate during a 12- month period).

HAVEN Youth & Family Services Haven was founded in 1976 when a group of churches in Wilmette began an outreach program for youth. The agency was incorporated in 1978 and soon thereafter, began a 24-hour crisis intervention and emergency housing program for area adolescents and families. Since then, the agency has continued to grow by offering programs that focus on prevention and mental health awareness. Some of these programs include educational workshops that address adolescent issues such as peer relationships, body image, stress and depression. Furthermore, Haven offers around the clock crisis intervention and outreach workers who have a daily presence at Washburne and New Trier High School. Haven also provides individual and family counseling that helps youth reach their maximum potential. Haven has a diverse youth board comprised of teens who participate in community service projects, fundraise for the agency and promote healthy lifestyle choices. All of Haven’s services are free of charge.