Chicago HOPES

One of my favorite things about being the Tutor/Mentor Connection Research and Networking Coordinator is going out to the sites listed in the Tutor/Mentor Connection Program Locator and finding out more about what they do. Last Friday, I visited Chicago Public Schools Headquarters to help AmeriCorps VISTA members, who are in charge of the six Chicago Heightening Opportunity and Potential for Educational Success Sites (Chicago HOPES) throughout the city.

Chicago HOPES is an initiative through the Chicago Public Schools Homeless Education Program to give support, both academically and emotionally to homeless youth. Chicago HOPES teams up with schools, shelters and other community programs to offer tutoring and mentoring to homeless youth at their seven sites. It was a great meeting where I think both Tutor/Mentor Connection learned a lot about Chicago HOPES and Chicago HOPES not only started blogs but also learned how Tutor/Mentor Connection can work for them.

I would like to introduce you to the seven new blogs that have been started to tell people about how they can help homeless youth succeed:
The main blog can be found at http://chicagohopes.blogspot.com. This is where you can find information about their seven sites and what Chicago HOPES is doing generally as an organization. The main blog is maintained by Christy Weaver.
Ben Evans is the AmeriCorps VISTA Site Coordinator stationed at the Tab West Site in East Garfield Park.
The Gresham site is Tab South, and Javier Sedillo is the site coordinator there.
Emily Zandstra heads up the Ubuntu site in Brighton Park.
Thelma's Place is located in Ashburn and is run by Lynn Gerbec.
The Uptown location is at Cornerstone and is led by Amber Damero
Last but not least there's the Maria Shelter, in Englewood, headed up by Luis Valadez.
So, thanks Christy, Ben, Javier, Emily, Lynn, Amber, and Luis for coming to the blog training on Friday! It was so great to meet you and I hope everyone checks out your blogs! They look fantastic.