Help Erie Earn $20,000 for Tech Promoters!
July 30, 2010
Last August, the Circle of Service Foundation awarded Erie House a $20,000 challenge grant for our Technology Promoters program. For every $1 of donations we receive from new private donors and current donors specifically in support of Tech Promoters, Circle of Service will award $1. To date, we have raised $19,555. We need to raise only $445 more by Sunday, August 1st to receive our full $20,000 challenge grant. YOU CAN HELP! Read »
Erie “Gets the Job Done”: Youth Engagement and Employment through YOU
July 26, 2010
On Friday, July 16th Mayor Daley held a press conference at the Erie Neighborhood House focusing on the importance of youth summer employment. He announced that the city will receive $11 million in economic stimulus money to provide more summer jobs for low-income youth. Mayor Daley says the funding will support 2,300 job opportunities for people between the ages of 16 and 24. The young people that will be placed in the jobs will come from a waiting list of applicants who are eligible under the Federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program. Jobs will be provided by City agencies, private businesses, and non-profit partners, including the Erie Neighborhood House. Read »
TEAM: An Inspiration To The Community
July 12, 2010
Erie Neighborhood House is well known in the community for the broad range of programs they offer to youth and parents. One such program is Erie’s Youth Options Unlimited (YOU) program, which inspires and challenges over 270 youth annually, ages 12-18, to prepare for their future, become active in their communities and to grow academically and personally. YOU’s Tutoring to Educate for Aims and Motivation (TEAM) program in partnership with The Northern Trust Company has been empowering youth since 1984 by pairing students from 7th grade to high school with Chicago professionals serving as volunteer mentors. TEAM continues to grow steadily and this school year 120 mentors were matched with 120 youth. Read »
"Old-line factory workers wake up to high-tech future" -Medill Reports
June 10, 2010
Fernando Camacho finds math-rounding concepts difficult. “It is kind of hard doing math after so many years,” said the 42-year-old Chicago resident who spent 15 years working in the manufacturing industry. But he has no choice if he wants a job in today's more advanced factories. Camacho and other jobless factory workers are heading back to school, and taking advantage of federal dollars from the Workforce Investment Act, to get the new skills they need to be competitive. “They (employers) were bringing in new technologies and machines,” he said. “I can’t work on those machines unless I learn math here.” “Here” is Erie Neighborhood House, a West Side non-profit that is providing training and education in basic math and language to immigrants, free of charge, with federal funds. Read »
Erie Associates Board 3rd Annual Goose Island Fundraiser: A Huge Success!
June 17, 2010
The 3rd Annual Erie Neighborhood House Associates Board Goose Island Fundraiser was a huge success raising over $5,000 for Youth Options Unlimited (YOU), Erie's youth department. This was made possible by the over 300 people in attendance! YOU inspires and empowers teens to strive for success. Their expanded learning prgrams include Dance, Science, Visionaries, Computer Classes, Youth Council, CHAT, Soccer, Basketball, Divas, Heroes, Book Clubs, Math Workshops, ACT workshops and Field Trips. Read »
Erie House and Hispanic Housing Development Corporation both named in Hispanic Business Magazine's Top 25 Hispanic Nonprofits in the Country!
June 7, 2010
Leadership does not have a generation gap in the Roldan Family! Erie Neighborhoood House, headed by Executive Director, Celena Roldan, and Hispanic Housing Development Corporation, headed by President/CEO Hipolito "Paul" Roldan, both made the 2010 list of the Top 25 Hispanic Nonprofits in the country in the May issue of Hispanic Business Magazine. Read »
Take Action Now: Call Your Legislators!
May 21, 2010
The Illinois General Assembly is poised to return to Springfield next week. With only a few days left before legislators go back to work, the Responsible Budget Coalition needs you to deliver a message to lawmakers: Oppose a budget plan based on gimmicks, massive borrowing and painful cuts to schools and other vital services. Go back and do the job right - pass a responsible budget with adequate revenue. The alternative is unacceptable. Read »
"Responsible Budget Coalition Calls For 'Leadership, Not Politics'"-Progress Illinois
May 19, 2010
Leaders from the Responsible Budget Coalition reminded lawmakers yesterday that citizens are not satisfied with the stop-gap budget proposals that are being discussed in Springfield. The budget that passed the Illinois State Senate in early May is pretty ugly. It relies way too heavily on borrowing, fails to pay the state's enormous backlog of bills owed to providers (which will grow to $6 billion by the end of the fiscal year), and leaves in place the state's unfair and inefficient tax structure. Read »
Why Nature Is Good For Us
May 21, 2010
“Urban Greening Resources”, a guide prepared by Dr. Patricia Novick, Director of Health Programs at Erie Neighborhood House with support from The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, is an in-depth discussion of the positive effects of green space on the well being of individuals and society. The term “green space” can encompass everything from a planned community-built garden to a small open gathering space with a few trees. Research has found that men and women of all ages are attracted to green space areas; leading to a stronger sense of community. Read »
Check Out Erie's Executive Director, Celena Roldan on Comcast Newsmakers This Week!
May 5, 2010
Erie's Executive Director, Celena Roldan will be featured all this week on Comcast Newsmakers CNN Headline News (check your local listings for channel) at :25 and :55 past the hour! Celena discusses this year's 140th Anniversary of Erie House and important information on how the public can help advocate to stop the proposed Illinois state budget cuts that will affect thousands of working families. Read »
Erie's Future of Promise Annual Awards Dinner Was a Huge Success!
April 30, 2010
On Tuesday, April 13th over 400 people attended Erie's Future of Promise Annual Awards Dinner, which celebrated Erie's 140th Anniversary of serving working families in the West Town, Humboldt Park and Little Village communities. The highlights of the evening included Mayor Daley accepting the Community Leader Award, Bank of America receiving the Corporate Partner Award and the Chicago Community Trust accepting the Distinguished Grantor Award. A special tribute was also given to Erie's past four Executive Directors, Esther Nieves, Merri Ex, Rafael Ravelo and Ric Estrada. Read »
Erie's Technology Program Creates Job Opportunities Amidst Difficult Economic Climate
March 30, 2010
Six months ago, Blanca Estrada started taking computer classes at Erie's Technology Center in Little Village. She is married and the mother of three beautiful children, ages 15, 12 and 10. Shortly after she began classes, her husband was deported to México. Blanca then lost her job and was left without economic support and with a broken family. Blanca's only option was to start working as a housekeeper, cleaning houses while she continued taking computer classes at Erie. Fortunately, Blanca was referred to Erie's Emergency Services Program which provided her with some much needed financial assistance to help her pay utility bills and purchase food for her family. Read »
"Supporting Family in México Yields U.S. Tax Savings" -Extra News
March 24, 2010
Providing financial assistance to relatives in a different country is something many people do. For the millions of Mexican-Americans sending money to family in México, this could yield tax breaks in the U.S. Taxpayers must claim the people being supported as dependents to be eligible for the $3,650 dependent exemption. Generally, a dependent must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national, or a resident of Canada or México. Exceptions are made for certain adopted children. Read »
Get Counted in the 2010 Census and Get Involved!
February 26, 2010
Erie House along with other community-based organizations encourages everyone to get counted and get involved in the 2010 Census. Erie is participating in the New Americans Census project which is a grassroots campaign to ensure that everyone in the Latino Community gets counted. Read »
