School Age Senior Project

The Onward House school age program is conducting a community project to provide senior citizens with food and other basic provisions. A canned/non-perishable food and tolietries drive is currently underway. Donations can be dropped off at Onward House's West Town location by July 31, 2008. In August the children will deliver the items to Casa Central Nursing Home (1320 N. Kedzie).

Tolietries can include, but are not limited to: shampoo, paper products, deodorant, brushes, body wash, soap, toothbrushes, socks, and toothpaste.

Belmont Cragin: "We're Open!"

For the first time in the 115 year history of Onward Neighborhood House, a second facility is now open in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood. Located at 5423 W. Diversey on Chicago's northwest side, the eagerly awaited facility addresses the needs of a rapidly growing community that continues to have a shortage of available social services. Onward House is helping to fill the void by providing residents with quality childcare and adult education that encourages individual and community development.

The Belmont Cragin neighborhood has undergone several demographic shifts over the past decade and a half. Comparative census figures from 1990 and 2000 show a population influx of over 21,000 individuals in Belmont Cragin and increases in the percentage of families and individuals living in poverty of 88 percent and 84 percent, respectively.

The new facility, like the original West Town location, offers childcare, after- school programming, adult education and community access to computer technology. Onward House will continue to emphasize their services from a holistic, outcome-based perspective that focuses on individual achievements as the means to widespread community improvement.

The 12,500 square foot Belmont Cragin facility contains a two-year old classroom, three early childhood education classrooms for children ages 3 to 5, and three additional rooms for children ages 5 to 12 enrolled in the after-school program. An 18-station computer resource center is available to adults to enhance language skills, improve technical development, and increase employability.

Onward Neighborhood House would like to thank our Board of Directors, Mark Stenftenagel and the very creative and supportive staff at Whitney Inc., J.C. Anderson Construction Co., Sidley Austin LLP, Burnham Nationwide, PricewaterhouseCoopers, City Clerk Miguel Del Valle, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Chicago Department of Children and Youth Services, Alderman Ariel Reboyras of the 30th ward, St. Peter's United Church of Christ, Alderman Ray Suarez of the 31st ward and all of the many contributors and volunteers who helped to make this dream a reality.

Annual Onward House Gala: Celebrating a Great Cause

The second annual Onward Neighborhood House Night of Bright Futures Gala was a huge success! Over 275 people joined us on March 1, 2008 to enjoy food, cocktails and live jazz. Auction items included original artwork, sporting event tickets and vacation getaways. The event helped us raise $55,000 to sustain and improve the programs and services that we provide to Chicago communities. We would like to give a big thank you to the Onward House Auxiliary Board, Neutral Tandem, GTCR, BMO, The Northern Trust, The Public Response Group, James and Corrine Mirabile, the Matt Young Group and everyone who volunteered, donated and attended. We're already looking forward to next year!

Click here for more pictures from the 2008 gala.

West Town Receives NAEYC Reaccredidation

The Onward Neighborhood House West Town facility received a five year reaccredidation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), a national standard earned by less than 10 percent of early childhood education programs. NAEYC's newly restructured accreditation process uses a more rigorous set of standards and criteria that further establishes their certification as a gold standard in credibility, professionalism and program auditing.