Casa Central

Casa Central is an integral and important piece in the fight against poverty & homelessness in Chicago. The work that they do with the children and families is helpful in keeping families together. The staff helps parents and children to grow and learn together and provides skills to become more independent.

Chicago is fortunate to have this organization as part of it's city. Its a wonderful resource for people of all ages and I'm so happy I get to be a part of it. I volunteer here on a weekly basis interacting with elderly clients and it's easily becoming a highlight of my week. Its heart-warming to see program participants interact with caring staff and being given the opportunity for socialization in a mentally stimulating environment. Many of these seniors would experience social isolation and the resulting untoward side effects if it wasn't for the great services offered at Casa Central. I have been welcomed with open arms by participants and staff and each week as I leave this bright, clean, warm place, I wish that we had many more Casa Centrals so that we could serve every community in the Chicagoland area.

I have worked with Casa Central's Violence Prevention and Intervention team to plan events together, refer participants to their programs and accept referrals for our programs, and advocate for our participants. My experience has been wonderful working with these kind, compassionate people and I know that when I refer a person who has been through violence and trauma, they will be taken care of there. I have also had very good experiences in the past referring folks to their housing program, La Posada. They really provide essential, needed services for the community they serve.

Casa Central is a very special Not for Profit whose performance can be measured in the transformation that takes place in the lives of the people they serve. I recently learned of a mother of an autistic teen. This woman reported that her son had no options for afterschool activities available to him. The mom had exhausted all of her resources for assistance with her sgon. Her only recourse was to bring her son to work and "hide" him until her day was finished. Her employer was threatening to dismiss her from her job. Imagine being in this position? You try to do the right thing bust have nowhere to turn. Finally someone referred her to Casa Central. HEr son was immediately welcomed into the afterschool program. Skilled staff worked with him and helped him integrate with the other student teens who quickly embraced him and his differences. The mother reports her son is thriving in the program. He has friends and is developing on track. He often asks if he can go to afterschool on Saturdays. I asked the mom where she would be without Casa Central...she said she feared she would be unemployed the consequences of which would significantly impact her standard of living and the social, emotional and economic well being of her son. This is one story of thousands that are told by families and individuals whose lives are made better by Casa Central. This agency reaches 20,000 individuals through direct and indirect services annually.