Metropolitan Family Services

Family Matters | Updates from Metropolitan Family Services

IN THIS MONTH'S FAMILY MATTERS ...

“In the face of two pandemics, our city’s street outreach community continues to prove why they are the value-add in this work. During the shelter in-place our cohorts worked tirelessly to stop the spread of the virus known as COVID-19, as well as the virus we know as violence.”

- Vanessa DeReef, Director of Training, Metropolitan Peace Initiatives
during the Metropolitan Peace Academy's recent graduation

Programs operating remotely during Covid-19

Metropolitan Peace Academy Zoom Graduation

Metropolitan Peace Academy virtually celebrates its newest graduates

The "1, 2, 3, BOOM!" was virtual; the celebration was real.

The fifth cohort of the Metropolitan Peace Academy, as well as the first cohort of Case Managers, graduated after working hard to complete an 18-week, 144-hour curriculum designed to professionalize the field of street outreach. The cohort held a watch party for the graduation ceremony - a video shown via YouTube - and a reception over Zoom.

WATCH THE GRADUATION & READ OUR RECAP

Empowered Purse Gala Mpowers our violence prevention programs

Last weekend, Metropolitan Board Member Sophia Ruffolo and Femmebought presented the virtual Empowered Purse Gala, with a portion of proceeds benefiting Metropolitan! The event featured a panel of female entrepreneurs, along with lots of fun activities including a Red Carpet Contest - featuring Metropolitan Board Member Kristine Givens and her daughter - and a makeup tutorial from our friends at Ulta Beauty. Thank you to Sophia for a glamorous evening in support of our communities. VIEW OUR RECAP

Upcoming at Metropolitan

Fridays in July | Calumet Center Food Distribution
"There was already a food void,” said Audrena Spence, executive director of Metropolitan Calumet. We've partnered with Greater Chicago Food Depository and Alderman Anthony Beale to feed more than 700 families weekly!

Bean Plant experiment in DuPage Early Learning

New growth in DuPage Early Learning: Bean plants!

Our DuPage Center’s Home-Based Early Learning programs are learning about planting! Carmen Toranzo, a Parent Child Educator in the program, has been working with her families on an experiment to observe the Life Cycle of the Bean Plant.

One of our young gardeners, Eduardo (pictured above), shared, “Me voy a quedar mirandola todo el dia para ver como se e crecen sus hojitas y como se levanta!” (“I will stay right here all day to watch how the leaves come out and see how it keeps growing!”)

VIEW OUR PHOTOS

Thank you David Davis for an Evening Inn!

You may know local talent David Davis for having played with Quincy Jones, or as the son of Metropolitan Board Member Tanya Davis. Recently, he hosted Evening Inn, "a night out without ever leaving home," a virtual concert experience with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Metropolitan! Evening Inn featured David playing a mix of original songs and covers, as well as a video on Metropolitan's Covid-19 response featuring our COO, Theresa Nihill (view the video here). LEARN MORE ABOUT DAVID

Consumer advocates - including LAS - announce a historic COVID-19 relief plan for Illinois utility customers

Our Legal Aid Society staff sees every day the importance of consumer protections for low-income utility customers. LAS is proud to have joined forces with other consumer advocates to negotiate a relief plan with Illinois' major utilities. LEARN MORE

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