#Giving Tuesday

Greetings BPNC family!

We hope that you had a wonderful time this Thanksgiving weekend with your family, friends, and loved ones. This is a time to celebrate and be thankful for all the opportunities and blessings in our lives and join together to help the Brighton Park community grow stronger every day.

BPNC serves thousands of people in the community every year through our programs and services.  Our programs empower youth and help them grow into strong community and school leaders. Parents leaders mentor young students, they advocate for change, and also help promote health in the community. School-based counseling and case management programs support hundreds of at-risk and struggling young people stay in school and receive the social-emotional support they desperately need.  Hundreds of low income families benefit from the case management and basic needs assistance programs that BPNC provides that help them during times of crisis.  Our housing and financial services programs help hundreds of families buy and keep their homes and build toward a stronger financial future. 

We continue to organize campaigns for racial and economic justice that would result in more resources for our community, strong and stable schools, healthcare for all, and living wage jobs for all people in Chicago and Illinois.  Our staff and leaders work tirelessly to keep funding and programs for Brighton Park and we hope that you can also help and give to your community.

We ask for a gift of $20, $50 or $100 to help fund BPNC programs and enhance the quality of life in our community. Please know that your generosity will change lives in our community.  We can't do it without you. Please donate to BPNC today!

Yours truly,

Patrick Brosnan

Executive Director

Tax volunteers needed!

BPNC and CEP are looking for volunteers to become tax specialists and prepares for the upcoming tax season. Learn a new skill and help families in need, register today! 

BPNC - Salud Heroes!

National Day of Action / Día Nacional de Acción

Sign up today!

Governor Rauner has cut: Medicaid, Teen REACH, ASM, NAI, LIHEAP, Youth Jobs, Violence Prevention, & childcare assistance!  He also refuses to help our schools!

Join us on November 10th to demand they raise our wages and the right to form a union! We’ll also call on our elected representatives to pass a budget in Springfield that calls on rich corporations to pay their fair share and restores cuts to working class families!  

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Regístrese hoy!

El gobernador Rauner ha recortado: Medicaid, Teen REACH, ASM, NAI, LIHEAP, Youth Jobs, Violence Prevention, & childcare assistance!  ¡También se niega a ayudar a nuestras escuelas!  

¡Acompáñenos el 10 de noviembre para exigir que suban nuestros salarios y el derecho a formar un sindicato! ¡También daremos un llamado a representantes elegidos para aprobar un presupuesto en Springfield que hace un llamado a las corporaciones ricas que paguen su parte justa y que restaura los recortes para las familias trabajadoras!

CPS board approves new charter school in Brighton Park

For the last several months, thousands of students, parents, teachers and community members from across the Southwest side have stood united in opposition to charter school expansion that drains resources from community schools. However, despite immense opposition, the Chicago Board of Education voted unanimously today to open a new Noble Street Charter Network high school in Brighton Park. This new school will inevitably make it more difficult for Kelly High School to continue providing excellent opportunities and programs to its students in the coming years.

While BPNC is horrified by the Board’s disregard for the future of neighborhood high schools, We are inspired by the courageous elementary and high school students and their parents who have fought and will continue to fight for their schools and the incredible teachers and administrators who support them. Thank you so much for your bravery in speaking out against the systematic privatization of education that is disenfranchising communities of their right to quality neighborhood schools.

Community schools on the Southwest side cannot continue to be undermined by needless charter expansion that destabilizes communities. BPNC remains committed to building sustainable neighborhood high schools and is launching a new campaign for equitable education on the Southwest side. We demand progressive revenue solutions to the current budget crisis, adequate per pupil allotment to schools, and an elected, representative school board that is accountable to students and their families.

Even though the voices of thousands of community members were ignored today, historic actions have been taken and together we will continue to demand equitable funding for our schools. For more information, please contact Olivia Abrecht at oabrecht@bpncchicago.org or at 773-523-7110.

Save our schools

Save our schools

For months, BPNC has been fighting against efforts to open a new Noble Charter high school in Brighton Park that would drain funding from existing neighborhood community schools. On September 30th, BPNC held a press conference and rally outside the CPS central office before a scheduled CBOE hearing. Community members and students attended the hearing to discuss Nobel's proposal and ask the CPS Board to vote NO on the proposal. Only 13 residents were allowed into the hearing, but many students and staff from Noble Muchin College Prep, which is located one block away from the CPS central office, were allowed in. Nevertheless, hundreds of students and parents from Brighton Park rallied outside, chanting "fund our schools." BPNC also brought 6,500 letters of support from students and parents in Brighton Park and neighboring southwest side community schools opposing charter expansion.

The city of Chicago and CPS are in financial crisis. The school district has already announced hundreds of layoffs this year and could potentially cut an additional 5,000 teachers by Thanksgiving due to the budget deficit. CPS has also had to borrow a billion dollars to cover overdue pension payments, and operating costs. The district simply cannot afford to build new schools that are not necessary in communities that have plenty of options. The potential school site is located less than a mile from both Kelly High School, and Back of the Yards College Prep High School. For these reasons, many elected officials including House Speaker Madigan, Alderman Lopez (15th Ward), Representative Tabares, Senator Sandoval, Commissioner Garcia, and others are against the charter expansion. The Neighborhood Advisory Council, created by CPS to review charter school proposals also announced its opposition to the proposed new school.

Nevertheless, the Board of Education will take a final vote on the proposal on October 28th. BPNC and supporting organizations are demanding that current CBOE President Frank Clark, recuse himself from this vote and all future votes regarding charters because of his close political and financial connections to the charter industry. Frank Clark and his family donated $200,000 to Nobel Street Charter Network to open the Rowe-Clark Math and Science Academy. The Board's connections to the charter industry go beyond Clark's history with Noble and are a clear indication of the need for an elected representative school board in Chicago.

The indictment of former CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett is another reminder of the lack of accountability within CPS and the Board of Education. Katelyn Johnson, the executive director of Action Now recently stated at a press conference, “The time is now for Mayor Emanuel to support an elected representative school board. It is clear that he does not have the management skills to run this district and an Elected Representative School Board will provide the necessary checks and balances to bring transparency to CPS.” 

As demands for accountability have grown, state and city legislators have responded. Representative Martwick has introduced legislation in Springfield which would call for every Chicago Board of Education member to be elected by the voters of the city, rather than appointed by the Mayor. In the city council, 42 out of 50 Aldermen support a moratorium on charter expansion. However, Alderman Will Burns, Chairman of the Education Committee and a recipient of political contributions from pro-charter organizations, is blocking the legislation from moving forward.

On October 26th, students, parents, teachers, and community will join together for a historic march in Brighton Park to fight for our neighborhood community schools. Please join us to tell the city and the school district that they must stop charter expansion and that an elected representative school board is needed now. Thank you for your support.

Marcos Ceniceros on the Peace Council Show

"In the Game" @ Brighton Park library this Saturday at 2pm!

CLICK HERE FOR EVENT PAGE

FREE DACA Workshops!

Comedy Show fundraiser @ Kelly HS!

Please help support the Kelly High School marching band by purchasing your tickets for the Comedy Jam this Friday October 16th. Tickets can be purchased in the main office at Kelly High School or at the door the day of the event. Adults $20 - Students $10. Thank you for your support.

Demand Immigration Reform

Next week, Monday, Oct 12., hundreds will deliver a Trump Piñata to his Chicago building and stuff it with names of people who stand against his racist attacks! We need immigration reform, racial equality, & fair wages, not racism. ‪#‎DumpTrump‬

Sign up here to add your name to the piñata and you could WIN your very own Trump Piñata. bit.ly/TrumpPinata

Home Buyer Workshop / Taller para Compradores de Casa

Financial Literacy Workshop

BPNC GIVES THANKS!

BPNC would like to thank Mesirow Financial Services for its generous donation of Thanksgiving baskets and turkeys for all 40 of our hard working parent mentors. Our parent mentors are working 10-15 hours a week in classrooms at Burroughs, Shields, Shields Middle, Columbia Explorers Academy, and Davis. Thank you so much! 

BPNC would also like to thank Saint Anthony Hospital for their generous donation of 25 turkeys to needy families in the Brighton Park community!

BPNC would like to wish all of our families and generous supporters a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving!

Public Meeting

BPNC held a public meeting at Columbia Explorers Academy on October 28. Over 400 community residents and leaders were in attendance. The meeting focused on raising the minimum wage in Illinois and Chicago, as well as developing much needed resources in the community such as financial stability programs, school based mental health services, violence prevention, access to quality healthcare, and the construction of Pre-K classrooms at Columbia Explorers Academy.  Columbia currently has no Pre-K classes in their school.  Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia and State Senator Martin Sandoval were in attendance and were asked by community leaders to support these much needed resources. The public officials agreed to offer their support!

Paso a Paso Expansion

BPNC received a $40,000 grant from AT&T to expand the Paso a Paso program in Brighton Park. Paso a Paso is a high school transition program that works with students in community schools and provides resources in the form of in school and after school programs, as well as providing college mentors at the high school level to help freshmen students stay on track for graduation. This type of work keeps the community safe and puts young people on track for success at an early age. Thank you AT&T for enriching and improving the lives of youth in Brighton Park community. 

Save the date!

PwC Workshop @ Shields Middle School

Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) employees spent the morning of November 11 at Shields Middle School offering interactive financial literacy workshops to 90 parents and students. PwC staff facilitated modules from their Earn Your Future curriculum as part of their partnership and commitment to youth education and giving people the tools they need to become financially secure. The parents' workshop focused on practical tips for paying down loans, building credit, and becoming financially secure. The workshop for eighth-grade students included discussions on career options and inspirational stories from PwC employees on how they got to be at PwC. BPNC staff will continue to facilitate PwC's Earn Your Future curriculum for Brighton Park middle school students throughout the rest of the school year.

Affordable Care Act (ACA)  

BPNC kicked off the second year of open enrollment for ACA on November 15th. So far enrollment staff has facilitated 97 applications into Adult Medicaid and Qualified Health Plans. Starting on Monday December 1st, BPNC will have certified In-Person Counselors at four local schools including Sawyer, Gunsaulus, Shields Middle and Burroughs.

Foreclosure Prevention & Pre-Purchase Counseling

BPNC is a HUD-approved counseling agency that offers both foreclosure prevention and pre-purchase counseling.  Our mission is to provide housing counseling to assist struggling homeowners to apply for a loan modification or other home retention options, or to allow potential home buyers to make smart decisions in the home buying process and to avoid predatory lending.  All of our services are free of charge. In the past year, BPNC has assisted 32 families to apply for mortgage assistance which resulted in $9,133,738.22 in total support.

Client Success

BPNC helps community residents keep their homes

The client's hardship began in October 2010 when his wife was hospitalized and his living expenses increased. The client was also laid off from his employer in 2011. He was able to receive 18 months of unemployment until he exhausted all of his benefits. The client attended the BPNC office regarding foreclosure prevention counseling on January 22, 2014. The loan was delinquent for 3 years. On October 22, 2014, the clients bank granted a permanent loan modification under the U.S. Department of Justice and State Attorney General national mortgage settlement and the clients payments have been reduced to a manageable amount, and his interest rate stands at 2.625%.

Elected School Board

Illinois has over 800 school districts with Chicago being the only one that has an appointed school board. All members of the Chicago Board of Education are hand-picked by the mayor. Over the last couple of years, the Board has approved over 50 school closings and massive budget cuts resulting in cuts to programs and layoffs for teachers, librarians and administrator on top of having abysmal learning environments. BPNC was involved in collecting petitions from community members in 3 wards surrounding Brighton Park: 12, 14, and 15. The purpose was to simply add this question to the February ballot: "Should the City of Chicago have an Elected School Board." 

Community members all agreed and signed the petitions, resulting in the passage of the referendum question to be on the February 24th ballot in all three wards. Thanks to the hard work of BPNC canvassers who were out door-knocking in the cold and making phone calls and to the Brighton Park community members who will now have the opportunity to have a voice in this matter and in their community schools. 

Immigration Services

As part of the New Americans Initiative, BPNC has joined forces with the Southwest Suburbs Collaborative and the Instituto del Progreso Latino to provide immigration services for community residents. BPNC staff have volunteered at monthly citizenship workshops that have helped hundreds of people receive free legal assistance and application filing for citizenship. 

President Barack Obama recently announced he would sign an executive order to stop the deportation of millions of people and provide conditional status for millions of undocumented people in the United States. This is a step in the right direction, but the fight must continue, none of these developments are officially law, and congress will fight to reverse this order. We hope that everyone continues their support for BPNC and its campaign for immigration reform. 

BPNC will be organizing info sessions for community members who want to learn more about Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) as well as hosting a Citizenship Workshop in Brighton Park on February 22, 2015. Please see the BPNC website for more information as it becomes available. 

Summer 2014 Newsletter 

The Brighton Park Neighborhood Council (BPNC) offers summer programs for people of all ages in the Brighton Park community. BPNC has served over 3000 young people and parents this summer and we hope that number continues to grow. With all this growth and progress, Brighton Park has become a safer, healthier, wealthier, and a more successful community. We would like to thank everyone in the BPNC family, lets' keep growing together for a better Brighton Park.

FRESHMEN CONNECTION 

BPNC partnered with Kelly High School to organize the Freshmen Connection (FC) program, a high school transition program for incoming freshmen that introduces college culture at an early age and provides the social and academic tools needed to succeed and graduate high school. Our FC program serviced 227 incoming students that were given Math, Science, and English courses that prepared them for high school material. The students also had field trips to the Shedd Aquarium, the University of Illinois at Chicago, Northern Illinois University, and Loyola University. The program ended with a celebration outside of Kelly High School that provided the students with food, snacks, sports, and several fun activities to reward them for their hard work and commitment.

YOUTH SUMMER JOBS 

BPNC employed 85 youth this summer to work in the Brighton Park area and help the economic and academic progress of the Brighton Park neighborhood. Through grants from DCEO & After School Matters, BPNC's Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) offered 75 positions to in-school and at-risk youth to work in the community and offered professional and economic skills that will help them succeed as young adults. SYEP youth were placed in different worksites in the Brighton Park area, including: partner schools, offices, and local businesses. The workers assisted their work sites for the summer and gained valuable work and career readiness skills that will assist them in their future careers. Several youth within the program have already received offers from their worksites to continue working for them, we would like to thank all of our youth workers for making the program a success.

VOTER REGISTRATION 

The Brighton Park Neighborhood Council spent 4,367 hours this summer encouraging community residents to register to vote. BPNC enlisted 40 workers and an average of five volunteers per day that helped canvass highly populated areas in Brighton Park and the surrounding area. There were over 50,000 conversations between BPNC workers and community residents. The end result was 5,724 new registered voters. BPNC would like to thank everyone that helped registering new voters for all their hard work.

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

During the summer, BPNC served 681 students and 221 adults in school based summer programming. Students were engaged in programs that promote academic achievement, physical activities, art, and theater. Students in the summer 'Drama Club' at Shields Middle School performed in front of parents, peers, and high school students at the Kelly High School auditorium in July. Through BPNC summer programs, students had the opportunity to develop their leadership skills, receive social-emotional support, explore their artistic side, continue to improve their academics, and learn about teamwork and cooperation. Summer programs also gave students a safe and accessible space to be engaged in critical programs that develop their self-esteem and sense of belonging in the community. BPNC offered summer programs at James Shields Elementary, Shields Middle School, Nathan S. Davis Elementary, John C. Burroughs, and Thomas Kelly High School.

VOYCE

Youth Leaders BPNC youth leaders that were part of Voices of Youth in Chicago Education (VOYCE), helped create, draft, and lobby for legislation that would require schools and districts that disproportionately suspend, expel, or arrest students to report this information to better understand the issue and create a plan for improvement. BPNC youth leaders lobbied in Springfield several times to push SB2793 out of the House and Senate and address the serious problem affecting students of color all over the city, state, and country known as the school to prison pipeline. Congratulations, youth leaders!

MINIMUM WAGE 

BPNC is a proud member of the Raise Illinois Coalition, a coalition of organizations across the state working to raise the minimum wage in Illinois to $10.65/hr. Additionally BPNC has co-founded the Raise Chicago Coalition, which has introduced an ordinance in the city council to raise the minimum wage in the city of Chicago to $15/hr for all minimum wage workers. An increase in wages is something that the Brighton Park community has spoken for and clearly supported to help support their families. Many young people in the community are working towards paying their tuition and helping their families. Several youth leaders were selected as a part of a Civic Engagement program at Kelly High School to talk about the minimum wage and youth perceptions on wages and youth work. They will also conduct school-wide surveys, engage other students in participating in organizing to raise the minimum wage in Chicago, create presentations and posters to talk about the campaign and survey results, and work with teachers to integrate youth minimum wage and US labor practices in 10th-11th grades. Young people have also collected hundreds of pledge cards from registered voters that support a raise in minimum wage and that have pledged to vote "yes" on the non-binding referendum that will be on the ballot this November concerning minimum wage.

KELLY PARK RENOVATION 

On August 9, 2014 BPNC held the 2nd annual Brighton Park Festival at Kelly Park. Over 1,300 Brighton Park residents attended the event which helped raise over $4,000 for the renovation of the park. This project began this summer and will be finished by May of 2015. The main attraction will be a new turf football/soccer field that was badly needed for the community and the sports teams that are currently playing on the flooded, muddy, and pothole-riddled field. Other improvements to the park include a new playground and a new lighting and drainage system that will ensure no more flooding on the field. This will be a welcome change for all, especially for the three-time city champion Kelly High School soccer team. About $1.5 million is still needed for the complete renovation of the park, and BPNC is working hard to raise additional support from funders and the Park District to completely fund the project. BPNC would like to thank everyone that has supported the Kelly Park renovation and a special thanks to: Senator Martin Sandoval, the Chicago Bears and the National Football League, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Chicago Public Schools, the US Soccer Foundation, Alderman George Cardenas, Mayor Rahm Emmanuel, and the Chicago Park District.

PLAY STREETS FESTIVALS 

The Brighton Park Neighborhood Council in partnership with the Chicago Department of Public Health, World Sports Chicago, and Active Transportation, hosted seven PlayStreets events this summer. PlayStreets is a city wide initiative to promote physical activities for residents of the community. During the course of the summer BPNC blocked off streets at Shields Elementary, Shields Middle School, Gunsaulus Academy, Kelly Park, Immaculate Conception Church, Burroughs Elementary, and Davis Elementary in order to offer various stations that engaged youth and adults in physical activities. Residents of the community participated in basketball games, soccer games, tennis, scooter races, and Zumba classes. Toddlers got to play and be active in bounce houses and other fun and engaging activities. A total of 555 adults and 1,137 youth participated in this summer initiative.

COMPRANDO RICO Y SANO 

Through a partnership with the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), BPNC began its 'Comprando Rico y Sano' program to promote healthier lifestyles for families by encouraging healthier shopping and cooking habits for their household. In May, June, and July, health promoters organized and presented 13 'Charlas' (meetings) in the community and have gone on 5 grocery tours. Families have also participated in cooking classes to learn how to cook and prepare healthy delicious meals. BPNC has also participated in four events in the city of Chicago that promote the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Comprando Rico y Sano programs. As of September, BPNC has enrolled 518 families in SNAP.

COMMUNITY VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM (CVPP) 

Brighton Park community members worked hard this summer to make the neighborhood safer. Over 50 parents completed 5 community service projects that helped strengthen families, support youth, and advocate for more services for Brighton Park. Through funding from the Community Violence Prevention Program, parent leaders were able to accomplish the following: * Organized a community festival held in Kelly Park that provided a fun and safe atmosphere for over 1300 residents to enjoy the park while building a sense of community. * Hosted 6 parent cafes where a total of 106 parents participated in workshops to help them protect and strengthen their families from the effects of trauma and violence. * Surveyed over 500 parents to better understand what Brighton Park families need in regards to help caring for and educating their young children, ages 0-5. * Conducted a community assessment with over 700 respondents to identify needs and gaps in services for young people.

CVPP SUCCESS STORY 

My name is Guadalupe Hernandez, I was working with CVPP over the summer of 2014. I was part of the 'Cafe Para Padres' group, I would like to share my experience with this group. It was great to socialize with everyone in the group, I found we had a lot in common. The group helped me develop as a person, mother, and wife. It made me happy to give and receive help from other people. With each meeting, I came to understand the 5 factors of protection more, and I saw how they were impacting my life and family. It helped me make some changes in my life and for my family without impacting how I treat others in the community. Everyone in the community is a neighbor, and we all share the same problems of insecurity, but I hope we have made a positive impact in peoples lives and in the community through the 'Cafe Para Padres' group.