This class session, students in Howard Area Community Center's ESL 5 class participated in a transformative collaboration between HACC and the Community Writing Project. Students wrote personal stories in English and shared them with their classmates– not only enhancing their English writing and speaking skills but creating bonds between students from different backgrounds and empowering [...]
Jeannifer is a parent of a child, Sophia, at HACC's Birth to Five Early Childhood Education Program at the Sheila Reynolds Berner Family Center in Rogers Park. The Family Center provides a high-quality, affordable early childhood education for 116 children ages 0-5 years old in a full-day program. Hear from Jeannifer herself about how important this Head [...]
This year, HACC partnered with George Armstrong Elementary School in West Rogers Park to host a GED class. More space means another free class, and the students, who are majority mothers, have the childcare for elementary aged children while they study. “Partnering with neighborhood schools is a natural way to extend our mission of building [...]
Adeola, or “Addy” as her patients call her, immigrated to America from Nigeria with the dream of helping sick people become healthy. After working with the HACC Employment Resource Center, Adeola received tuition aid for nursing school and mentorship through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. It covered $8,000 of her $16,000 tuition. As a [...]
Students from HACC's Adult Education program have written over 50 letters to their state representatives to advocate for their own education and spread awareness of the need for free adult basic education in low-income and marginalized communities. They sent letters to: Governor Bruce Rauner, Senator Richard Durbin, Senator Tammy Duckworth, Representative Jan Schakowsky, and Representative Kelly Cassidy. Hear them [...]
Anna sought help at HACC’s Employment Resource Center and earned an internship with the CTA Second Chance Program. In 2016, she was offered a full-time job! As she nears her first year on the job, HACC celebrates her success. Anna lives with her elderly mother. Her full-time job as a bus cleaner at the CTA [...]
Today, Richard has a job and a place to live, and gets to spend time playing with his 12-year-old son in Willye B. White Park on Howard Street. But for over a decade, he had some very dark times in and out of prison suffering from a heroin addiction. He burglarized houses and sold drugs [...]
Angelica Andrade (pictured above), a GED class student, came with the HACC Family Literacy program to the Garden with her two children, Manuel (pictured above), 3, and Cristina, 8. They enjoyed every minute of it– from searching for dragonflies and lily pads to picnicking by the fountains. Yesenia Vargas, the Family Literacy Coordinator, said [...]