2015 Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT FY 2015 1 DEAR FRIENDS, Children’s Home + Aid is recognized as a pioneer in providing child and family services dating to 1883 when Lucy, a little girl, became part of a family. Her life changed forever because one morning, our founder Rev. Van Arsdale, called upon the citizens in a small town near Vandalia, Illinois to help rescue homeless children living in the “wretched conditions in the almshouses.” By day’s end, Van Arsdale and his wife, brought Lucy home when they learned that the little girl’s mother was simply unable to provide for her needs. A few days later, inspired by Van Arsdale’s call to care, a family agreed to welcome Lucy into their home. Although much has changed in more than 132 years that have passed, protecting children and strengthening families continues at the heart of everything we do, every day, in every program throughout Illinois. This report shares breakthroughs and big results we’ve achieved in 2015. We are so proud of the amazing new Jerri Hoffmann Child + Family Center in Carpentersville. This newly constructed state-of-the-art child care center will reach twice as many boys and girls whose families strive to provide for their children. The Board of Trustees created and approved Vision 20/20 a strategic plan that charts our mission course for the next five years. Vision 20/20 emphasizes measurable impact, innovation, quality and sustainability. We aim high -- striving for continuous improvements, measuring our impact, and developing new ways to help our children and families make bigger strides. Vision 20/20 underscores our commitment to help more children and youth recover from trauma and gain the academic and life skills so necessary for their success in family, in school and in community. Children’s Home + Aid envisions a future where all children, youth and families thrive in strong communities. Our vision inspires the accomplishments shared in this 2015 Annual Report. Your involvement as a volunteer, donor, board and community leader is transformational and makes bright futures possible for over 40,000 children, youth and families. Your generosity yields tremendous benefits for every child we reach—and for entire communities. Thank you for heeding the call, first issued in 1883, to care and to serve. For the Love of Children, Nancy B. Ronquillo President and CEO, Beverley A. Sibblies Children’s Home + Aid Chair of the Board - FY15 3 every three minutes, someone calls Children’s Home + Aid for help for a child and 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, we answer that call 5 “I get so much joy from helping these kids. I think they deserve a second chance.They don’t want to be in this situation.” EVERY CHILD IS OVERCOMING A DIFFERENT CHALLENGE. Children in Specialized Foster Care have special needs. She fostered a child who didn’t want to go to school. Some have been in multiple foster homes or admitted to When she realized he still couldn’t read or write his name, psychiatric hospitals. However, these children thrive when she made sure he had the education assistance he needed. they are placed with families who are committed, skilled and supported. One of the boys didn’t want to take showers. Rita was able to uncover that he was afraid of the water. She Rita has been a Specialized Foster Parent for more than a worked with him to overcome his fear. decade. Many youth have lived in her home, which is busy with children, visitors and activity. She sings in the church When another boy wouldn’t talk or eat, Rita took him to choir and spends a lot of time cooking the kids’ favorite doctors and dentists. She learned he had a serious dental meals. The love she feels for her children does not waver, condition. After the dental procedure, he started talking and their love for her is obvious. Children who have come and eating with the other children. through her home, and are adults now, still come back to visit and share their lives with her. The children Rita has helped have different stories and challenges, but she knows they respond when she tries to “You need to let them open up to you and talk to you.” understand what they’re going through and respects what Rita knows that when the children act out, yell or fight, they’re feeling. it’s not because they’re bad kids. It’s because they are going through something that they don’t know how to talk When children join Rita’s family, they join a large about. It’s important not to react to their words but to community of neighbors, church and family members. listen for what’s hurting them. But most importantly, they receive stability, love and understanding to grow on. “It’s my job to figure out what’s the matter.” Over the years, Rita has helped children grow physically, emotionally, and socially. When children don’t express what’s going on, she starts troubleshooting. 7 we find children homes even the children most deeply affected by what they have lived through 80% OF CHILDREN LEAVE RICE CHILD + FAMILY CENTER RETURNED TO FAMILIES OR A MORE HOME-LIKE SETTING 9 decreased incarceration and brighter futures for youth After a probation violation, 18 year old Bryan entered the Undeterred by these obstacles, our staff remained Children’s Home + Aid’s Redeploy Illinois program as an dedicated to Bryan and continued to work with the family. alternative to incarceration. Bryan was failing in school, Over time, Amy was taking her medication and seeing her struggling with substance abuse and living with a mother therapist regularly. who was overwhelmed caring for Bryan’s terminally ill grandmother and her own mental illness. Bryan started to shift his focus to long-term goals and identified wanting to become a mechanic. He was given Bryan’s case manager partnered with him to set goals the chance to shadow mechanic school students at a that targeted his education, substance abuse, mental local technical institute for a day. This helped motivate health and his family relationships. The case manager Bryan to finish school. Since he was behind on credits, worked with Bryan’s mother, Amy, to get her back on her he completed a local G.E.D. program and acquired his medication and into therapy for her own mental health diploma within a few months. He scored in the top challenges. Through her efforts, our case manager gained percentile of the G.E.D., earning a two-year scholarship to the trust of Bryan and Amy. Bryan began to participate in a local community college that he now attends. substance abuse treatment and started attending school again. Bryan also successfully completed his probation and the Redeploy program. In their follow-up survey, Bryan and his The next year included many challenges, but also steady mother stated that they were very blessed to have a case progress. Bryan’s grandmother passed away, sparking a manager that would not give up on them and believed so series of family crises. Amy stopped taking her medication deeply in both of them. prompting Bryan’s case manager to bring in emergency adult psychiatric services. There were difficult times ahead. The police came to the home on several occasions due to Amy being suicidal. Amy often threatened the case manager and made it difficult for Bryan to stay engaged with the program. 11 and help struggling parents get better at parenting 97% 94% HEALTHY FAMILIES BUTTERFLY PROJECT PARENTS PARENTS SHOWED INCREASED REPORTED A BETTER RELATIONSHIP PARENTING SKILLS WITH THEIR CHILD 13 Jerri Hoffmann Child + Family Center Creating great futures for young children In FY15, we complete the new Jerri Hoffmann Child + Family Center in Carpentersville. This state-of-the-are learning center provides high-quality child care and early childhood education. The facility opened to families in July of 2015, reaching more than twice as many children with the highest quality care and learning. The new Center offers: • Capacity to serve approximately 230 children from birth to age six (an increase of 130% from the previous facility in Carpentersville) from all over the Carpentersville and Barrington community areas. • Over 27,000 square feet of state-of-the-art learning space, which will improve the quality of our early education services. • Ability to provide additional family support services and expand our partnerships with other providers to grow our role as an anchor agency in Carpentersville, Barrington, Arlington Heights and the surrounding communities. Details on the Jerri Hoffmann Child + Family Center building project, as well as the profound impact the new facility will have on hundreds of children and families in our community for years to come can be found on our website at childrenshomeandaid.org/Carpentersville. 15 we stabilize traumatized children as soon as possible and get them into safe, loving homes 50% WERE ADOPTED OF THE FOSTER CHILDREN FOR WHOM WE FOUND RETURNED HOME A PERMANENT HOME IN 40% FY2015 10% FOUND A PERMANENT GUARDIAN we shorten the time a child is sidelined by emotional or behavioral issues 2015 20.06 2014 18.56 2013 23.16 2012 20.02 2011 25.95 2010 44.40 AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY (IN MONTHS) AT RICE CHILD + FAMILY CENTER 17 violent neighborhoods, the incarceration of a parent, hunger, poverty, frequent moves — all reduce a child’s chances for success in school and in life with the right support, they don’t have to we help children and families beat the odds Community Schools 9% 13% HIGHER HIGHER THAN CPS THAN CPS STUDENTS STUDENTS READING TEST SCORES* MATH TEST SCORES* 19 we help foster kids aspire to and work toward a stable, productive life 85% OF FOSTER CHILDREN AT CHILDREN’S HOME + AID’S EXCELLENCE ACADEMY GRADUATED ON TIME we help young children improve their social and emotional growth and stability through early childhood education 0-to-2 3-to-5 YEAR OLDS YEAR OLDS 74% 87% 83% DEMONSTRATED IMPROVED DEMONSTRATED DEMONSTRATED IMPROVED LEARNING IN LANGUAGE IMPROVED LITERACY MATH COMPETENCY 21 communities count on us to tackle their biggest problems 2% ADOPTION 0.5% SUPPORT 10% RESIDENTIAL COUNSELING 21% 9% YOUTH EARLY SERVICES CHILDHOOD 13% FOSTER CARE 21% 24% PARENT INTACT FAMILY SUPPORT SUPPORT 23 FY15 cost savings KEEPING CHILDREN WITH FOSTER THEIR FAMILIES CARE VS.

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