Provides mentoring, rite of passage, leadership development, cultural connection, manhood/womanhood (adulthood) training, life skills, job/career readiness and social and emotional well-being to at risk youth ages 7-21.
Member of Project Safe Aurora. More information about Project Safe Aurora is available here: https://kanehealth.com/Pages/Violence-Prevention.aspx
Free gun locks available for pick-up: To schedule a pick-up, email ricky1rodgers@aamou.org or call 630-606-1910
Behavioral health services including mental health outpatient (adult and children), supervised living, supported living, community support team, victims services and 24-hour crisis line.
The Living Room is a mental health crisis alternative for adults offered by AID. It is a comfortable, non-clinical space that offers an alternative to hospital emergency rooms for those experiencing stressful and anxiety-provoking situations (psychiatric emergencies) so that they can be resolved without more intensive intervention.
The Living Room is open 3-8pm Monday-Thursday at Association for Individual Development, 1240 N. Highland Avenue, Aurora, IL. No appointment needed.
Harm Reduction Pop-Up Events
ELGIN - Thursdays 11-12Lot across from Library on Kimball and N. Grove (630-450-2928)
The Aurora Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) vision is to enhance the quality of life of all Aurora area household residents. The mission is to promote financial wellness through counseling, education and access to support services.
The FEC provides free, individual financial counseling services to low- and moderate-income residents to help families and individuals become more financially stable. High-quality counseling, provided by The Neighbor Project, is offered in-person or virtually, and services are multi-lingual to address the needs of the diverse Aurora community.
Counselors help clients establish a credit history or improve their credit score, develop financial goals, and create savings and debt reduction plans. Counselors may also review banking products from different financial institutions to help people determine what products and institutions are the best fit for their needs.
The Boys & Girls Club of Elgin is an after-school and out-of-school based youth enrichment program with elementary, middle, and high school locations across Kane County. We provide full meals, safe spaces, and caring adults who deliver programming rooted in the arts, sports, recreation, health & wellness, academic success, social emotional learning, social justice, service & leadership, and college & career readiness.
Challenge II Change provides a safe and comprehensive inside and outside of prison model. We empower participants that are at high risk of becoming system impacted, to challenge and overcome automatic beliefs and use practical strategies II change or modify their behavior. Thus resulting in more positive feelings, which in turn lead to more positive thoughts. Creating safer communities one Challenge at a time.
Member of Project Safe Aurora. More information about Project Safe Aurora is available here: https://kanehealth.com/Pages/Violence-Prevention.aspx
Community Care Program (In-home services), Adult Education Programs, ESL, Healthcare Bridge/ABE class, Citizenship Services, Case Management, Workforce Development. Social Services. Illinois Welcome Center
Free 1-on-1 Professional Financial Coaching as a Public Service to all Greater Aurora Residents
Defy Ventures is a nonprofit with a vision to cut recidivism in half by leveraging entrepreneurship to increase economic opportunity and transform lives. Defy's programs are helping currently and formerly incarcerated people defy the odds by providing pathways to employment, entrepreneurship, and a successful reentry. Defy has free Entrepreneurship Bootcamp classes that provide the educational foundation to start a small business. We couple the academic content with access to our executive volunteers who provide free mentoring and coaching. We also have a a free Business Accelerator for justice impacted individuals who complete the Bootcamp and desire to scale their business. At the end of the Business Accelerator, individuals can pitch their idea for start-up funding from Defy.
DHS's Division of Rehabilitation Services is the state's lead agency serving individuals with disabilities. DRS works in partnership with people with disabilities and their families to assist them in making informed choices to achieve full community participation through employment, education, and independent living opportunities.
DVOP specialists provide Intensive Employment Services utilizing a Case Management approach to eligible Veterans with Significant Barriers to Employment (SBE) – which includes age (18-24 years old), VA-Service Connected Disability Rating, Homelessness, Recent Military Discharge combined with at least 27 weeks of unemployment, formerly incarcerated, lack of GED or high school diploma, and living at or below the poverty Level – to assist them in obtaining their employment goal.
The Kane County Sheriff's Office special victims unit serves the unincorporated area of Kane County. The special victims unit umbrellas senior services, serious crimes against minors, domestic violence and sexual assault victims. The SVU focuses on investigating crimes, as well as offers social work support for community members in need of services. These services include: mental health support, substance use, juvenile complaints, hoarding, homelessness, veteran assistance, and any case requiring social services.
The KCSO also offers the A Way Out program, which provides substance abuse assessment 24/7 to anyone in Kane County that wishes to seek recovery. Appropriate inpatient or outpatient referral and placement are determined by assessment and based on availability. If you are unable to pay for treatment due to a lack of insurance or financial resources, you will not be turned away from participation in the program. Kane County works with providers that are able to accept a number of different insurance plans and accommodate those without insurance.
Opportunity Youth are ages 16 - 24 who face challenges in completing school and gaining a foothold into employment. During high rates of unemployment, youth employment takes the longest to recover with slow growth in jobs offering advancement.
LITE creates experiential learning sessions for youth to gain skills and knowledge necessary to achieve self-sufficiency and upwardly mobile careers. Collaboration with partners ensures a comprehensive approach to meet needs and strengthen support networks.
Lewis Simmons Foundation is an Illinois-based non-profit organization that creates second-chance opportunities for underserved individuals and nonviolent convicted citizens. We help them gain meaningful employment and business opportunities so they are not forced to repeat the same mistakes due to systematic cultures that restrict them from securing employment.
Midwest Asian Health Association (MAHA)’s mission is to reduce health disparities for medically underserved, low-income populations in the Midwest through providing culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate services, which include community outreach education, screening and immunization, linkage to care, mental health services, and research and policy advocacy. To serve its mission, MAHA collaborates with community-based organizations, health care providers, academic institutions, public health departments, and volunteers.
Emergency homeless shelter for men, women and families serving Elgin, Rutland, Dundee and Hanover Townships. The shelter is open 24/7, 365 days/nights a year. We also provide comprehensive case management services to every guest.
Academic achievement, job placement and training, equal access to employment, housing and cultural enrichment for low-income and displaced citizens. Help securing equal opportunities for all disadvantaged persons and people of color, including African Americans, women and disabled persons. Programs: Workforce development works by preparing workers with the skills necessary for a specific type of job. Home ownership; financial literacy workshops Specialized skills (i.e.: computer literacy) Small business navigation, Youth and Education programs focuses on empowering youth to earn their degree and certification to become employable.
NAPCA's senior community service employment program provides temporary part-time paid job training experience at local nonprofit and government agencies for mature adults.
Shepherd's Heart at Chapelstreet Church is a full service food pantry offering social services in the areas of job coaching, budgeting, and limited financial assistance to those who qualify.
Equips youth for life success. START Program's vision is to be catapults for change, to be a constant hub and network for our youth. They will be able to work well in a group, but not be afraid to stand alone when necessary. They will be better equipped mentally. They will make conscious decisions and better choices throughout life. They will become more emotionally sound, learning to communicate constructively and effectively by having a platform to vent and release without being judged. They will also become physically fit. Exercise has been proven to relieve stress, to promote respect among peers, and also attack obesity head on. We focus on community and youth development, violence prevention, building bridges for success, maintaining family structure and support systems, and more.
Free gun locks available for pick-up. To schedule a pick-up, email: info@STARTprograms.org or call: 312-838-5200.
The Preschool Program at Summit School Early Learning Center is designed to provide a high quality preschool program that supports children who may be at risk of not progressing at a rate anticipated for potential success in kindergarten. Summit School Early Learning Center currently is awarded funding by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to provide a Preschool For All program, and the Department of Human Services (DHS) to provide a Title XX Program. These programs are offered at no cost to families.
The Neighbor Project Homebuyer Education gets you the knowledge you’ll need to purchase—and keep—your home. We will walk with you through each step of the home buying process. Common issues like home maintenance and financial management are covered in this HUD-approved housing counseling and education service among other topics, such as local grants and funding that can help with home repairs. Our Foreclosure Prevention Service provides you with resources to prevent losing your home (like ILHAF Mortgage Assistance) and avoid possible foreclosure.
In Elgin we provide Veteran Case Management Servies, Behavioral Healthcare, Veteran Suicide Prevention (SPACES), and have our Housing is Recovery program. Through this program we provide individuals with the highest risk of homelessness and institutionalization with the support they need in order to lead independent, productive, healthy lives. The services include:
WorkNet Batavia is the one-stop center serving the employment needs of jobs seekers and businesses in Kane, Kendall and DeKalb Counties
Job training and educational opportunities for at-risk youth ages 16-24 who have previously dropped out of high school or may have graduated and would benefit from the programs. Youth learn vocational skills in construction, (onsite training, industry certifications, and career readiness skills, education; academic skills, GED Certification, and college readiness, leadership, coaching, community service, and Youth Voice and input. Youth also provide community service through the required construction or rehabilitation of affordable housing for low-income or homeless families in their own neighborhoods. YouthBuild Elgin is part of the Illinois YouthBuild Coalition, which works on behalf of Illinois’ YouthBuild programs to serve young adults across the state. Youth Build Elgin is also funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s YouthBuild program, which prepares workers for quality jobs and promotes the attainment of skills and knowledge necessary for success in a knowledge-based economy.
