ABOUT USWe are committed to offering direct academic services and holistic investment for the long-term resilience, school success and future prosperity of Chicago children experiencing homelessness.
|
Vertical Divider
|
ABOUT USWe are committed to offering direct academic services and holistic investment for the long-term resilience, school success and future prosperity of Chicago children experiencing homelessness.
|
Vertical Divider
|
Mission and Values
Chicago HOPES for Kids provides comprehensive support to Chicago students and families experiencing homelessness. We are committed to our children’s educational development and long-term empowerment through academic support, dedicated mentorship and basic needs services.
We are committed to offering direct academic services and holistic investment for the long-term resilience, school success and future prosperity of Chicago children experiencing homelessness. Our cores values are built upon the listed items below: |
Community
Creating a collaborative space where everyone’s full humanity and voice directly impact our work. Resilience
Building a foundation of confidence and power within those we serve to tackle any circumstance. Play
Fueling joy and curiosity as a foundation for lifelong work and overcoming challenges. Agency
Promoting individuals’ ownership of their stories and the confidence to tell them. Presence
Staying active in our commitment to consistency and availability for our students. Illumination
Facing the complex realities of homelessness with honesty and respect. |
Patricia Rivera, LCSW
Founder |
Patricia Rivera is the founder of Chicago HOPES for Kids, our non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that provides academic support and literacy mentoring for children living in Chicago’s homeless shelters. She has a Master of Social Work Degree from the Jane Addams College of Social Work, Chicago, Illinois. She retired in 2010, after 33 years as a school social worker for Chicago Public Schools (CPS), with the last 7 years as the administrator for the CPS Homeless Education Program.
After she retired and CPS cut the funding for the shelter-based tutoring program, she and a group of dedicated volunteers founded Chicago HOPES for Kids. She served as the Executive Director of Chicago HOPES for Kids for 8 years before her retirement. She continues to volunteer with HOPES and also enjoys learning the harp, planting and harvesting at her sister's farm in Indiana, and spending time with her grandchildren.
|