Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council Taken Over By WXRT
No, we haven’t been sold to a media outlet. Everyone in Chicago knows WXRT as the venerable rock station that has been entertaining Chicagoans for 40 years. WXRT has also been involved in the Chicago community helping promote worthy causes and local businesses. As part of the station’s popular Corporate Takeover promotion, WXRT will be taking over the BYNC on January 23rd. We are very proud to be selected by WXRT and look forward to their office visit.
Listen to the on air clip to hear the announcement.
Holidays were made bright for over 3,000 local children
In the past month, the holidays were made bright for over 3,000 local children who participated in our two Holiday Toy Drive events; this would not have been possible without your continued generosity and support!
No words can express the impact your kindness had on these children, the joy that radiated from their faces as they met Santa Claus and walked away with their presents. For some of the children, the gift they received at our events may be the only gift they receive this year.
On behalf of the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council, thank you, and Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones!
Thank you to all our supporters!
14th Ward
47th Street Liquor Mart, Inc.
Accurate Perforating
Buster Services
Cafeteria Yesenia
Carpet Corner Inc.
Cary J. Hall & Associates, LLC
Cavero Medical Group LTD
Comprehensive Health
Crown Imports
Dale Conrad
Dr. Santiago
Dr. Thillai Natarajan
El Milagro Inc.
Emerald Machine, Inc.
Envios Latinos
Farmacia Latina
Fibre Drum Sales Inc.
First Merit Bank
Fitzgerald Marketing
Frank Diaz
Harmony Health
Howard Wedren
Hayes Beer Dist. Co.
Hydro Incorporated
Jalloways Glass Co.
James Matanky
Jerry & Florence Mazzei
Jesus Perez & Associates
Joseph Vruno
Karen Daley
Kiddy Kare Pre-School
Kopico, Inc.
Las Esperanzas Restaurant
Law Offices of Thomas Battista
Laz Parking Chicago, LLC Mgt.
Maragos & Maragos, Ltd.
Marcus & Amy Nuñes
Mary M. Demke
Matchless Metal Polish Co.
Matt Rogatz
Matthew Miniat
Maureen W. Lewus
McDonald’s
Michael & Linda Corcoran
Nuestra Clinica de Chicago
Oralia’s Unisex
Oswaldo
Prasad Karuppuswamy
Paleteria Lindo Michoacan
Rey Gonzalez
Richard Gentile
Robert F. Hirsch
Roma III LLC (Value Mart)
Romo Dental
Source 4
SSA #10
SSA #13
SSA #39
Stacy Koumbis
Suarez Electric Company
Summit Design & Build
Swap-O-Rama Flea Market
Szkowny Funeral Home
Tacos Don Cuco
Testa Produce, Inc.
Tim Corcoran
Tyson Foods
Walmart
Weisgerber Consulting LLC
Witz Rentals
WM Display Group
BYNC launches its Toy Drive Campaign
In 2012, we worked every day to make the Back of the Yards a better place. We created programs and delivered services that fill the needs of children, adults, senior citizens, businesses, and community partners alike. We worked to create a better place to live, a better place to grow up, a better place to shop and invest and a better place to grow old. Our work is often difficult, especially in today’s economic and social climate. While we are certainly proud of all our accomplishments, there is still a lot of work to be done, especially during the holiday season, a time when love and giving are the primary focus. In today’s economy, countless families in our community are struggling to make ends meet while providing a memorable Christmas for their families.
Each year, the BYNC launches a Christmas Toy Drive and Toy Giveaway campaigns. Between November 1st and December 15th, the BYNC will be collecting toys and working with schools, local businesses, and other community organizations to identify children in need through our “Letters to Santa” program. Unfortunately, the demand for toys in our community always exceeds the donations we receive, so the BYNC relies on financial contributions to purchase additional toys.
As your company is closing out the year, we ask that you consider supporting the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council in its mission to make the Back of the Yards a better place for everyone, and to bring hope and opportunities to its residents during the holidays and throughout the year.
You may donate or contact us for information on other ways to donate or get involved at (773) 523-4416 or fflores@bync.org
CPS Officials Announce New Back of the Yards High School Principal
By: Lucia Anaya – The Gate Newspaper
Patricia Barrera-Brekke, principal of the new Back of the Yards High School.
Developments for the new Back of the Yards high school were announced Thursday, Oct. 25, including the introduction of its principal and the students’ selection process.
In a forum open to the Back of the Yards community, Chicago Public School (CPS) officials spoke with neighborhood residents at Cesar Chavez Multicultural Academy, opening a dialogue for questions and concerns.
At the top of the agenda was the presentation of the new high school principal Patricia Barrera-Brekke.
“I’m so excited to come back home,” said Barrera-Brekke during her introduction.
Barrera-Brekke spent 16 years working in the Back of the Yards community at Seward Academy, Chavez and alternative schools.
“I have been extraordinarily impressed by her passion for the community, by her passion for educating students, working with families and her track record of success in Chicago Public Schools,” said Elizabeth Kirby, Southwest Side High School Network Chief of Schools.
Barrera-Brekke will assume her position when the school opens in the fall of 2013.
Responding to parent concerns for student safety, CPS Chief of Safety and Security Jadine Chou outlined the plans to oversee the high school during school and community hours.
Part of the plan, according to Chou, will be security monitoring cameras that will be installed inside the school and library. These cameras can be viewed by administration, the Central Office Student Safety Center and the city’s 911 center.
“We find cameras to be a very positive, valuable tool because we can use them to also look for things in advance. If we see anything that looks suspicious we can intervene in advance,” said Chou.
The doors that connect from the high school to the planned community library inside will remain locked throughout the school day, according to Chou. Any student or teacher that wishes to access the library during school hours will have to go outside and enter through the main entrance.
“If the school decides that that is something they want to open up [it] is certainly something we can work with them to do and yet maintain the safety of both buildings,” she said.
While there is still no concrete plan for administrating the safety outside the school, Chou assured it is something CPS is working hard to develop. Most likely, she said, a safe passage program will be established, where CPS hires a community organization to hire community safety personnel.
“We have not donned the budget for it yet but it’s something we are definitely considering looking at,” she said.
A concrete detail for the high school is that it will be a neighborhood school. Students will not need to take an enrollment exam to get accepted, although they will need to live within the neighborhood boundaries that remain undetermined.
According to Kirby, only 275 freshmen will be accepted into the new high school, a number that falls short of the 320 to 375 eighth graders currently enrolled in the neighborhood’s elementary schools.
Currently, Kirby and her team are polling eighth graders to determine their plans for high school. According to her, history dictates that many students go outside the neighborhood for high school.
However, if more than 275 eighth graders apply to enroll in the new high school a lottery system will be put in place, where students’ names will be picked at random. The remaining names will be put in a waiting list.
“It is a challenging situation and we’re looking at scenarios to figure that out,” said Kirby.
A meeting is planned in the future to announce neighborhood boundaries, which according to Kirby, will be finalized during the CPS board meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 14.
Hoops in the Hood Basketball Tourney Caps Off Summer-long Leagues that Keep Youth Safe, Build Community
It’s not all bad news in the ‘hood.
While youth violence has captured the headlines this spring and summer, several communities this week celebrated a lack of it – in part thanks to the summer-long programs of sports, arts and education they’ve forged.
On Saturday, August 18th, a broad city league celebrated its success at the 6th annual Hoops in the Hood Cross-City Tournament, in which youth from 12 communities compete in a city-wide contest. Begun nearly a decade ago in Pilsen as an anti-violence strategy, Hoops in the Hood (supported by LISC Chicago) has grown to a city-wide collaboration of 12 neighborhoods, serving hundreds of youth each year. Under program names like B-Ball on the Block, Hoops, and the Safe Summer Basketball League, each week during the summer residents shut down streets, set up portable hoops and invite neighbors to come out and cheer on the young players. Weekly street ball is also blended with community art projects and health awareness education.
In the face of growing calls from across the city for neighbors to take responsibility for their own safety, these Chicago communities are doing just that through Hoops in the Hood. By occupying blocks, kids and residents leave less physical space for gangs in their neighborhoods. With a shared, city-wide slogan of “Playing for Peace, Unity & Respect,” and a zero-tolerance policy for arguing and fighting on the court, the leagues have enjoyed summer after summer of incident-free ball.
“Next to a block party, this is the most fundamental neighborhood engagement you can get,” said Jaime deLeon of Enlace Chicago, who’s been involved with Hoops in the Hood since 2006. “You can feel the tremendous sense of community. It’s a beautiful feeling to see kids playing basketball on their own streets without any fear or worry. For at least a few hours, families own that block, and our hope is that the sense of ownership continues to build, so that everyone can take responsibility for keeping our community safe.”
Participating organizations in the tournament were the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council, www.bync.org; Breakthrough Urban Ministries, www.breakthrough.org (East Garfield Park); BUILD, www.buildchicago.org (Humboldt Park); Chicago Men in Action, www.connectnearnorth.org (Near North); The Community Builders, www.tcbinc.org (Quad Communities); Enlace Chicago www.enlacechicago.org and Beyond the Ball, www.beyondtheball.org (Little Village); Lawndale Christian Development Corp., www.lcdc.net (North Lawndale); the Near West Side Community Development Corp., www.nearwestsidecdc.org (West Haven); Neighborhood House and Claretian Associates, www.claretianassociates.org (South Chicago); North River Commission, www.northrivercommission.org (Albany Park); The Resurrection Project, www.resurrectionproject.org (Pilsen); and, Teamwork Englewood (www.teamworkenglewood.org).
See pictures of the Hoops in the Hood tournament in Back of the Yards on Aug. 3, 2012 below.
The results of that tournament were as follows:
1st place: Kids and Kops
2nd place: Brighton Park
3rd place: Holy Cross
Other participating teams included St. Michael, Paulina Pride and Union Impact.
Children received book bags and school supplies at the 47th Street Back to School Fair
On Friday, August 17, 2012, the Back of the Yards SSA #10 hosted their annual Back to School Fair that raffled book bags and school supplies to neighborhood students. From 12 to 4 p.m. residents were treated to tasty treats and information on various community organizations. Cesar Osmar radio host Pasion 106.7 FM helped raffle off book bags throughout the day. In addition to the tasty treats, children enjoyed free jumping jacks and lots of raffle games. Studio Dental and Holy Cross Family Dental gave out information and goodies bags with toothbrush and toothpaste.
The SSA #10 also had a Back to School Sidewalk Sale along 47th Street and Ashland Ave. Several businesses brought out their merchandise and offered great sales to residents during the 3-day sidewalk sale.
The BYNC wants to thank the following businesses for their support and donations on this year’s Back to School Fair: O.K. Shoe Stop, Roma III/Basement Store, First Merit Bank, Carpet Corner, and McDonald’s.
Quality-of-Life Plan hosts job fair
Attendees filling out applications.
By Mike McMullin
“I need to get a job. I have two girls that are going to go to college,” explains Belda Maraz, a struggling forty-year-old parent. Sadly, Maraz’s situation is shared by millions of people in the United States; as of July, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that unemployment is at 8.3%; however, the unemployment rate in Chicago is at 9.3%, significantly higher than the national average.
These stifling numbers leave people like Maraz with just one question: where are the jobs?
The answer to that question is a primary concern of the Back of the Yards Quality-of-Life Plan, a ground-breaking initiative that partners all major community organizations to pinpoint key neighborhood issues and address them with specific projects; completion of the projects will have a direct, positive impact on the neighborhood.
The first major project of the plan was a job fair, which was held on Aug. 2nd at Chicago Indoor Sports on Pershing & Ashland. Over 500 job seekers attended the event, searching for opportunities at over 25 participating companies. Approximately 50 eager residents began lining up at the door as early as 7:30 a.m., although the event did not start until 9 a.m.
The Quality-of-Life Plan differs from strategies of the past because it is more action-oriented than philosophical in essence.
“We aren’t talking about what the problems are anymore. We know what the problems are. Now is the time to act and actually bring something to the table for the people in this community,” said Craig Chico, President & CEO of the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council.
Several residents were hired on the spot by participating companies, which included McDonald’s, Comcast, AT &T and Walmart.
The Plan is comprised of four committees: Economic Development, Education & Youth, Housing and Civic Engagement.
For more information contact Mike McMullin at (773) 523-4416 ext. 112 or email mmcmullin@bync.org.
Back to School Fair & Sidewalk Sale on 47th Street
Are your children ready for the first day of school?
BYNC in collaboration with First Merit Bank want to help you get them ready. We invite you to come on out to the Sidewalk Sale for the Back to School season, beginning August 17 through 19.
Friday, August 17, 2012
at 47th & Hermitage
(First Merit Bank Park Lot)
from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Take Advantage of:
- FREE School Supplies
- Snacks
- Resources Booths
- & lots more.
Participating businesses all along the 47th Street and Ashland Ave. retail district will be having INCREDIBLE SALES.
For more information contact Fabiola Flores at (773) 523-4416 ext. 108 or email fflores@bync.org.
Brighton Park is having a Back to School Sidewalk Sale & Fair
Special Service Area 39 (SSA) in collaboration with State Senator Tony Muñoz, Representative Dena Carli, Pope John Paul School and TCF Bank, believe that in order for children to be successful in school, they need to be send off with all the proper tools on the first day of school. We want to help you by bringing to the community the Back to School Sidewalk Sale and Fair, where you will find GREAT resources and FREE school supplies available for kids. The fair will kick-off the sidewalk sale on Friday, August 24 from 4 to 7 p.m. at TCF Bank located at 4192 S. Archer.
After the fair, visit all participating businesses along Archer Avenue (California to Homan). They will be offering incredible sale on all your back to school needs all weekend long, August 24 through 26.
And that’s not all, just to get the children off to a great start come on out to 44th & Troy for games, carnival rides, food and awesome giveaways.
For more information or to set up a resource table for your company, contact Miguel Moreno at (773) 523-4416 ext. 121 or email mmoreno@bync.org.
5 tips for getting the most out of a job fair
Planning to attend this week’s job fair? Here are 5 useful tips that will help you land employment in this very competitive job market.
- Bring a résumé! Employers are not just going to take your word for it when you tell them about your skills and experience. Bring a detailed resume with references.
- Dress appropriately and look presentable. First impressions do matter to potential employers, so dress to impress!
- Polish your social media profile. Many employers use social media sites like facebook, twitter, etc. to conduct unofficial background checks.
- Follow-up. Do not just fill out an application and hope for a miracle. Every week or so, call the employer to check in on the status of your application.
- Be patient, stay positive. While the hiring process may take some time, don’t lose your cool and keep a positive attitude as you wait for an answer.
Just a reminder that the job fair is being held this Thursday, August 2nd from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Chicago Indoor Sports (3900 S. Ashland).
Employers Include:
Chicago Meat Authority
Citibank
Coyne College
East-West University
Hinckley Springs
Instituto Del Progreso Latino
Jane Addams Resource Corporation
Jesse Brown VA Medical Center
ManufacturingWorks
Marsco Glass Products
McDonald’s
Schulze & Burch
Securitas
Testa Produce
The Cara Program
United Building Maintenance
Walmart
For any question contact Mike McMullin at mmcmullin@bync.org or call (773) 523-4416 ext. 112.
