Blog

  • Eddie Burks and PROSY

    For the past year, UCAN has participated in Positive Relationship Outreach Support for Youth (PROSY), the pilot for a multifaceted mental health program…

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  • Ann’s Story

    When Ann* first came to UCAN in 2011, her therapist April Kopp noticed that she rarely made eye contact or smiled. When asked about strengths, talents, and future aspirations…

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  • Malique’s Story

    “I hope that the kids catch on quicker than I did. It took me going to jail to really snap my head and make me realize what support I had in Project Visible Man, and that I needed…

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  • The ties that bind: Pertesha Armstrong finds her family

    Many obstacles have tried to keep Pertesha Armstrong from achieving her dreams, but through the ups and downs she has tried hard to maintain maturity and poise. Pertesha is set to graduate with an undergraduate degree in criminal justice and emancipate from the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) in May 2014. With the… Read more »

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  • UCAN goes to Europe!

    UCAN has gone international! This year we were proud to welcome Tinatin Pareishvilli to the United States as a part of the U.S. Department of State’s Professional Fellows program. As a social worker traveling from the Republic of Georgia, Tinatin observed the state of the social services sector and learn from her experiences with UCAN… Read more »

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  • Growing the Modern Family: Welcoming LGBTQ foster children with open arms

    To welcome a youth into your heart and your home is a great act of selflessness and compassion that can be a transformative experience for all involved. Through UCAN’s Professional Foster Parenting program (PFP), foster parents play an essential role in providing the opportunity to live healthy, full lives to youth who have experienced loss,… Read more »

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  • U of C students volunteer at UCAN in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

    Every January we commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose life’s work marked a turning point in the fight for civil rights. Best remembered as one of the greatest orators in American history, Dr. King’s compassion for all people extended beyond the pulpit into years of active service work. This aspect of Dr. King’s legacy… Read more »

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  • Healthy Living in Altgeld Gardens

    Heart disease and stroke are the number one and number three cause of death among African Americans, respectively. Preventative measures can greatly reduce the risk, but unfortunately medical education often is not available to many in the affected group. To fill the knowledge gap, the “With Every Heartbeat is Life” (WEHIL) curriculum was formed, which… Read more »

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  • UCAN represents social service non-profit sector at Aspen Institute

    UCAN represents social service non-profit sector at Aspen Institute The Aspen Institute, an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C., recently announced 21 grants to founding partners for the Opportunity Youth Incentive Fund in communities across the United States. The grants encourage cross-sector collaboration to better create workforce and educational progress for Americans… Read more »

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  • UCAN youth visit Springfield

    UCAN youth visit Springfield This spring, UCAN youth visited Springfield to meet with elected officials. UCAN believes strongly in providing youth a voice to advocate for themselves and their peers. Further, visits such as these allow youth to see our government in action, while elected officials get the opportunity to meet the youth whom their… Read more »

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