Illinois Youth Program

Illinois Youth Advocate Program

The Illinois Youth Advocate Program’s overall goals are to minimize the use of institutionalization, secure detention and confinement of youth; to develop innovative, viable and cost-effective community-based alternatives for youth involved in the juvenile justice, child welfare, and mental health systems in Illinois; and to advocate on behalf of youth through citizen involvement and direct community services which focus on permanency and least restrictive environment for all youth.

Website:  http://www.ilyap.org/il/home_f.aspx Address:  15400 Lincoln Avenue   Harvey, IL 60426 Contact:  Darryl Calhoun Phone:  866-596-6955 Email:  info@nyap.org

Advertisement

The National Organization for Women (NOW)

The National Organization for Women (NOW) is the largest organization of feminist activists in the United States. NOW has 500,000 contributing members and 550 chapters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Since its founding in 1966, NOW’s goal has been to take action to bring about equality for all women. NOW works to eliminate discrimination and harassment in the workplace, schools, the justice system, and all other sectors of society; secure abortion, birth control and reproductive rights for all women; end all forms of violence against women; eradicate racism, sexism and homophobia; and promote equality and justice in our society.

NOW is one of the few multi-issue progressive organizations in the United States. NOW stands against all oppression, recognizing that racism, sexism and homophobia are interrelated, that other forms of oppression such as classism and ableism work together with these three to keep power and privilege concentrated in the hands of a few.

Government, our judicial system, big business, mainstream media and other institutions treat many groups in our society like second-class citizens. Pitting us against each other is an essential mechanism for maintaining the status quo. Together, we can create the change we’ve been dreaming of—our unity is our strength.

http://www.now.org/index.html

Chicago NOW200 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 602Chicago, IL 60601

Phone: 312.578.9351

Center for Tax and Budgeting Accountability

Identify and analyze issues, develop policy options, and promote fair, efficient and progressive tax, spending and economic policies that improve the well-being of low and moderate income families in Illinois.The Center for Tax and Budget Accountability (“CTBA”) is a non-profit, bi-partisan research and advocacy think tank committed to ensuring that tax, spending and economic policies are fair and just, and promote opportunities for everyone, regardless of economic or social status. CTBA’s mission is three-fold. First, CTBA develops comprehensive and accurate data sets that objectively describe the cost of and demand for public services, and government’s fiscal capacity to fund those services.Second, utilizing analytical research tools, CTBA evaluates the impact of fiscal policies on quality of life issues affecting families.Third, CTBA designs and then promotes policies that would make a state’s fiscal system sound, fair, sustainable and competitive, so that state government has the fiscal capacity to provide the wide range of economic, healthcare, education and social services demanded by the public. In each instance, CTBA’s advocacy work grows out of the findings produced by objective examination of the data. CTBA focuses on fiscal capacity because communities with the greatest need for public services typically lack adequate financial resources to fund them. Frequently, the data show that for fundamental services like education, inequitable public funding results in inequitable services. CTBA’s research confirms that the best way to ensure all families, whether living in rural, suburban, urban, economically distressed, middle-class or advantaged communities, receive quality public services, is to ensure the state plays its role in funding those services.CTBA utilizes this data-driven approach to: (i) link fiscal policy to the availability of quality, essential public services; (ii) quantify the contribution public services make to creating a more just society, by assisting families attain more income stability, healthcare, social services, housing, access to jobs and access to a quality public education; (iii) identify both how public services contribute to the general economy and the creation of wealth, and when public spending or tax policy is not accountable or is not generating the anticipated public benefits; (iv) advocate on behalf of, and provide a voice for poor, low and middle income families who frequently are absent from crucial fiscal policy debates; and (v) inform the public debate on the role of government in contributing to a just society. CTBA uses a data-focused, bipartisan approach to work in partnership with legislators, community groups and other organizations to help change both public policy and perceptions. CTBA was founded in 2000. In its brief existence, CTBA has had a number of policy, media and outreach successes. From being appointed technical advisor to various state legislative committees and commissions, to ultimately helping draft legislation and design administrative reforms that have generated or maintained over $2 billion in revenue for public services and created the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit, CTBA continually works to take a data-driven, bipartisan and collaborative approach to public policy reform Website: http://www.ctbaonline.org Center for Tax and Budget Accountability
70 E. Lake Street, Suite 1700
Chicago, IL 60601 Phone: (312) 332-1049 Facsimile: (312) 578-9258 Email Address: rmartire@ctbaonline.org

Business and Professional People for the Public Interest

Business and Professional People for the Public Interest (BPI) is a public interest law and policy center that seeks out and addresses compelling issues of social justice and quality of life in the Chicago region. BPI’s staff of lawyers and policy analysts uses legal and policy research, advocacy, organizing, litigation and collaboration with non-profit, business, community and governmental organizations to accomplish its mission. Currently BPI works to transform segregated public housing, revitalize economically disadvantaged communities, improve Chicago’s public schools, and increase the supply of affordable housing throughout the region. Website: http://www.bpichicago.org Business and Professional People for the Public Interest (BPI)
25 East Washington Street, Suite 1515
Chicago, Illinois 60602Ph | 312.641.5570
Fax | 312.641.5454
Email | info@bpichicago.org

Better Government Association

Founded in 1923 by a group of citizens concerned about the growing influence of the Capone mob, the Better Government Association (BGA) is an independent, non-partisan government watchdog group committed to fighting waste, corruption and inefficiency in government. The BGA applies investigative journalism techniques, litigation, and public policy studies to expose problems, inform citizens about the operations of their government and lay the groundwork for substantive legislative and administrative reforms. The BGA remains committed to the same principles that mobilized our founders more than 80 years ago: A public office is a public trust. Anything that diminishes that trust, such as waste, fraud and corruption, ultimately undermines the public’s confidence in government. Such actions cost legitimate programs scarce resources and lead to decisions based upon private gain rather than public good. http://www.bettergov.org Contact: Better Government Association
11 East Adams Street, Suite 608
Chicago, IL 60603
Phone: (312) 427-8330
Fax: (312) 386-9203Email Address:info@bettergov.org

Parents United for Responsible Education (PURE)

Parents United for Responsible Education (PURE)

Parents United for Responsible Education (PURE) exists to build support for and enhance the quality of public education in the city of Chicago by informing parents about educational issues, bringing the views of parents into the decision-making process, and acting as an advocate for parents in their relationships with the school administration. Each year, PURE provides direct assistance or referrals to hundreds of parents and local school council (LSC) members calling our hotline for help and information. PURE provides informative and empowering workshops for LSCs in all areas of their responsibility. PURE also offers a variety of parent workshops and develops new workshops to meet parents expressed needs. PURE publishes four newsletters to keep parents, LSC members, and other school leaders informed of current educational changes and issues. PURE works actively to focus attention on the parents’ perspective in any discussion of critical school problems through such means as press conferences, public testimony, and editorials. Some of PURE’s recent accomplishments and honors include: With a staff of four presenting 2,220 workshops with a total attendance of over 30,000 between 1996-2005. About half of those workshops were presented in Spanish. Last year alone we attended 370 meetings in 64 schools for individual advocacy, discipline and IEP hearings, and other issues. This work has helped dozens of students get back into school and improved services to special education students. Filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights which led to major improvements in the fairness and educational soundness of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) student promotion policy in 2000. For example, the policy’s segregated Academic Preparatory Centers for eighth graders unable to “pass” the Iowa test have been shut down and the programs moved into high schools. Recent reports show that the eighth grade graduation rate of the students in the programs has doubled and the one-year drop out rate has decreased from 21 percent to 16 percent. Creating a national model for successful public school parent advocacy work cited in the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development’s November 2003 Educational Leadership magazine, national parent involvement expert Anne Henderson’s book, The Case for Parent Leadership, and as a case study at the November 2004 national conference of the Applied Research Center of the University of California, Berkeley. Winning a 2003 Ford Foundation Leadership for a Changing World (LCW) award, one of 17 awardees selected from a pool of more than 1,300 nominations representing individuals and leadership teams that are tackling some of the nation’s most entrenched social problems. While there are other groups working to improve public schools, PURE has a special role in focusing on issues from the parents’ point of view. PURE’s Board of Directors, membership of nearly 800, staff, and constituency are multiracial, multi-cultural, and economically diverse.

Website: http://www.pureparents.org Address: 100 S. Morgan Street   Chicago, IL 60607-2619 Phone: 312/491-9101 or 877/491-PURE(7873) Email: pure@pureparents.org

Catalyst Chicago

Catalyst Chicago

Catalyst Chicago is an independent newsmagazine created in 1990 to document, analyze and support school-improvement efforts in the Chicago Public Schools. It is published by the Community Renewal Society (CRS), a nonprofit organization founded in 1882 that works to create racially and economically just communities. CRS also publishes The Chicago Reporter, an award-winning newsletter created in 1972 to investigate issues of race and poverty. MISSION Through authoritative reporting and analysis, Catalyst Chicago challenges and serves as a resource for the city’s education community in its efforts to meet the educational needs of all children. It does this in part by: Analyzing in depth new education policies, legislation and programs and reporting on their affects over time. Identifying areas where improvement is needed Showing the reality of school and community life and how improvement happens or is undermined. Reporting on examples of progress, taking care to identify the how as well as the what. Seeking out and amplifying the voices of people who have critical insight but rarely get heard. Gathering and analyzing performance, operations and financial data. Reflecting the full variety of opinions on any given issue. Couching news in relevant research and historical and national contexts. Providing data and identifying resources that communities can use to improve their schools. Disseminating news and analysis in formats tailored to the individual needs of the wide variety of individuals involved in or concerned about school improvement.

Website: http://www.catalyst-chicago.org Address: 332 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 500   Chicago, IL 60604-4302 Phone: (312) 427-4830 Email: editorial@catalyst-chicago.org

Faces, Inc.

(FACES) Fibromyalgia Association Created for Education and Self-help

The Fibromyalgia Association Created for Education and Self-help, inc. (commonly referred to as FACES) is an award winning, all volunteer, grass roots, tax exempt 501 [c] 3, nonprofit organization. FACES provides a monthly educational group, educational workshops, a bimonthly e-magazine. FACES seeks to build awareness of Fibromyalgia within the general population by providing educational seminars in the City of Chicago, networking with other Fibromyalgia organizations and any social service agencies that can help improve the quality of life of people affected by Fibromyalgia, and via the peer produced website. Mission Statement: Improving the quality of Life of people with Fibromyalgia via patient education and support services, and, public awareness programs. Through Education and Self-help . . .We can cross the Chronic Pain Bridge and Move from Passive Victim to Active Victor!

Website:  http://www.fibrocop.org Address:  P. O. Box 528504   Chicago, IL 60652 Phone:  (773) 936-4183 Email:  info@fibrocop.org

Protestants for the Common Good

Its many accomplishments include:

• Creation of Interfaith Open Communities, with the Catholic Archdiocese, the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, and the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, to promote affordable housing and diverse communities.
• Passage of the first increase in Illinois’ welfare (TANF) cash grant in twelve years, following a three-year Welfare Justice Now campaign drawing upon both the faith community and secular organizations.
• Development of a twelve-point set of guidelines for police accountability in the City of Chicago.
• Formation of a Religious Leaders Network consisting of over 100 denominational heads and clergy on behalf of campaign finance reform and playing an important role in the passage of political ethics reforms in Illinois.
• Adoption of the Housing Opportunity Tax Incentive Act, which provides a property tax saving for landlords in “opportunity areas” who rent to Section 8 tenants.
• Forming a Welcoming Our Neighbor program to help public housing families move out of the housing projects and into areas of job growth.

In spring 2002, as Protestants for the Common Good approached the completion of its sixth year, the Board of Directors undertook an organizational review and strategic planning process. On January 11, 2003, the Board approved a new three-year strategic plan. In so doing, the Board adopted the following mission statement:

“Protestants for the Common Good acts for social justice and the common good as essential to the Christian faith, educating and mobilizing people of faith to become effective participants in political democracy.”

The plan also calls for PCG to work with its constituency to develop annually a “Common Good Agenda” that will serve as the focus for work in education and advocacy in Illinois and across the nation. The current priority areas are: faith and democracy, economic justice and poverty, public education, affordable housing, criminal justice, campaign finance and electoral reform, and the environment. In each of these areas PCG works ecumenically and on an interfaith basis.

Current initiatives include: passage of “expungement” legislation for persons who have completed their sentences for low-level, non-violent crimes, adoption of a city ordinance that would “set aside” a portion of new developments for affordable housing, support for legislation that would create a fair tax system to support quality public education and human services, and the creation of a interfaith religious network to address public policy challenges on a metropolitan basis.

http://www.thecommongood.org

Protestants for the Common Good
77 W. Washington St.
Suite 1124
Chicago, IL 60602
telephone 312-223-9544
fax 312-223-9540

Equip for Equality

Equip for Equality serves as a catalyst for social change, breaking down barriers that prevent children and adults with disabilities from participating in all aspects of community living. We proactively advocate for policies and laws that advance the human and civil rights of children and adults with disabilities and fight to defeat those that move the state in a different direction. We challenge policies and practices by both government and the private sector that discriminate against people with disabilities and deny them their rights to self-determination and community integration.

We hold the state and local governments and the private not-for-profit and for-profit sectors accountable for complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other federal and state laws intended to level the playing field for people with disabilities. And we uncover and bring to the public’s attention dangerous and unsafe practices and conditions at facilities entrusted with the care and treatment of children and adults with disabilities and call for reform. Equip for Equality serves as a catalyst for social change, breaking down barriers that prevent children and adults with disabilities from participating in all aspects of community living. We proactively advocate for policies and laws that advance the human and civil rights of children and adults with disabilities and fight to defeat those that move the state in a different direction. We challenge policies and practices by both government and the private sector that discriminate against people with disabilities and deny them their rights to self-determination and community integration.

We hold the state and local governments and the private not-for-profit and for-profit sectors accountable for complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other federal and state laws intended to level the playing field for people with disabilities. And we uncover and bring to the public’s attention dangerous and unsafe practices and conditions at facilities entrusted with the care and treatment of children and adults with disabilities and call for reform.

Mission: The mission of Equip for Equality is to advance the human and civil rights of children and adults with physical and mental disabilities in Illinois. It is the only statewide, cross-disability, comprehensive advocacy organization providing self-advocacy assistance, legal services, and disability rights education while also engaging in public policy and legislative advocacy and conducting abuse investigations and other oversight activities.

An independent, private, not-for-profit organization designated by the governor in 1985 to implement the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) System in Illinois, Equip for Equality has broad federal and state statutory powers. These powers include broad access to private and public facilities, their participants and staff, and service recipient records and other facility documents.

Equip for Equality provides an array of advocacy services that empower individuals, strengthening their ability to advocate effectively on their own behalf. We partner with community groups and public and private agencies to bring disability rights education seminars to people with disabilities and their families in their neighborhoods. When individuals’ rights are violated and self advocacy is unlikely to prove effective, the organization can directly represent the individual in negotiations, administrative proceedings, or court.

Contact:

http://www.equipforequality.org/

20 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 341-0022
(800) 537-2632 (Voice)
(800) 610-2779 (TTY)
(312) 341-0295 (Fax)
Se Habla Español and other languages
American Sign Language (ASL)
contactus@equipforequality.org