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SGA strives to continuously evolve and revamp its services to complement the needs of its communities. Please scroll down to learn about our newest programs, as well as other exciting happenings at SGA, and remember to check back often for updates!
We are excited to announce the introduction of several new programs and components into SGA's array of supportive services for at risk-youths and their families. The addition of the following programs/projects will enable SGA to increase our direct and indirect in the communities we serve:
- Kids Unlimited (Mentoring Project)
In October 2007, SGA Youth & Family Services was awarded a federal grant from the US Department of Education to launch a school-based mentoring program in Chicago’s Woodlawn community. The recipients are 4-6 th graders from Fiske and Wadsworth Elementary Schools. Mentors are community adult volunteers, undergraduate and graduate students, and high school students.
Mentors and their students will meet face-to-face once a week for one hour. They will communicate for an additional hour via the computer or “e-mentoring.” Pairs will commit to the program for a minimum of one year.
The relationship will provide mentees with a positive role model and help them to achieve their potential. Our goal is that student mentees involved in the program will demonstrate academic improvement, reduced school absences, improved social skills, and increased positive interactions in school and the community.
Autism is a serious neuro-developmental disorder that is quickly becoming an urgent public health problem. Autism cases have increased by 176% over the past ten years. In 2008, SGA implemented a full launch of a program to address a major gap in services for minority teen parents and their young children – the early detection of autism and awareness and support services for affected families. Known as Operation BIG Hug, the initiative seeks to ameliorate many of the damaging effects of the disorder by identifying babies/toddlers who may have autism during the critical first 3 years of brain development and by providing home-based support for children, parents, and families. The program will observe infants-toddlers for early signs of developmental delay and provide support for up to 12 babies and toddlers. Operation BIG Hug is also designed to provide awareness workshops and trainings for 200 community members to increase education and strengthen capacity to effectively acknowledge autism and its consequences. In addition, SGA is collaborating with the Ounce of Prevention to co-lead workshops on autism for 35 professionals who work directly with teen parents.
- Expanding School-Based Counseling Services
During 2008, SGA was awarded two separate contracts from the Chicago Public Schools to expand its counseling services into ten new schools in four communities. SGA will provide mental health, intervention, and other support services to five schools in the South Shore community under the Safe Schools/Health Students Initiative. Under the School Mental Health Support Initiative, SGA will provide early intervention and mental health support to five schools as with an established elementary to high school feeder relationship. The goals of both programs are to address mental health barriers to learning and increase access to mental health supports within the community.
- Building Safer Communities
SGA in collaboration with the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council (BPNC) will be one of the grantees under the Safety Net Works Initiative funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services. This initiative is designed to provide violence prevention and intervention services in specific communities. Our program model will target the Brighton Park community and will not only work with BPNC, but also with schools, churches, parents and other community stakeholders.
Click here to download the 2007 Annual Report (pdf format).
Click here to download the 2006 Annual Report (pdf format).
Click here to download the 2005 Annual Report (pdf format).
Click here to download the 2004 Annual Report (pdf format).
Click here to download the 2003 Annual
Report (pdf format).
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