Connections for the Homeless' administrative offices and family housing services are located on Dewey Street, just south of Simpson Street in the Weissbourd-Holmes Family Focus Center. Connections for the Homeless provides housing, employment and supportive services to move individuals and families out of homelessness. Connections assists people in attaining personal, emotional and housing stability. The group runs shelters, does outreach for people living on the streets and provides health services to those in need.
The Women's Club of Evanston is a non-profit organization that supports local charities with an emphasis on women's and children's issues. Members pay annual dues of $150. The club's headquarters on Chicago Avenue is available to rent for events.
Rimland Services was established in 1971 as the Rimland School for Autistic Children. Now located on Hartrey Avenue, Rimland Services continues to provide schooling and assistance for individuals with autism, with a focus on programs for people ages 18 and older. Services include a range of therapies, health and wellness programs and developmental training.
The Great Lakes Protection Fund was founded in 1989 to oversee and protect the health of the Great Lakes. The Fund does this through awarding grant money to projects that also aim to accomplish this goal through diverse means. Nearly $58 million has come through the Fund and been poured into ventures that have improved the health of the Great Lakes.
The fund prides itself on transparency and offers a good deal of information on itself and its efforts on its website.
Located on Main Street, the Center for Independent Futures is a nonprofit organization that supports individuals with disabilities and their families. Its services include consultations, facilitated life-planning sessions and supported living arrangements. CIF also has partnerships with schools and human service agencies, and it trains teachers in Evanston Township High School's special education department.
The Teen Baby Nursery provides childcare services to teen moms working to complete high school. It is open to mothers who live in Evanston and are either enrolled in Evanston Township High School or working on a GED program to get a high school diploma, with a child six weeks to three years old. The program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Literature for All of Us is a literacy program for adolescents living in underserved neighborhoods throughout the Chicago area. The organization hosts weekly facilitated book group meetings to help struggling readers and writers. The organization serves about 500 to 600 people every year.
Collective Resource is an environmentally couscous waste management company serving Evanston and the surrounding areas. The company, led by owner Erlene Howard, offers a full range of services for clients, specializing in commercial composting and collections. Some services include event composting, residential pickups, food scrap pickups as well as regularly scheduled pickups. Various options include weekly, bi-weekly and four-week pickups. Discounts are also available. Check the main website for details on services or for information on pricing.
North Shore Alano Club holds meeting in the church on the corner of Lake Street and Chicago Avenue. Meetings offered by the organization include AA and Alanon. Meetings are offered every day at varying times throughout the day. Check the website for a current schedule. All meetings are closed unless otherwise noted.
Founded in 1965, the Mental Health Association of the North Shore is an awareness-raising and advocacy organization. The non-profit organization works in the realm of mental health to educate young adults, remove stigma, train professionals, provide speakers and materials, lobby and other related activities.
Evanston Neighbors at Work is a local organization which assists low-income residents of Evanston, Niles, New Trier and Northfield townships. Its services include housing counseling, job counseling, job placement, scholarships and programming for women, infants and children.
Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse is a nonprofit organization working to reduce landfill waste and recycle usable building and construction materials. The organization offers a wide range of reclaimed building materials at the warehouse at low cost to the community. Some items include cabinets, fixtures, candles, windows, patio doors, building materials, doors, and much more. Check its website for details on how to donate or volunteer or for information on how to get involved.
In the words of one employee, the Care Point Adult Child & Family Association is the door to the entire social service area. It connects people to any social services they may need and people are invited to walk in anytime to discuss any issues or concerns they have. The center also offers free HIV testing and has free computer access for job seekers.
Since 1986, the Evanston Community Foundation has been offering financial assistance to various community endeavors. An offshoot of the regional United Way office, the ECF exists to fund and support local projects that have a philanthropic bent. Awarding gifts and grants from over 50 different funding sources, the ECF has had a hand in supporting startups benefiting everyone from small children to the elderly.
The Ted Fund provides financial assistance for 100 Evanston children whose families are among the one-third of the city's residents living below the poverty line so they can participate in summer sports and cultural activities and other programs during the year. The fund was founded in 1996 in memory of Ted Muller, a District 65 teacher and beloved summer camp counselor who died at the untimely age of 29. Children accepted into the program receive $800 each summer for three years to enroll in one the 16 summer youth programs partnered with the fund. They can also take part in a special mentoring program at the Evanston YMCA, and are given financial support for swim lessons at the YWCA, whose Flying Fish team is the largest in the state. Candidates for the program are referred by District 65 social workers in the Evanston public schools. The organization has a base of 1,200 supporters including corporate sponsors and hosts one large fundraising event each year plus an annual appeal whose goal is to expand the number of children served by the program.
The YWCA Evanston/North Shore is dedicated to eliminating racism and empowering women. A variety of programs and services are available here to achieve that mission. An extensive aquatics program is offered here as well as emergency housing, legal advocacy and support for victims of domestic violence. Also offered are financial literacy courses for women of all ages and Racial Justice trainings and dialogues. The YWCA Evanston/North Shore also hosts the annual Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate.