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Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough - Education

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:05:18 +0100

Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough – Education

Mya was shy in school and uninspired. Some teachers recommended special education classes, while others thought she should be in a gifted class. Today, Mya stood before a group of Kaleidoscope teens demonstrating how she went beyond the “labels” put upon her and became a Yale college student. Her message to the youth, all from the foster care system, was to go to college. “Higher Education is the number one contributor toward achieving your life goals,” stated Mya.

Mya and ten other Yale students visited Kaleidoscope during the Yale Summer Service Project – “Education is the Key to your Future, Don’t Stop ‘till you get enough.” Founded by Sheryl Carter Negash in 2009, as a way for Yale alumni to “pay it forward” within the communities where they live, and as a means to mentor current undergrads. The project is sponsored by the Yale Black Alumni Association, whose motto is “reconnecting to the university through service.”

“The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (IDCFS) encourages youth to seek higher education,” says, Madeline Gonzalez-Garcia, Education and Transition Manger for the IDCFS. “We want to create access to Yale and other colleges /universities through programs such as this.”

First held in Los Angeles in 2009, The Yale Service Projected targeted the Los Angeles County DCFS. The project came to Chicago last year and again in the summer of 2011.

Forty students from Yale applied to be presenters for the Summer Project which only had slots for 11 undergrads. It was not the high salary that attracted the applicant pool as none of the Yale participants were compensated in anyway. No paycheck or course credit is granted. This is strictly a volunteer operation that demonstrates service as one of the fundamental tenants of Yale University.

The Yale students introduce foster care youth to a Life Map and provided information on goal setting, SAT/ACT test taking, clubs and activities and community and public resources for financial aid. Most striking was the slide indicating wages earned of individuals with a Bachelor’s degree reaching $1 million more over a life time than someone without a degree.

“They reach the kids through their personal stories and one-on-one interaction,” stated Joshua Penny, Student Coordinator for the Summer Project. “Through narration of their personal stories, they make themselves vulnerable and create trust among the foster care youth participants.”

This is Joshua’s second year in the Project. He is originally from Atlanta, Georgia majoring in law. He does not miss a pay check because he has an interest in the legal aspects of foster care and a commitment to social justice. His group plans to present to the Connecticut DCFS when they get back on campus, and recruit a group of new students that will take on this volunteer job for next summer.

“We want as many youth in foster care to participate in the project because we want to help increase the numbers of youth-in-care who attend college. Our hope for the Summer Project is be able to recruit foster youth to attend Yale and then have those youth participate as undergrad presenters and recruit other youth in care in the not so distant future,” says Ms. Carter Negash who is a member of the Yale Black Alumni Association and National Board Member.

State Budget Includes Cuts to Foster Care

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 02:20:10 +0100

Though Illinois' fiscal year 2012 budget continues the disconcerting trend of decreasing funding to care for our most vulnerable - abused and neglected children - the Department of Children and Family Services' budget suffered about a one-half percent reduction from 2011. Certain line items suffered more than others, and the department will begin the tough decision of managing these cuts in the coming weeks and months.

Department of Human Services and contracted agencies across the state continue to be shaken. While DHS will see an approximate 13 percent reduction from 2011, the governor has had plans to transfer programs to other state agencies. Kaleidoscope and other foster care agencies often use the services of DHS agencies to provide a spectrum of care for children in need.

The budget is now in Governor Quinn's hands, who will either sign the budget as is, reduce line items or veto the budget in total.

For more details about how Illinois' budget affects child care agencies and human services organizations throughout Illinois, check out the Child Care Association of Illinois' blog here.

Child Care Agencies Carry State's Debt

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:56:06 +0100

Senate Bill 3 Transfers "Existing" State Debt

Currently, a huge backlog of payments are currently owed to children's service agencies, as well as many other human service providers.

Illinois currently owes hundreds of thousands of dollars to contracted human service agencies throughout the state, but a remedy - Senate Bill 3 - is currently pending in the Illinois General Assembly. This legislation allows these service providers to collect the reimbursement owed from services already rendered AND lets Illinois pay only five or six percent interest on that back debt. This is less than the 12% the state would continue to owe. This "transfer" can be likened to refinancing a mortgage for a lower interest rate.

In line with the Child Care Association of Illinois, we urge members of the Illinois General Assembly to support SB 3 to transfer "existing" state debt from children's service agencies to professional debt holders: bond buyers.

Legislators may be reluctant "borrow" money to pay the children's service agencies that provided care in good faith; however, this bill does not incur new debt...private agencies are already carrying this debt. Tell your representatives that this bill will restructure the state's debt to allow payment of past due bills and incur a lower rate of interest.

For more information, check out this article from the State Journal Register.

State Budget Alert

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 14:47:33 +0100

CHILD CARE ASSOCIATION OF ILLINOIS

STATE BUDGET ALERT

SUBJECT: STATE BUDGET ALERT

The General Assembly acted in the last 24 hours to generate additional revenues towards solving the state deficit, while putting in place restrictions in state spending growth.

The General Assembly passed the state income tax increase, effective January 1, 2011. The personal income tax rate increases from 3% to 5% for four years, then decreases to 3.75% after 4 years. An Illinois resident who owes $1000 in state income taxes would owe $1,666 at the new rate and then $1,333 when the tax rate drops in 4 years. Corporate tax rates will increase from 4.8% to 7% for 4 years and then drop to 5.25%.

The higher taxes are expected to generate $6.8 billion per year.

The income tax proposal passed the House late last night and passed the Senate early this morning.

Aides to the Governor say he supports this tax plan, although it is higher than what he proposed. He is therefore, expected to sign the bill.

The General Assembly also passed the bill approving borrowing/bonding to generate $4 billion to make this year’s state pension obligation.

Other aspects of the overall budget plan appear to be dead for the moment:

· The House could not produce the votes for the backlog debt/bonding plan. The measure failed, since it could not produce the 3/5 majority needed. This plan would have provided revenue to pay off the massive amount of overdue bills.

· The House could not produce the votes to increase the cigarette tax by $1 a pack. This measure would have generate $375+ million towards education funding. This bill remains on postponed consideration.

· The House did not call a gambling expansion bill on the floor. Although the income tax increase will reduce the overall state deficit, it by no means obliterates an almost $15 billion deficit. The new funds will help balance the annual budget and chip away at part of the backlog of unpaid bills. The debt/bonding plan was geared to generate $8.75 billion to address much of that backlog, but that measure failed. The increased cigarette tax was to go towards education funding, thereby reducing some drain on the overall state budget for education. Expanded gambling was meant to produce additional revenues for the budget.

Some of these measures can be reintroduced when the new General Assembly begins work. However, it will be more difficult to pass any such measures once the new legislature is seated. A strict cap on state spending growth is part of the overall tax increase plan. If state spending exceeds 2% a year, the income tax increase would be canceled. State spending is limited to $36,919 billion for FY’12, $37,554 billion for FY ’13, $38,305 billion for FY’14 and $39,072 billion for FY’15.

The Auditor General will monitor the level of increase. Because any limited growth within the 2% margin would probably be consumed by rising pension and Medicaid growth, this will force spending cuts in many other areas. Some projections put the cuts for FY’12 in the range of $800 million.

The tax increase is some good financial news for human services. However, we still face many barriers to prevent cuts even within this current fiscal year, and as we head into a restricted funding environment for at least the next 4 years. Please continue your good work with legislators to keep them aware of the importance of your agency services. Please watch throughout the spring session for CCAI legislative and advocacy alerts and provide our suggested, targeted messages to legislators.

WANTED: Runners and Walkers

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 17:38:09 +0100

Team co-captains Lindsay and Kathy are forming this year's AIDS 5k Run and Walk team for Kaleidoscope! Because Kaleidoscope is a "Community Direct" service provider to children and youth with HIV/AIDS, Kaleidoscope's team raises money to benefit its programs. Every penny raised by our team goes to Kaleidoscope!

This year's AIDS Run and Walk is Saturday, October 2, and includes a new 10k run for you athletes. Runners will receive a chip for recording your time.

So come out and join us! Bring your dog too! If you can't join us sponsor a friend or the whole team!

Follow the link below to sign up or sponsor the team:
https://afc.aidschicago.org/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=989&frtid=1090

Contact us if you have any questions.

Back to School

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:49:47 +0100

Going back to school for foster kids isn't easy. Sometimes they're transferred to a new school and have to make new friends. More often than not, however, they lack the resources needed to succeed - supplies as simple as pencils and erasers.

If you have a little time and money to help out a kid, consider shopping for a Kaleidoscope kid this month. You'll help make their first day at school a little easier by giving them the things they need.

Choose to shop for a primary school kid, junior high or high school teen. They all need your help. You can download and print the flyer to take with you shopping. You could even start a back to school drive where you work or go to school!

And if you don't have time to shop, consider making a donation and designating it to "back to school."

Thank you for helping out a Kaleidoscope student!

Illinois State Budget Cuts Might Flood Streets With Mentally Ill Homeless

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:42:21 +0100

Published : Wednesday, 30 Jun 2010, 10:03 PM CDT
By Mike Flannery, FOX Chicago News

Chicago - With Gov. Quinn preparing to chop hundreds of millions of dollars from the state budget Thursday morning, mental health care providers said they were already feeling the pain.

Fox Chicago News learned that, 48 hours before the governor's public announcement, the state sent contracts for the coming fiscal year that cut some providers by up to 34 percent.

Thresholds, Illinois's largest provider of homes for the mentally ill, said it lost $9.2 million in the contract it was told to sign and return by midnight Wednesday. FY2011 begins Thursday and Agency CEO Tony Zipple told us the cuts apparently take effect immediately.

Zipple and his colleagues said that, as a result of the cuts, Thresholds would no longer be able to offer housing to anyone without Medicaid or private insurance. They said that means the working poor would no longer be eligible for the program.

"For any of us, losing our home is a really terrible thing," said Zipple. "But when you have so little to start with, and when you depend on the services that are embedded in this program to stay straight and sane and sober, and you lose it, it's really the end of the world for you."

Forty-four mentally live at the Grais Apartments run by Thresholds. Program director Jane Weller said the state's cuts would force Thresholds to eliminate some psychiatric and other services for residents.

She and Zipple feared that several dozen of the 750 mentally ill housed in Thresholds apartments might be forced out of their homes. She said some would likely wind up back on the street, in hospital emergency rooms or even in jail...places where many of the program's residents have been previously.

Thresholds and other social service agencies across the state are preparing to layoff hundreds of workers. Some haven't been paid by the deadbeat state of Illinois in months and their banks won't lend them any more cash.

Providers like this understand the state is facing a monumental budget, but they argue that cutting social services like the Grais apartments is a penny-wise, pound-foolish approach.

"If the people who live here are back on the streets, they will essentially cost the taxpayers more," Thresholds Program Director Jane Weller said.

A spokeswoman for the Illinois Dept of Human Services said DHS hopes the grim budget cut numbers "are not final."

An advisor to Quinn told Fox Chicago News the governor needs to cut more than $1 billion from the budget so that the state does not run out of cash for its own payroll and other vital operations before November.

The significance of that date? It's election month. Some believe the governor might find more support for his proposed income tax increase in the General Assembly after the election.

A new way to give

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:17:19 +0100

As we continually explore alternatives for fundraising in support of our mission, we are delighted to announce that Kaleidoscope is now a member of tix4cause.com. Tix4Cause is a ticket exchange website founded on an innovative yet simple concept - ticketholders sell their unwanted tickets and can donate 100% of the proceeds to Kaleidoscope.

Tix4Cause is a novel way to donate, where:

Ticketholders turn their unwanted seats over to Kaleidoscope, and qualify for a tax deduction.
Ticket purchasers choose from these great seats, and receive reasonable pricing (tickets are offered at fair market prices).
100% of ticket proceeds are given to Kaleidoscope.

The success of our partnership with Tix4Cause depends on you. I know many of you have tickets that, for various reasons, cannot be used. To ensure we hit the ground running with this program, I'm requesting your unwanted sporting, theater or music event tickets.

Don't let a single ticket go to waste - insteads, place them for sale on Tix4Cause. We are truly excited about this opportunity and look forward to this great, new way to help support Kaleidoscope's mission.

Making Programs for Kids Solid, One Day at a Time

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 20:01:47 +0100

You may remember receiving a letter and/or email from Tom Finnegan about Kaleidoscope's budget for next fiscal year beginning 7/1 and the gap that needs to be filled. All of us at Kaleidoscope - the board, staff, volunteers - remain confident that we can fill the $250,000 gap.

This gap is $70,000 more than we currently raise - that's $191 a day. By "selling" 365 days at $191 each, we WILL meet our goal. So far, 53 generous donors (you know who you are!) have bought a combined 55 days!

THANK YOU!

The campaign we call "Seize a Day" ensures that Kaleidoscope programs for kids remain solid and stable, meeting the complex needs children recovering from abuse present, providing the services they need to become healthy young adults.

This is a good start!

You can help Kaleidoscope make this goal:

renew your gift at the same level as last year, if possible.
donate an additional day ($191) or more if you can.
ask your friends to donate, volunteer or attend an event.

Kaleidoscope is a community effort that pays back Chicago many times over. As the Kaleidoscope case statement says, "For those of us with means and an eye to the future, there is no excuse, no valid reason, not to help abused children."

Donate and Seize a Day!

Illinois' Deficit = Crisis for Foster Kids?

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 20:00:25 +0100

While the Illinois House passed a budget plan in late May, the question still remains regarding what the governor will allocate to various state agencies like DCFS and the impact on Kaleidoscope and other social services.

Kaleidoscope is hired by DCFS (Department of Children & Family Services) to care for high-need abused and neglected children who are wards of the state. Contracts generally cover basic human needs as well as necessary therapy or medical coverage, so Kaleidoscope engages in fundraising to complete the array of comprehensive services that give children the best possible chance for recovery and a healthy adulthood.

Please remember to stay in touch with your elected officials and let them know that services to children need to stay intact. Should you ever have questions, please contact us!