WHA Milestones
"We've come this far by faith"
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2008 |
Served as fiscal agent for Governor Blagojevich's Summer
Youth Program, where over 10,000 low income youth aged
13-22 were placed in summer employment. Launched the Austin Safety Net Works on youth violence. Prisoner Re-Entry Services placed 194 customers in employment during the first 6 months of 2008, of which 152 are ex-offenders. This includes 39 job placements into WHA's Transitional Jobs Program. |
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2007 |
Grand Opening of the Business & Human Resources Center
(BHRC). First cycle of the Kraft Healthy Living Initiative sessions commenced. |
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2006 |
Opened Community Re-Entry Center through grant from Mayor's Office of Prisoner Re-Entry, one of only two centers in the City of Chicago. | |
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2005 |
Community Support Advisory Council (CSAC), a capacity-building initiative to support prisoner re-entry, was created by WHA, now being used as a national model. | |
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2004 |
Austin Wellness Center completed. Expanded the services of the Austin Cook County Health Center to provide primary care. | |
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2003 |
Implemented the first youth baseball league in Austin. | |
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2002 |
Hired youth and adults to do lead sampling in Austin homes. Austin has the highest incidence of lead poisoning. Over 350 homes were tested. | |
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2000 |
Began the Austin Wellness Center capital campaign. | |
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1999 |
Received U.S. Department of Health and Human Services "Models that Work" award for equipping 68 EBV homes with Internet access. | |
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1995 |
Implemented Every Block A Village (EBV), an initiative that builds relationships between neighbors. | |
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1994 |
Assisted neighborhood businesses in obtaining contracts with local businesses, hospitals, and city. Through this project, an Austin resident received $500,000 transportation contract; total program contracts totaled nearly $5 million. | |
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1993 |
Implemented research project to train 30 community residents to conduct surveys in 314 Austin homes.+ | |
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1992 |
Placed 290 Youth in health careers; program model still exists in Chicago Public Schools. | |
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1990 |
WHA Founded by Jacqueline Reed, President / CEO |