More on the plans and activism regarding the closure of Englewood high schools

I got wind of a program from Chicago Public Radio scheduled for both Saturday & Sunday via Nextdoor. So tune in to your radios wherever you are 91.5 FM or tune in online at WBEZ.com

So the program called "Empty Schools, Empty Promises" airs as follows:

• Saturday, February 24, 2018 at 3:00 PM
• Sunday, February 25, 2018 at 9:00 PM 

In other news about CPS schools the Chicago Sun-Times further discusses the ultimate closures of four schools in Englewood. Robeson High School will be demolished and in its place will be the a newly built high school for Englewood residents.

With CPS set to close 4 South Side schools, questions on community support, @bylaurenfitz reports. https://t.co/MZNsyLXSyC pic.twitter.com/ukXS1HYefw

— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) February 23, 2018

Oh yeah found this on YouTube on Friday, Sun-Times reporter Lauren FitzPatrick heads to Kennedy-King College (6301 S Halsted St) to document a meeting with regards to closing these 4 Englewood high schools. Incidentally Ms. FitzPatrick wrote the article linked in the tweet above this video is embedded in that article. [VIDEO]

As you see in this vid above, the meetings proved to be contentious. It was really an unpopular move for Englewood residents and students for Team Englewood, Hope, Harper, and Robeson to be closed and students in an initial plan forced to attend schools oustide of their neighborhood - more on new plan here. The main aspect of this article is that apparent outsiders from Englewood seem to support the closures:

EVENT: Stop the violence...solutions

Held at the Greater Englewood CDC located at 815 W. 63rd Street 4th floor where you will hear from Executive Director of the Greater Englewood CDC Glen Fulton, RAGE founder and president Asiaha Butler and Teamwork Englewood's Michael Tidmore. To be held from 11 AM to 1 PM on Saturday January 28, 2017. There's a flyer below for more details.

Whole Foods in Engelwood opening tomorrow...

Sorry for this lazy blog post, but here's press release about Whole Foods opening in Englewood tomorrow (Wednesday). All the details are there...


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Job Opportunities, Financial Literacy to be Showcased at Englewood Whole Foods Grand Opening

CHICAGO – (September 26, 2016) – The Financial Opportunity Center of Metropolitan Family Services will offer financial tools and job training and opportunities at the grand opening celebration of the Whole Foods in Englewood from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The store is located at 932 W. 63^rd Street.

The Financial Opportunity Center (FOC), located on the campus of Kennedy King College, will be inviting adults ages 18-25 years old to open a checking account through #Englewood BAND$, a pilot project connecting young people to financial resources in their community.

The FOC also will be recruiting for the Bridge Program, a 16-week paid job training program that provides soft skills training as well as customer service credentials, and places participants at companies such as Walgreens, the local Kusanya Café – and the new Whole Foods and Starbucks.

“We are excited about the opportunities for not just jobs, but entrepreneurship, careers and healthy eating, which are all important to this community,” said Christine Brown, Senior Program Supervisor at Metropolitan Family Services. “Whole Foods and Starbucks are great places to work and offer a lot of great benefits, but individuals from our community may not have seen themselves as able to work at companies like these. We hope to help change that.”

The FOC has placed five clients in jobs at Whole Foods so far, including Lavetta and Lavelle Shaffer, who will attend the grand opening as Financial Opportunity Center (FOC) volunteers. The family, which includes a year-old son, were homeless last year. After job training through Metropolitan both parents are attending school and employed at the Englewood Whole Foods. 

The Financial Opportunity Center of Metropolitan Family Services partners with Greater Englewood Community Development Corporation, Teamwork Englewood, LISC, US Bank, Guaranty Bank, and Marquette Bank to provide #Englewood BAND$, the Bridge Program, and other services for Englewood community members.

About Metropolitan Family Services

Metropolitan Family Services empowers families to learn, to earn, to heal, to thrive. Part mentor, part motivator, part advocate, since 1857 Metropolitan Family Services has been the engine of change that empowers families to reach their greatest potential and positively impact their communities. Metropolitan is Illinois’ first comprehensive human services agency and reaches more than 68,000 families and individuals annually through seven community centers in Chicago, Evanston/Skokie, the southwest suburbs and DuPage County. Metropolitan’s services promote education, economic stability, emotional wellness and empowerment. metrofamily.org