Donate to North Lawndale Works

Please select "North Lawndale Works" from the dropdown menu.

The Objective: NORTH LAWNDALE WORKS is a call for the Old St. Patrick’s Catholic Community to help remove barriers to employment for adult job seekers in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood in 2020.

The Situation: Many adults in North Lawndale face obstacles uncommon to those seeking employment in more privileged communities. Black and Hispanic individuals who live in poverty and/or have felony backgrounds, and those without reliable transportation or financial resources are unlikely to find decent jobs that pay livable wages. Thus, they are unable to provide for themselves or their families.

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“I stand in awe at what they have to carry rather than in judgment at how they’ve carried it.”  

- Fr. Gregory Boyle, SSJ.
 Homeboy Industries, Los Angeles

Unemployment for these adults is usually not due to laziness, ignorance or apathy. They are actually trapped in constricting economic and social conditions not of their making. The cumulative effects of decades long racism, segregation, redlining, poverty, disinvestment from the community by businesses and government, inadequate housing and education systems and resulting poverty, crime and violence sentences them to joblessness. What they desire and deserve are opportunities to overcome these injustices so they can work honest jobs, provide for themselves and their families and live meaningful lives. They are ready, willing and able to work, and they'd appreciate support from the people of Old St. Patrick's so they can succeed. There are three ways you can help:

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1. PLEASE DONATE!

The Need: Cash and gift cards are greatly needed to help relieve job seekers of the burdensome costs related to the employment search. For many, the inability to afford transportation, food, childcare, mobile phone bills, Internet service and workplace attire stands in the way of them finding and keeping good jobs

The Difference You Make: Donations of funds, Ventra passes, Visa or Mastercards and also gift cards from major grocery and department stores are beneficial to job seekers with limited financial resources. Some examples of how your donations help are:

Donations of:    
$10
$25
$100
$500
$1,000 ​

Provide:
Ventra card (CTA/Pace) fare card for 1 person, round trip, for 1 day. 
8 - 10 hours of private childcare for 1 child of a job seeker for 1 day.
1 pair of inexpensive shoes and 1 shirt or blouse for 1 person.  
Ventra (CTA/Pace) fare cards for 4 people for 1 month plus phone bill assistance for 1. 
​Funding for an entrepreneurial minded job seeker to prepare a private vehicle for ride and cost sharing with co-workers to and from the job site for 1 year.

       Ways to Donate:

• Donate funds HERE. Please select "North Lawndale Works" from the dropdown menu.
• Drop off gift cards to the Hospitality Table before and after Sunday Masses at Old St. Patrick’s or at the Fr. Jack Wall Mission Center, 711 W. Monroe Street, 3rd Floor, Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm.  
• Mail checks or gift cards to:​ Old St. Patrick’s Church, 711 W. Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60661.  Attn: North Lawndale Works.
• Donations of clothing, shoes and electronic devices are not being accepted.

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2. PLEASE NETWORK!

The Need: North Lawndale adults with prior criminal backgrounds are seeking respectable entry level jobs that pay sustainable wages. Despite their past mistakes (in some cases made many years ago), these job seekers have already paid their debts to society and they, like citizens of other backgrounds, long for the dignity and stability that work provides. Still, despite their best efforts they are stifled by constant scrutiny, discrimination and rejection. Doors of opportunity slam closed for them at every turn because of their past.

Since networking is essential to landing a good job in today’s business environment, and because these adults have little or no access to such networks, they appreciate your help making connections with employers that will consider hiring them.

The Difference You Make: By reaching out to business owners, administrators, managers, HR personnel, co-workers, friends and family in your circles of influence you can open up job opportunities for North Lawndale residents with criminal backgrounds. Your appeals to them to give job seekers chances to overcome negative stigmas, economic and racial barriers that block them from honest work and redemption are crucial. By leveraging your networks, you provide job opportunities they would never find on their own.

Types of Entry Level Positions to Consider: 

Food service | Driving | Equipment operation | Maintenance | Mailroom | Reception Product assembly
Administrative aid | Tech support | Security | Customer Service | Manufacturing | Hospitality | and more . . . 

Note - Some of the job seekers are college educated, experienced in particular trades and have no criminal backgrounds so please reach out with news of any available positions. A workforce development professional from the North Lawndale Employment Network (NLEN) or Cara Chicago will contact you to explore the opportunity.

Submit job connections you've helped arrange for adults with criminal backgrounds here!

Workforce Development for Job Seekers: Adults to benefit from NORTH LAWNDALE WORKS are screened, trained and workforce ready clients of the North Lawndale Employment Network (NLEN) and Cara Chicago.  For decades these two agencies have successfully prepared, placed, supported and tracked thousands of adult job seekers facing significant barriers to employment. 
 
Click the logos to learn more about these NORTH LAWNDALE WORKS, workforce development partners:

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3. PLEASE ENGAGE!

Examine, pray about and get involved in social justice initiatives at Old St. Patrick’s and beyond that strive to overturn systemic injustices. Learn how to engage in these initiatives in each Sunday’s Crossroads Bulletin, at the Old St. Patrick’s Website and in the following links within this website.

• Mission Overview
• North Lawndale Kinship Initiative
  
• Justice Initiatives
  
• Phoenix Hall
  
• Outreach at OSP
  

Thank you for your interest in these causes.

Contact:
Vincent L. Guider
North Lawndale Kinship Initiative Director
vincentg@oldstpts.org

Kinship Mission
Through the Kinship Initiative, people of North Lawndale and Old St. Patrick’s Church walk alongside one another in friendship, sharing our talents and resources to secure justice, opportunity and the transformation of our communities.