Hope, Build, Believe & Achieve

Our Cabrini Connections students chose "Hope, Build, Believe & Achieve" as the theme for the 2009-10 school year.

As we end this school year we've sent out appeals to friends, family, co-workers, former volunteers and others, asking them to share as much of their wealth, time, and talent as they can to help us keep Cabrini Connections available to our teens, volunteer and alumni.

Our supporters are responding. Last week I posted a list of donations received from 5/11-5/15.

This week I'll share those we receive from 5/17-5/22.

Thank you all!

Ellen Nielsen
John Pellouchoud & Kristyna Driehaus
Karen and Kevin Lobdell (Board of Directors member)
Paul & Ruth Mc Mahon
Bella J. Kim
Robert F. Hirsch
Julie Bordo
Peggy and Te-Hsu Ma

If you have not yet sent a donation, you can use this PayPal link to contribute.


Tuesday was the annual Share A Meal Day for Community Shares of Illinois. This event raises visibility for the workplace fund raising campaigns organized by CS-IL, and raises some money for member agencies and CS-IL to do their work. Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection (CC, T/MC) staff hosted at several locations and have had some great stories to share.

EL Da'Sheon Nix was at Camille's Sidewalk Cafe, 400 N. LaSalle, early in the morning. As he tells the story, "No one was there, but me. A couple of guests came into the cafe' but left quickly with their 'to go' orders. Then this one guy, Mr. Monroe, came in. As he sat down, drank his coffee, and read the newspaper, I introduced myself, but he was waiting his breakfast, so I backed off. I noticed that he was looking at the sport's section and I asked him if he was a sport's fan and asked how he felt about Orlando Pace being traded to the Bears. After I shared with Mr. Monroe that Orlando Pace visited the Cabrini Connections' program less than 3 weeks ago," he looks up and says, "tell me what your organization does". After talking for a while he said "looks like you do good work" and agreed to donate $100 to Cabrini Connections!!!

Tutor/Mentor Programs like Cabrini Connections are needed in all parts of the Chicago region, not just in Cabrini Green. Through the Tutor/Mentor Connection we maintain a database of more than 200 different programs and we organize events, like the May 28 and 29 Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference, to bring programs together to help each program get the ideas and dollars and volunteers they need to help kids in their own neighborhood. I hope you'll help spread the word to build attendance (and sponsor dollars) for the next conference which is at the end of next week.