Family Focus Our Place, Evanston

News:
* Gospel Fest 2010
* New Elevator
*Health & Wellness Fair

Gospel Fest 2010
(Click here to see photos.)

Gospel Fest 2010: My Name is Victory! was a great success. Over 300 people came on August 7 to enjoy the music, feast on ribs, purchase books, and have a great time.

Kimberly Davis gave a soul-stirring, tear-jerking rendition of I Won't Complain, and Jerome "Jigga" Smith paid tribute to King of Pop Michael Jackson. Our Master of Ceremonies was Reverend Kenneth E. Cherry of Christ Temple Missionary Baptist Church, and he and his choir also performed ,as did the Evanston North Shore Community Choir and the Family Focus Children's Choir.

A highlight of the event was an impromptu reunion performance of the Family Focus Reunion Choir, several former Family Focus participants who had sung in the Children's Choir.

New Elevator (Click here to see photos.)

Three Family Focus Our Place Center Directors, two Evanston mayors, two Family Focus, Inc., Executive Directors witnessed the grand opening of a new elevator retro-fitted to Family Focus's Evanston building. The new elevator, which improves accessibility for people with disabilities, involved all of these staf fover the last 10 years.

Also on hand were many others who were instrumental in bringing this project about. Mary, the Evanston resident who set the project in motion, City of Evanston ADA Compliance Officer Brian Barnes, and members of Our Place's Advisory Board were there. So were Family Focus Board member John Syvertsen and architect Midhael Zanco, of OWP/P Architects, Board member Jim Hagy, formerly of Jones Day, and representatives of MB Financial Bank.

Family Focus sincerely thanks OWP/P, which provided pro bono architectural services, Jones Day, which provided free legal services, and MB Financial, which provided the all-important construction loan, all of which were vital to completing the project.

Health & Wellness Fair/Garden Unveiling (Click here to see photos.)

Our Saturday, June 5, about 125 people attended Our Place's first Health & Wellness Fair and community garden unveiling drew exhibitors and participants from all over the community.

The event, which was free for anyone attending, included screenings for cholesterol, blood pressure, and joint injuries.

The event was broadcast live by Mike Nowak, on the Mike Nowak show (Chicago Progressive Talk Radio - WCPT).

Our Programs

Located in the Weissbourd-Holmes Center on Evanston’s west side, Family Focus-Our Place has been providing family support programs for parents, children, and teens for more than 20 years. What makes our center special? In part, it's the programs and resources we provide, including mentors for pregnant and parenting teens, monthly family nights, and a community gospel choir. But more than that, it's the way our staff, families, board members, donors, and others in the community bring it all together to create a safe, welcoming place where families can make connections and get support.

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Evanston: Our Place