November 18th 2011: CHC In-Service on HIV/AIDS

Post by CHC Member, Becca M.

Over a span of 25 years (1981-2006), 25 million people died of AIDS across that world.  In the United States alone there are 1.2 million people living with HIV, of which 1 in 5 don’t know that they are infected.  This pressing topic was the focus of our latest CHC in-service in which we learned and discussed the issues of HIV/AIDS.

Every CHC in-service has been a wonderful opportunity to learn about important issues or skills that will keep the group at the edge of what is going on in the public health spectra and this week was no exception.  The day began with a presentation by Jane Hereth, the Coordinator of Support Services at the Chicago Women’s AIDS Project.  She explained what HIV is and how it spreads.  She then focused on the issues of treatment and support and what her organization does to try to eliminate some of these barriers for women.  The day and learning continued with an introduction to HIV prevention and outreach within the MSM community in Chicago by Jeff Gloftelty the manager of outreach services at Howard Brown. 

The discussion continued throughout the afternoon with members sharing their own experiences with HIV.  We then viewed the powerful 1989 documentary, “Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt” that is a collection of profiles of people touched by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, as they create the quilt squares to honor their loved ones in the AIDS Memorial Quilt.  This intense film discussed the stigmatism of AIDS and the neglect of the United States government to do anything about the epidemic in the beginning.  The day wrapped up with the unwrapping of the female condom.  This CHC event, planned and executed by CHC members, was a wonderful opportunity that shared important information with all of its members. 

Celebrando La Mujer Latina--A March of Dimes Event

Post by CHC Member, Becca M.

Good communication is important because it allows people to express their feelings, thoughts, comments, and concerns allowing others to respond to these issues.  The lack of communication can cause problems as the information that is important for others to know is not expressed.  Communication between mothers and daughters was the focus of the March of Dimes “Celebrando la Mujer Latina” on Saturday November 19 in Oak Lawn, IL.  Two CHC members, Maggie and I, helped facilitate this discussion during break-out sessions during the event that about 300 women participated.  It was a very interesting day filled with key note speakers talking about effective communication and puberty, break-out discussions, a three course meal, and dancing.  It was a great celebration of Latina women and hopefully opened the doors to better communication in their families.    

CHC In-Service in the Auburn-Gresham Community

post by CHC member, Lisa-Sun Gresham (how appropriate!)

Just another gorgeous day at Perspectives Charter in Auburn-Gresham

  

The day began briskly and early with a significant commute down to the Auburn-Gresham area of Chicago for our latest in-service day!  Sleepily riding the Red Line I embarked with fellow CHC member Savannah Jackson to the 79^th stop, narrowly missing other members standing on the train platform. Naturally (and foolishly) we banged on the train windows attempting to gain the attention of one CHC member we spotted through the glass. Our attempts were futile.

It is no joke when locals say the 79^th bus is the busiest and most jam-packed bus line in all of Chicago as we crammed sardine like into the front of the bus and slowly made our way to the back in preparation to arrive at Perspectives Charter School.  Again I saw a small entourage of CHC members scampering to make the bus stop, but to no avail- instead I pointed and giggled as the scenario played out one more time!

Finally at Perspectives we learned about the many facets of the ELEV8 program and all the activities it provides the students, including being given a wonderful tour of their garden and built in health clinic that is open to the public with a separate door.  We were all greeted kindly by clinic staff and pleasantly by students practicing the 26 Principals of a Disciplined Life. This model focuses on building a foundational culture of success for students to prepare them for their time in college, the workplace and in life.



Becca and James (class clowns) heading into the Access Health Center at Perspectives Middle.



We then had training on community mapping systems detailing how local teens canvassed their communities street by street, armed with cell phones and clipboards, and searched storefronts.  This was done with the intention of determining the resources available to them or updating businesses that were no longer in operation.

Mickey and Farmer Sydney talk about the school garden and compost area.

We got a tour of The Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation and were able to take a peek at their proposed plan to create a new railway stop for 79^th street, to hopefully alleviate the congestion on the busiest bus line in all of Chicago.  A few of us even received free tickets for the showing of “It Shoudda Been Me” by Dr. Doriane C. Miller, a play made to explore issues of mental health.

It was a gorgeous fall day to be out and about on the Perspectives campus.

Afterward we had a delicious southern comfort meal as an entire CHC team, with entrees ranging from catfish to beef tips and world famous peach cobbler for dessert at BJ’s Market and Bakery! Full of good food we meandered back to Perspectives for a final training on Classroom Management.  We discussed the various tips, tricks, and methods to effectively work with different age groups as a leader, facilitator, and educator. By the end of the day we shared our personal experiences in classrooms or as presenters, and played a wild game of Catch Phrase as a team building activity.  Picture hot potato mixed with charades. Yep. That was us.

Checking out how school lunch is done at Perspectives.



This school is beautiful. We're so glad Mickey and the rest of Perspectives Middle School let us come for visit!



Vision Screenings to Truck Farm: Site Visits with CHC Members!

Post by CHC Program Director, Karen Berg

Each year CHC members take on projects within their host site organization to improve the health and wellbeing of the community they are serving.  As the Program Director, most of what I “see” of our member’s direct service is through their semi-monthly time sheets and activity logs.  So a few times a year I like to hit the pavement to visit our members ‘in the trenches’ as they educate, engage and link community members to health services. 

My tour of CHC sites October 17^th – 24^th gave me an opportunity to check in with members one-on –one, learn more about what they are doing, where they serve and at some sites see them in action. 

Monday October 17^th: Neerja Joshi met me in the lobby of bustling Stroger Hospital in Cook County.  Clad in her blue lab coat, Neerja guided me through the labyrinth of wards and hallways to her office in the Department of Radiation Oncology.  Serving with the American Cancer Society-Illinois Division, Neerja has been busy designing a volunteer program to expand the services to cancer patients at the hospital.  Before leaving, I listened to Neerja describe ACS services to a newly diagnosed patient and successfully schedule him for his first visit with a social worker.  

Tuesday October 18^th: The Amundsen School Based Health Center’s bulletin board was the first glimpse I had of Matt Dudley’s host site.  Matt gave me a tour of the clinic and of the health education materials he’s designing for Erie’s health campaigns.  Matt has made connections within the school from ‘unknowingly’ meeting the principal to establishing a great connection with the P.E. instructor.  Leaving one high school for another, I met member Ayla Karamustafa at Lakeview High School’s School Based Health Center.  Both centers, sponsored by Erie Family Health Center, are new host sites this year.  Ayla has jumped right in setting up a texting reminder program for patients and designing a health education bulletin board.  Rounding out the day was Perspectives Charter Middle School to visit Antionette Fisher who is completing her 2010 term of service at the end of December.  Antionette, better known as Mickey to the students, was running non-stop to bring students into health compliance so they could remain in school.  That means lots of reminders home, calls to parents and trips with students to the school health center. 



Matt Dudley stands outside the Viking Health Center at Amundsen High School.



Ayla Karamustafa shows off the educational bulletin board within the Lakeview School Based Health Center.



Wednesday October 19^th:  Erie Family Health Center is a long standing host site of the Chicago Health Corps.  While the school sites are new for Erie and CHC, I started my day at Erie’s Humboldt Park site that opened in 1986 to visit Nina Litton and Rebecca Maddrell.  It was my first look at the newly renovated health center and health promotions department.  Nina and Rebecca gave me the grand tour and shared stories of their health education and outreach efforts across the community.  One of Nina’s priorities is re-engaging patients with diabetes to receive medical services.  Rebecca shared stories of her nutrition education classes with children.  That afternoon, I visited Devin Payne at the Erie Teen Center.  Devin is gearing up for the upcoming flu season by developing outreach and educational materials that will be used at Erie’s school-based sites in addition to the Teen Center. 



Nina Litton and Rebecca Maddrell at Erie Family Health Center-Humboldt Park



Thursday October 20th: My visit with Jessica Torres was an active start to my day escorting students to and from dental van visits AND vision/hearing screenings at her site.  Jessica is an alumnus of her host site, Orozco Academy in Pilsen, and in addition to linking students to services, she assists with after school programs including a running and health careers club.  After catching my breath from my morning at Orozco, I met up with Maggie Grinnell and Lily Camp at another Erie community health center in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood.  Maggie and Lily were busy researching answers to questions from high school students in their Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) class that they teach at Noble Street Charter School.  They are also planning a new curriculum for Erie’s La Vida Sana program for women. 

Friday October 21^st: My calendar entry for this day was “Respiratory Health Association (RHA)” day.  RHA, a long standing CHC host site, hosts four CHC members this year.  I began my day with Danielle Nelson who supports RHA’s lung health programs.  Danielle is preparing for the annual COPD conference that brings together hundreds of people living with COPD to an educational and social event in November.  After that I headed to the ‘Jungle’—the cubicle shared by members Lisa-Sun Gresham, Savannah Jackson and James Raspanti—where they were preparing for the afternoon’s Fight Asthma Now (FAN) class.  We piled into the RHA’s Toyota and headed to Melrose Park where the terrific trio was teaching over 25 students ranging from 4^th to 8^th grade.  The kids flowed into the classroom greeting their instructors for their final lesson about asthma and how they can manage it.  James, Savannah and Lisa-Sun lead them through activities that had them talking and, at one point, even jumping up and down.     



Sydney Weydemeyer “Farmer Sydney” distributes vegetable seeds to kids at the end of a Truck Farm education session.



Monday October 24^th: Alina Nuth and I walked through the halls of Uplift Community Academy in the Uptown neighborhood after she distributed consent forms to students in their homeroom classes.  Alina spends half of her week at Uplift and the other half across the street at Heartland International Health Center’s newest community site on Wilson Avenue.  Alina is the clinic’s first ever AmeriCorps member and she is busy creating nutrition education materials and soliciting area businesses to create a children’s play area in the waiting room.    Next up was a visit to Truck Farm with Farmer Sydney (a.k.a. Sydney Weydemeyer) at Nettlehorst Elementary school.  I learned standing shoulder to shoulder with 1^st graders about nutritious foods and how fruits and vegetables grow from the back of Petunia, the farm on wheels.  That evening I headed to Chicago’s Austin community for a Food Day event at Westside Health Authority’s brand new community kitchen.  Member Sana Syal is the first AmeriCorps member at WHA and was instrumental in organizing the educational event complete healthy food tastings and cooking demonstrations.  Sana expertly moderated the panel of speakers from Chicago organizations that are striving to bring fresh and nutritious foods to Chicago communities.  



Sana Syal moderates a panel of speakers at the Westside Health Authority’s Food Day community forum. 



Meet the Members: Antionette

Mickey (left) with family

Hometown:

Chicago (Humboldt Park, Leclaire Hearst Community, Englewood)

College:

East West University, Major: Behavioral Social Science

Fun fact:

Every one calls me Mickey, I use to have a really squeaky mouse voice and loved Mickey Mouse.

Favorite quote:

“Smile and the world will smile back”. My grandfather

What you did before AmeriCorps?

I use to work at Friendship Ventures for 6 years, a camp that provided services for those who are mentally and physically disabled.

Did your past work/school experience apply to your year of service?

Yes. I feel mental health is still overlooked as a part of health. There were also physical components that tied to exercise and eating habits.

Why did you choose to do AmeriCorps?

There are a lot people I know that have done this, and they credit AmeriCorps for giving them the experiences to be where they are today.

What are you doing as an AmeriCorps member?

I serve at Perspectives Middle Academy as their Health Coordinator. I am responsible for incorporating health initiatives in programs at the school. I also do big health drives for HIV/AIDS, Diabetes, Oral Health, Hygiene and much more. I also do a Community Health fair which is held twice yearly. I have been able to incorporate two new programs around family health as well.

What are your plans after AmeriCorps, and how does your year of service?

I would love to continue at Perspectives, so I am looking to be hired in a more permanent spot. I also plan to finish my degree in Behavioral Social Science, and look into a school for Public Health. In five years or so I hope to be opening my own Non- profit center that would provide a safe haven for those with special needs in Chicago.

What is your favorite part of CHC, so far?

I love the trainings and the service projects that we get to do outside of our host site, they just make you feel so good.

Deep Thoughts by Chicago Health Corps: If you had 1,000,000 dollars to give away, how would you do it?
I have been thinking a bit and I feel I have always known the answer to this.

I was brought up to always think of others and to do as much as I possibly could. The first thing I would do with a million dollars is donate a fourth of it to a community health center. Peoples health is more important than they give credit to. I feel with better advertisement and programs detail to the people, the community would be more welcomed to community health centers.

I would give a fourth of the money to the homeless people in Chicago. For some reason there are just way to many homeless people out there. This money would provide shelter for them to stay as well as some resources to help them get back on their feet.

The second half I would spend where I live. I would give this money to Alderman JoAnn Thompson, hoping that she would incorporate a community center where there can be wrap around services for the all of the people in the community.

With that said 1, 000,000 simply isnt enough, there is so much to be done.

CHC Potluck

post by CHC member, Becca M. 


The Chicago Health Corps is not only passionate about providing health care for the underprivileged, but they are also passionate about food.  This was evident at our first potluck last Sunday.  Everyone fought through the rainy weather to arrive at the lovely hostesses Nina and Danielle’s apartment with their home cooked treasures at hand.  There was sushi, salsa, pizza, squash, potatoes, pasta salad, soup, brownies, a side salad and much more.  While the food was unbelievable the company was even better.  We talked and hung out for hours until it was time to go home and get ready for the week ahead.  As I was leaving I was already looking forward to the next potluck and was ready to up my game on the cooking.

I love this candid shot. We look like such a hip crowd of potluckers.

RHAMC represent!!! We're quite the formidable team against lung disease.

Tons o' food! Thank you guacamole, thank you beans and barley, thank you
veggie pizza, thank you garlicky mashed potatoes, thank you sushi rolls. 

An amazing salad!!! What can we say, nothing beats a good homemade salad.

Alina,  Nina,  Shermaine, and...who recognizes those socks?
These four CHCers lingered a little bit longer, enjoying the ambiance and hospitality.

Thought CHCers were all SERVICE and no GAMES?

Chicago Health Corps gets Tricky for Halloween

post written by CHC Member, Sydney W.

We CHCers were pretty tricky last Friday at our Halloween-themed in-service.  It all started when a ninja walked into the 6^th floor conference room at PHIMC, luckily it soon identified itself as Lisa-Sun.  The tricks continued that evening at our Service event at the Irving Park YMCA’s Trick or Trunk Halloween Carnival.  Our resident ninja Lisa-Sun found another resident ninja, James, and they both headed over to the haunted pagoda to do some more tricking (apparently Ninja James gave Sana quite a fright).  

 

Ninja James and Ninja Lisa-Sun warming up for their night of tricking

Included by special request of Ninja James.
It does more justice to his ninja stealth.



Even the car we used to pass out candy to the Trick or Trunkers was acting tricky- was it a Subaru dressed up as a truck or a truck dressed up as a Subaru?  Those stationed outside passed out candy to princesses, Buzz Light Years, pimps, Yoda, Pebbles from the Flintstones, kids who had forgotten their costumes, parents who’d forgotten their kids...

 

Alina, Nina, Sana, Sydney, and Jessica manning the Trick or Trunk station.  Note Sana caught mid-act.

 

Alina and Sydney stand by as Jessica with her scary mask creeps out from the trunk to give children candy



 

Who says girls can’t get kookie even if they aren’t in the Kookie Carnvial!



Although the Kookie Carnival was not passing out cookies, as the name suggests if you pronounce it wrong, it was definitely pretty kookie.  With kids running around and CHCers running around after them, it helped CHCers practice what they preach by incorporating fitness into everyday, non-traditional fitness activities.





Karen getting’  Kookie at the Kookie Carnival



Spiderman loves to bowl. Who new?!

Shermaine helping out at the bowling lanes.

Mickey, our Master of Registration



Too much Kookie for Maggie? Assertive Ayla supervises in the background.

Danielle being super cute with the mini football toss participants.



Maybe the only thing from that night that wasn’t tricky was the Thai food, we should have known that it wasn’t going to knock our socks off… However, the 400 adorable children we played with all night did the trick!



Live music for the Trick or Trunk-ers made up for the mediocre Thai food