Urban Immersion
You've got a few weeks home for winter break - why not take that time to give back to your local community! The Urban Immersion is a 3 day/2 night immersive community service program in Chicago. Volunteer in some of Chicago's neediest areas, make a difference by working with EZRA Multi-Service Center, Night Ministries and other local volunteer organizations, or explore social Justice within Jewish tradition. This year, Urban Immersion will take place January 3-5, 2012.
The University of Illinois, Chicago Hillel will be home base and we'll commute together to the volunteer sites. Cost for this program is $50.
This program is a collaborative effort between the Hillels of Illinois and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.
Check out this year's Urban Immersion schedule of activities below. Learn about the program from one of the 2010 Urban Immersion participants.
Sample Itinerary based on last years program:
2011 Urban Immersion Schedule of Activities
Day 1 - Refugee Services and Hunger
We'll begin by diving right into real life issues facing recent refugees to the United States. For many refugees, coming to Chicago is their first experience with the "Western World" and everyday tasks that are simple for you are foreign to them. We'll be assisting in adjustment and English as second-language courses and interacting with people from all parts of the world who now call Chicago home.
In the evening we'll confront some of the greatest issues facing those in need in Chicago: homelessness and hunger. We will explore three different models of addressing hunger: the first is the tradition soup kitchen and shelter approach, the second serves meals to the homeless out on the streets and the third serves 'clients' in a structured setting for a more holistic approach to caring for the poor. All together we will be preparing and serving over 400 meals to serve with the Night Ministry in the Humbolt Park, Pilsen and Wicker Park neighborhoods (no cooking experience necessary.) We'll help deliver the meals on the streets until midnight. Another part of the group will also serve as waiters at the JUF Uptown Café that evening and a third part of the group with volunteer with the Women's REST shelter in Uptown. Be prepared for a late night and cold temperatures!
Day 2 - Education, Large Scale Hunger Assistance, and Diversity
We'll spend the morning in a Chicago Public School on the South side of Chicago. This school has a high percentage of low income students as well as students with special needs. We will meet with the principal to learn about how they are facing the challenges in their school and community. Then, we will have to opportunity to work with some of the students in their classroom.
In the afternoon, we'll volunteer at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. This Chicago food bank is a nonprofit food distribution and training center providing food for hungry people while striving to end hunger in our community. We'll spend a few hours repacking bulk products to individual/family sizes, assembling boxes with assorted food or checking expiration dates, labeling products and gleaning products.
We'll spend the evening at the Center on Halsted exploring diversity and learning about the Urban Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. Center on Halsted has become an exciting and highly visible symbol for the LGBT community of Chicago, serving diverse social, recreational, cultural, and social service needs of youth and adults in a safe, inviting and nurturing environment.
Housing
The final day will be spent in Uptown, a microcosm of the urban experience: immigrants, homelessness, deinstitutionalized mentally ill, and gentrification. In the midst of many problems, we'll examine the multitude of institutions including JUF's EZRA Multi-Service Center, which serves both Jewish and non-Jewish clients. Understand the connections between illness and homelessness and learn about ways to prevent people from ending up on the streets.
EZRA's staff has identified a particular need for its mentally ill clients - preventing evictions. By assisting member's of the EZRA community in cleaning out their apartments we can help make their living environments safe and preventing eviction. Be prepared to encounter some messy and perhaps tough situations - but know you are really making an impact by helping someone save their home.
We'll end with dinner and ideas of how you can take your experience with you!
