It was this truth that Tonier Cain helped the women of Deborah’s Place to discover.  That the experiences that they have gone through are traumatic and that there is nothing they did to deserve it.

Tonier brought this message of hope and her personal story of trauma and recovery at a private speaking engagement for the women of Deborah’s Place on Monday, June 3, 2013.

“What she showed me is that everything and anything is possible,” reflected Angela, a Deborah’s Place resident.  “She illustrates how her trials and tribulations made her stronger.”

Tonier is a renowned motivational speaker and a consumer advocate with an uplifting story about turning her life around.  After surviving a childhood of unspeakable abuse, unrelenting violence, and betrayal by systems that were supposed to help her, she showed resiliency of the human spirit as well as exemplified the innate human instinct to survive. Cain is currently a team leader for the National Center for Trauma-Informed Care with the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors.

“Tonier was the ideal person to come to Deborah’s Place because she has lived the experiences that are similar to the experiences of the women we serve,” remarked Dr. Jackie Anderson, Director of Clinical Services at Deborah’s Place. “Tonier’s story can teach others how to think of women in a holistic manner, and not define them by the bits and pieces that make up their experiences.”

A common sentiment many of the women shared with Tonier was that “I see myself in your story”.

After the event, attendees were treated to a delicious meal donated by the Hilton Chicago Social Butterflies, a employee run social responsibility committee.

Tonier took the time to have lunch with some of the women of Deborah’s Place. Women had the chance to share their own stories with Tonier.

This event is made possible through the generous support of Northeastern Illinois University Alliance of Student Social Workers. Supporters felt compelled to create this opportunity because they felt passionate about the message of hope that Cain would bring to the women of Deborah’s Place.

Tonier is also the subject of the documentary “Healing Neen” which chronicles her past struggles and how she triumphed over her past trauma to help others.

Volunteers and the public signed up to complete 3 projects at Deborah’s Place. On Thursday, May 30, volunteers painted a shared space of the Teresa’s Interim Housing program.  The new paint complements the newly renovated bathrooms

On Saturday, June 1, volunteers completed two service projects for Deborah’s Place. At our Sedgwick location, volunteers helped create an inviting outdoor area for residents to enjoy.  And, at our Jackson location,  volunteers prepared the gym for event that brought the inspiring motivational speaker Tonier Cain to speak to the residents of Deborah’s Place about trauma and recovery.

WBEZ seeks to make a positive impact in Chicago with our news and stories. And with the support of Chicago Cares, the city’s leading service organization, they launched the first ever Day of Service.  Another way to make an impact!

Volunteers from all projects benefited an evening of storytelling co-presented by The Moth and a performance by the Blue Ribbon Glee Club and the first Goose Island Green Line on the house at Schubas.

Thanks to those who volunteered at Deborah’s Place and to all volunteers for helping to make an impact for so many organizations in Chicago!

Organized by Chantel Turner, volunteers from Maranatha Bible Church provided over 30 women with lunch, pedicures, manicures and facials, creating a truly luxurious experience. “My church outreach team was searching for an organization and Deborah’s Place was on our list,” said Chantel. “I took the vision of pampering session & lunch that God had given me and shared it with the outreach team at church and everyone got on board and worked to put together this event.” The spa treatments and makeovers were provided by Mary Kay reps who are members of the church.

“The feeling of actually seeing the event and vision carried out was great,” reflected Chantel. “Our church members walked away feeling so blessed because they were able to talk and help these ladies. A couple of our church members said they love the mission of Deborah’s Place and felt they would love to come back and volunteer their time with the ladies. This event was a first time for some of our church members and they walked away feeling touched with the many smiles, hugs and comments that the women made about the day.”

Thank you Chantel and Maranatha Bible Church for creating such a memorable day!

Guests enjoyed a wonderful meal from the Entertaining Company at the Chicago Cultural Center.  The program included inspirational words from guest speaker K. Sujata, President of the Chicago Foundation for Women, about the physical trauma many women face that lead to their homeless experience.  St. Chrysostom’s Episcopal Church was presented with the Patty Crowley Service Award for their 17 years of dedicated meal service at Deborah’s Place.  The event also included a video presentation of Bethany’s Story.

We would also like to thank our generous sponsors for the evening’s festivities; the event would not have been a success without their support.

REGISTRATION IS FREE
Saturday, June 29
Registration opens at 7:00 a.m.
Step-Off at 8:30 a.m.
Solider Field Stadium Green

Join our online team here

Pre-registration for the Hunger Walk is not required, but by joining our team online we can help organize and invite friends and family to participate. Registration begins at 7:00 a.m. at Soldier Field’s Stadium Green. Step off for the 5K will begin at 8:30 a.m. The walk course heads south along the lakefront and turns at 31st Street.

For Deborah’s Place to receive credit toward our Food Depository account, each walker must fill out and turn in a registration form. Our Team Agency name is A00190 – Deborah’s Place. Our credit is based on the number of final registration waivers that are turned in on June 29, not online registrations.

Note, children and strollers are welcome, but dogs are not permitted on the walk.

If you have any questions about the Hunger Walk, contact Laura Ignoffo at (312) 944-8810 x112 or lignoffo@deborahsplace.org

Deborah’s Place Provides Nearly 4,000 Meals a Month to Women in Our Programs.

The Greater Chicago Food Depository is an important partner in our mission to breaking the cycle of homelessness as they provide access to low cost and nutritious food to our organization.

And, without a nutritious meal, the women we serve cannot begin to heal from homelessness. A fed belly allows our women to feel energized and safe, which motivates them to start helping themselves. They can get back to work, go to doctor appointments and take charge of their lives without worrying about finding their next meal. The meals we are able to provide take into account common health concerns like hypertension and diabetes, so doctor visits become less frequent and our women are physically healthier.

By walking you can have a significant impact on the women we serve. Just by being there, you can help fund 7 meals at Deborah’s Place.

The Hunger Walk is an annual 5k walk to raise funds and awareness for the Food Depository’s work and network of 650 agencies, of which Deborah’s Place is a member. The Food Depository covers the overhead expenses for the event so all funds raised can be divided amongst the Food Depository’s network agencies.

For more information about the Hunger Walk visit chicagosfoodbank.org/hungerwalk

To help raise awareness of this startling statistic and find healing from their own experiences, the women of Deborah’s Place participated in “The Clothesline Project” as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

The Clothesline Project is a worldwide event that addresses gender-based violence, including abuse, incest, rape, battery, and assault. Participants express their thoughts or stories on sexual violence by decorating a t-shirt. Then the t-shirts are hung on a clothesline in a public space to raise awareness and solidarity around these issues.

At Deborah’s Place the women decorated their shirts in the Learning Centers with not just statements to raise awareness, but also statements of hope.

The shirts were then hung at a gathering in Cozy Corner of the 1530 N Sedgwick Learning Center. Participants took the time to reflect on the project with one another. Women expressed the meaning behind their shirts. The Deborah’s Place Sliders dance team performed, too.

Deborah’s Place resident Maryam, wanted those who see her shirt to know “that there is help, there is life after abuse. Continue to keep struggling – things will get better. It seems like it won’t but it will. Think about your life and your children, if you have them. There are safe places for you.”

The Clothesline Project at Deborah’s Place was organized by Rebecca Ogle, an intern at Deborah’s Place and a graduate student in Loyola University’s Masters of Social Work program. Having helped organize a Clothesline Project at Loyola, Rebecca realized the women of Deborah’s Place may also enjoy participating in such an event.

When Deborah’s Place resident Sara was asked about the meaning behind her shirt she responded “because I’ve been abused physically and mentally and I never thought it was right. There was never anything I did to deserve that; no woman deserves that.”

“For many women experiencing homelessness, domestic or sexual violence is one of the direct causes of their homelessness,” stated Rebecca. “So as you might imagine, sexual violence is an issue that our women are really passionate about. We saw the participants’ passion for ending sexual violence when they attended the One Billion Rising event, and we can see it now in their beautiful, thoughtful t-shirts.”

The Loyola Wellness Center generously offered to donate leftover t-shirts from the Loyola Clothesline Project to the Deborah’s Place Clothesline Project so that others may participate in this healing activity.

Click here to see more photos on our Facebook Page.

The Patty Crowley Service Award is given to a volunteer or group of volunteers who exemplify the gracious leadership and generous spirit of one of Deborah’s Place’s founding mothers, Patty Crowley.

Since 1996, St. Chrysostom’s has been preparing monthly meals for the women of Deborah’s.  Meals are prepared onsite at Chrysostom’s Church and delivered to the Teresa’s Interim Housing Program and the Dolores Safe Haven at our 1530 N. Sedgwick location.  Their generous service provides meals for nearly 30 women every month.

When asked about why St. Chrysostom’s provides meals for the women of Deborah’s Place, volunteer and coordinator of meal preparation Pam Marks remarked that it “allows us to bond together for a common purpose by making a home cooked meal for the women.”

Volunteers from St. Chrysostom’s prepare a meal for Deborah’s Place

“Our relationship with St. Chrysostom’s is one of our longest running volunteer partnerships,” said Executive Director, Audrey Thomas.  “We felt it was time recognize their nearly two decades of service to Deborah’s Place.”

St. Chrysostom’s Episcopal Church was established in Chicago’s Old Town community in 1893.  Dedicated to service and community, St. Chrysostom’s provides many in-house outreach programs in addition to cooking for Deborah’s Place.

The 2013 Deborah’s Place Benefit Dinner will take place on Thursday, May 16 at the Chicago Cultural Center.  Click here for more information about the event.

Without you, Deborah’s Place would not be able to provide a safe and welcoming place for over 400 women every year as they begin to recover from the trauma that is homelessness. Over 500 volunteers support the mission of Deborah’s Place by assisting with meal service, leading classes in our Learning Centers, providing landscaping and administrative assistance and by helping to plan our special events throughout the year.

Volunteerism is deeply rooted in the history of Deborah’s Place.  Our organization was started by a group of volunteers who saw a need for an overnight shelter solely for women.  This overnight shelter was completely run by volunteers.  While our model has changed over the years from an overnight shelter to the largest supportive housing provider to women experiencing homelessness in Chicago, volunteers are still an essential component to our ability to fulfill our mission.

It was as a volunteer that I began my relationship with Deborah’s Place.  The first time I volunteered, I was encouraged to not just serve the meal, but to share the meal with the women.  I feel in love with those women and the organization and have never looked back.   Like many of you, volunteering has changed how I think about homelessness and its solutions.

From everyone here at Deborah’s Place, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all you do.  We are so grateful to have you with us on this journey.

Audrey Thomas
Executive Director
Deborah’s Place

A year and a half ago, Angela was a participant of the Deborah’s Place Teresa’s Interim Housing Program working toward her goals of housing and employment.  Today, Angela has a promising career, is looking to buy a home and is spreading the word how Deborah’s Place helped her to get there.

Angela had a great career at a bank. However, when the financial crisis hit, Angela was one of many who lost her job.  She had enough savings set aside for emergencies to impress any financial adviser at the time.  However, like many, Angela struggled to find other work.  After her savings and benefits ran out, she was homeless.

Homelessness was something Angela never thought she would ever experience.  “I didn’t have a disability and I wasn’t an addict,” remarked Angela.  The experience of homelessness was so unfamiliar to her that she had no idea where to turn for help.  She needed a job, but first she needed a place to live.

Her luck changed when she overheard a discussion about how a friend “had a really nice place to stay over at Deborah’s Place.”  Curious, Angela stopped by to learn about the services Deborah’s Place offered to women experiencing homelessness.  She put her name on the waitlists of the housing programs she qualified for at Deborah’s Place.  While waiting for a spot in the program, she was able utilize Deborah’s Place’s Learning Center to continue her job search.

In June 2011 a place in Teresa’s Interim Housing Program opened up at Deborah’s Place for Angela.  Here she had a safe place to recover from the trauma of homelessness, as well as access to resources that would help her find a new job and a new home.  She found a community who understood her experience and could support her. (Read more about her experience at Deborah’s Place here)

Through the support and encouragement of the staff and women of Deborah’s Place, Angela achieved her goals.  She is now the Office Administrator of a company based in Oak Brook.  She once again has her very own apartment.  She is even looking to buy a home that would bring her closer to work.

She asked the president of her company why he chose her for the position.  “It is because of your attitude,” he said.  Angela felt that her experiences made her more open.  She has a new perspective that allows her connect with people in a new way.  “It taught me to be more considerate and care because you don’t know everyone’s story,” said Angela.

Since moving on from Deborah’s Place, Angela has been actively promoting Deborah’s Place by reaching out to her favorite radio station and potential donor groups.  Her efforts have secured multiple public service announcements on 107.5 WGCI, resulting in listeners calling in to volunteer.

Angela reflects often on her time at Deborah’s Place.  One moment that will always stand out for her is a group discussion with other Teresa’s participants about “What do you want to do with your life?” Like her, most of the women expressed interest in giving back in their lives.  “It isn’t about the material things,” remarked Angela.  “It is about the impact you can make.  For the rest of my life it is about giving back.  Every day, I ask myself ‘What did you give back today?”

Thank you, Angela for the update on how things are going, for sharing your story of homelessness and for helping spread the word about Deborah’s Place.

You can help women like Angela move on with their lives and recover from the trauma of homelessness.  A gift of as little as $28 can help a woman travel to job interviews and career fairs for a week.  Consider a gift today.

Imagine taking on the goal of going back to school later in life and all the challenges it would bring. Now imagine going back to school AND experiencing homelessness.