Cottage Hills Hope Center

Gives Hope to the Hopeless

Hope is one of our nation’s greatest needs for hurting families as the government makes drastic cuts in the public aid system. Families can only be on public aid a total of three years their entire life according to the Public Aid Reform Bill of

1998. This year was the end of the three year deadline for many local families. Unemployment, seasonal work, and the rising cost of living make those who are below the poverty level in great need of assistance to survive.      Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until noon, the Community Hope Center (CHC), located at 950 14th Street in Cottage Hills, IL is open to help needy families. Those they serve can come from any geographical area because the Center doesn’t limit anyone from receiving help in their time of need. After being screened, families are then sent to visit a minister where they receive biblical ministry and prayer. Currently, the CHC is helping an average of 2,500 people a month from nine counties in Illinois. Volunteers make over 160 stops a month gathering over 4 tons of

food from various locations which is distributed free of charge from the Center’s pantry to families in need. But feeding people isn‘t the only outreach of the Center.

Hope for Senior’s

Older citizens in America are suffering because they cannot live on Social Security alone. They have a choice to make: take their medicine or eat. Families who are on Social Security or disability make up 40% of those who come to the Center for help every month.

The CHC‘s Senior Home Enrichment Program is for those seniors who come to the Center for help with food and need a little extra help at their homes. Volunteers are sent to their homes to help do odd jobs. During a home visit, volunteers have discovered deplorable situations and have been able to make a great difference in the home environment of many local seniors.

Hope for the Future

The CHC also offers free classes to those in need out of a firm belief that education is a key to escaping poverty. A Food Dollar Program was developed for those who are making the transition from welfare to work. Classes for this program are held on the last Thursday of every month starting at 10 a.m. and are geared toward teaching families how to budget, cook, write resumes, seek employment, and obtain grants to attend college. Many family members have enrolled at local colleges after attending these classes.

Computer classes are also offered free of charge at the Center every Thursday at 10 a.m. Basic computer literacy is taught with advanced classes available to those in need. These classes are for those who cannot afford college. Many students are working hard at trying to get better paying jobs by attending these classes. Anyone is invited to attend.

Hope for the Children

The CHC has discovered over the past decade that Madison County is the third highest county in the State of Illinois for confirmed cases of child abuse. The Center has also found that the plight of an abused child is not a pleasant one. Because of the cost of counseling, many abused children, living below the poverty level, are without care and counseling during the first six months following the discovered abuse. This six month time period is crucial to the child’s care because it has been found that early treatment makes the recovery process quicker and easier. Many parents are so distraught by the abuse of their children (and sometimes the identity of the abuser) that they frequently are on the edge of a nervous breakdown. After the abuse is discovered, a place of love and skilled care is essential for these children while the parent or guardian makes arrangements to reestablish a secure family life.

CHC has recently established the Children’s Hope Center to help in these situations and help the abused child develop a healthy and productive life. It‘s a safe haven for distressed children ages birth through twelve years who have become victims of child abuse.

Resting on ten acres behind the CHC, the Children’s Hope Center is there if a parent or guardian has a child who needs special care to overcome the effects of abuse. The Center provides free housing, counseling, food, clothes, and recreation on a 24-hour basis. In addition, schoolteachers and a classroom environment are also available to help the children with their education.

An additional resource the Children‘s Center offers is a child abuse crisis hotline, 1-618-259-HOPE (4673). With this hotline the Center hopes to save the lives of many children.

Every day, 24-hours-a-day, children are hurting in our communities. Being a child shouldn’t hurt! Child abuse is at epidemic proportions in America. Over 3.1 million child abuse reports are recorded every year throughout the United States. And, as mentioned earlier, Madison County is the third highest county in Illinois for reported cases of child abuse. The Children’s Hope Center was built to help fight and prevent child abuse.

The CHC is presently seeking a full-time administrator for its new Children’s Center. The individual must have a Masters Degree in social work or human services and at least three years experience in a group childcare program. Two years must be in a residential facility plus two years administrative experience is required. Benefits plus salary are negotiable.

For more information about the Community Hope Center and their Children’s Hope Center or, to apply for the administrator’s position, call 1-618-259-0959. You can also write to them at: Community Hope Center, 950 14th Street (Culp Lane), P.O. Box 124, Cottage Hills, IL 62018. Community Hope Center is a tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization and welcomes any and all financial donations with 100% of every dollar donated going directly to helping those families who are less fortunate with diverse programs that meet their needs.