© 2009 CREWINC.ORG. - All Rights Reserved - CREW INC. 1632 23rd. Street, Zion, IL 60099 (847) 872-2830
More Information
Media Archives
History
In 1992, an organization called Communities That Care performed a tri-community needs analysis to determine what issues needed to be addressed. It was crucial to address issues concerning Beach Park, Winthrop Harbor and Zion (the Z-B Community), since these three distinct communities all feed into Zion-Benton Township High School (ZBTHS). Clearly stated, not only does “a rising tide raise all ships,” a “lowering tide will sink all ships.” Any issue that affects one of the communities has a significant impact on all three.
In 1994, Community Resources for Education and Wellness (CREW), created a substance abuse treatment program, as a direct result of the survey. Coalition for Healthy Communities (CHC), also established in 1994 by Cancer Treatment Centers of America, formed a tri-community leadership council.
In 2001, the CREW board reorganized and intentionally chose members who were passionate about making a significant impact on the community. The board began to identify gaps and overlaps in services offered to residents. CREW expanded to offer Anger Management and evening Substance Abuse Treatment counseling. A board member, who also served on the Zion-Benton Township High School (ZBTHS) board, suggested utilizing the former, mostly unoccupied high school building (Pearce Campus) to bring additional services to the community. Though this would take time, the group committed to considering how the building could be part of the solution. In further addressing relational issues among existing agencies, CREW created a coalition, Partners for an Enriched Community (PEC), in 2005 and began holding monthly meetings whereby the front line workers of local service agencies met to build relationships and discuss ways to eradicate poverty in the Z-B Community.
In May 2005, Love INC Lake County Northeast, an organization that brings churches together to transform communities through addressing basic needs issues by networking churches with individuals, decided to relocate to Pearce Campus, due to the fact that the highest need requests, per capita in the county was in Zion.
Over the next year, organizations began offering services within Pearce Campus, including:
Zion Benton Children’s Services:
Provides free dental care for children under the age of 18.
Care Net Pregnancy Center:
Assists those who find themselves pregnant unexpectedly with support, parenting education and supplies.
Love INC, Lake County Northeast:
Networking with organizations and churches in the community to help those withbasic needs, including: clothing, furniture, auto repair, and financial counseling services.
CREW:
Provide substance abuse treatment programs and anger management services for adults and youth and creates community resources for families.
Zion-Benton Workforce Development Training Center:
Assist residents by offering adult and youth employment education and adult education programs and training services. Support services are also provided for the unemployed and for enhanced training/retraining. Conducts business/technology skills training/workshops for accessing career opportunities.
There are also two options for youth who do not fit in the normal school setting:
Regional Office of Education – Alternative Schooling
Ombudsman – Alternative Schooling
Though there was still a silo effect, some services had become more readily available.
At the same time, a transformation began to take place in assisting residents in crisis. Through PEC, strong relationships formed among area agencies and concerns that usually took weeks to address were being resolved in minutes. Today, PEC has over 25 member agencies that are working collaboratively to meet Z-B residents’ needs and the resources available at the Pearce Campus
Community Resource Center continue to grow.
In 1994, Community Resources for Education and Wellness (CREW), created a substance abuse treatment program, as a direct result of the survey. Coalition for Healthy Communities (CHC), also established in 1994 by Cancer Treatment Centers of America, formed a tri-community leadership council.
In 2001, the CREW board reorganized and intentionally chose members who were passionate about making a significant impact on the community. The board began to identify gaps and overlaps in services offered to residents. CREW expanded to offer Anger Management and evening Substance Abuse Treatment counseling. A board member, who also served on the Zion-Benton Township High School (ZBTHS) board, suggested utilizing the former, mostly unoccupied high school building (Pearce Campus) to bring additional services to the community. Though this would take time, the group committed to considering how the building could be part of the solution. In further addressing relational issues among existing agencies, CREW created a coalition, Partners for an Enriched Community (PEC), in 2005 and began holding monthly meetings whereby the front line workers of local service agencies met to build relationships and discuss ways to eradicate poverty in the Z-B Community.
In May 2005, Love INC Lake County Northeast, an organization that brings churches together to transform communities through addressing basic needs issues by networking churches with individuals, decided to relocate to Pearce Campus, due to the fact that the highest need requests, per capita in the county was in Zion.
Over the next year, organizations began offering services within Pearce Campus, including:
Zion Benton Children’s Services:
Provides free dental care for children under the age of 18.
Care Net Pregnancy Center:
Assists those who find themselves pregnant unexpectedly with support, parenting education and supplies.
Love INC, Lake County Northeast:
Networking with organizations and churches in the community to help those withbasic needs, including: clothing, furniture, auto repair, and financial counseling services.
CREW:
Provide substance abuse treatment programs and anger management services for adults and youth and creates community resources for families.
Zion-Benton Workforce Development Training Center:
Assist residents by offering adult and youth employment education and adult education programs and training services. Support services are also provided for the unemployed and for enhanced training/retraining. Conducts business/technology skills training/workshops for accessing career opportunities.
There are also two options for youth who do not fit in the normal school setting:
Regional Office of Education – Alternative Schooling
Ombudsman – Alternative Schooling
Though there was still a silo effect, some services had become more readily available.
At the same time, a transformation began to take place in assisting residents in crisis. Through PEC, strong relationships formed among area agencies and concerns that usually took weeks to address were being resolved in minutes. Today, PEC has over 25 member agencies that are working collaboratively to meet Z-B residents’ needs and the resources available at the Pearce Campus
Community Resource Center continue to grow.
September
October
November
December
October
November
December
CREW Wins
2008 Basic Human Needs Award
2008 Basic Human Needs Award
The Lake County Community Foundation-an affiliate of The Chicago Community Trust announced The winner of its 2008 Basic Human Needs Award to Community Resources for Education and Wellness (CREW). This award is given annually to local organizations that take a unique approach to meeting the basic human needs of residents. Receiving this award are CREW board officers(from left to right) Connie Steinke, Treasurer; Jan Suthard, Vice President, Cheri Ditzig Community Development, and Doug LaBelle CREW Board President.
