© 2009 CREWINC.ORG - All Rights Reserved * CREW INC. * 1632 23rd. Street * Zion, IL 60099 * (847) 872-2830
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, 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:
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
CREW Wins 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.
