Welcome!

Fiscal year 2010 has now come to a close, and we are thrilled to report that it was a fantastic year for UCAN! Working with more than 13,000 disadvantaged children, youth and families, we achieved many goals. We could not have accomplished everything that we did last year without our generous supporters, donors, and volunteers like you. Thank you very much for your continued support and for everything that you do for UCAN to help us realize our vision that youth who have suffered trauma can become our future leaders. We greatly appreciate your contributions and your partnerships. 

Highlights from the past year include:

• UCAN launched its new 360° Model, which is a multi-pronged school-based program that works with students, teachers and families to recognize the impact of violence and trauma in order to create safety and healing for students in schools. 
   
• We also launched our new LGBTQ Host Home Program. The first of its kind in Illinois, this innovative program matches volunteer host homes with LGBTQ homeless youth with the goal of transitioning youth beyond life on the streets.
  
  
• In January, UCAN's Teen Parenting Service Network (TPSN) received the exclusive contract from the Department of Children & Family Services to oversee the case management of all pregnant and parenting teen wards in the state of Illinois. Formerly, TPSN services were available in six counties only.
  
  
• Congratulations to the 8th and 12th grade graduates from UCAN Academy! UCAN Academy is the largest and one of the most recognized therapeutic day schools in the area. The Chicago Board of Education holds a standard that 10% of therapeutic day school students will be reintegrated into public schools each year. Last year, UCAN Academy reintegrated 12%, exceeding the standard!
  
  
• UCAN has been in the news for its leadership on violence prevention. In March, UCAN released the results of our 2009 national Teen Gun Survey at a successful press conference involving Hands Without Guns youth, Congressman Michael Quigley (IL-5) and State Senator Donne Trotter (17th District). UCAN was also featured in an article on gun violence in Chicago in the August 2010 edition of Ebony Magazine.
  
  
• UCAN was chosen as one of two recipients of the 2010 Distinctive Innovation in Social Services Award from The University of Chicago's School of Social Service Administration for our agency-wide Diversity & Inclusion strategy. This is wonderful acknowledgement of our strong commitment to fighting discrimination and providing culturally relevant services and support to both our clients and staff.
  
  
• UCAN's 11th Annual Youth Advocacy Awards Dinner was a huge success. This event recognizes the academic and personal achievements of some of our most outstanding youth, providing scholarships for secondary education. Held on June 9th at the Four Seasons Hotel, this event raised a record $703,482 and drew over 400 guests! Thank you to all of our sponsors.

Although fiscal year 2011 has just started, we're excited about the future and what's in store for us this year. Our plans include developing an Office of Spiritual Formation to advance youth healing and leadership, and we're also moving ahead with exciting plans to build a new Residential Treatment Center. I look forward to sharing more of our organization's achievements throughout the next year; in the meantime, you can always check back here to find out what we're doing and what's new!

Thank you for your belief in UCAN and for continuing to support our youth.

Thomas C. Vanden Berk
President & CEO