The COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on what we have seen in our communities throughout CEDA’s 55 years of service. Hundreds of thousands of people in Chicagoland are held back by racial injustice, stagnant wages, institutional bias, and generational poverty. Now more than ever, Black and brown communities are suffering. Households are into poverty […]
On Human Rights Day, December 10, 2020, we hosted our virtual Annual Meeting 2020: Empowerment & Innovation. The meeting brought together our CEDA Family – a family made up of supporters, partners, staff, board, volunteers, and clients – to look back at this monumental year and forward at how we will accelerate change in 2021. […]
What a year it has been. Without a doubt, we are living through one of the most challenging moments in modern history. From the COVID-19 crisis taking hundreds of thousands of lives, to the civil unrest in response to racial injustice, to the millions of people slipping into poverty as the result of the economic […]
Jobs play a central role in the lives of most adults, allowing individuals not just to afford basic needs, but also to build a secure life and be positive forces in their neighborhoods. Unfortunately, not everyone is offered a seat at the table. The last economic recovery saw an increase in jobs, however the growth […]
Poverty has a great impact in our communities. At an essential level, every parent wants to provide for their children- food, clothing and shelter. For those recently unemployed or the more than 800K people living below the federal poverty line in Cook County, surviving with less than $1,600 a month, these basic needs are a […]
In the 1960’s, over one fifth of the population was living below the poverty line. They were the invisible poor, unskilled workers, migrant farm workers, minorities, people for whom work was sporadic, demeaning and demoralizing. They were damaged in body and spirit, existing at levels beneath those necessary for human decency. They were hungry […]
“Now, more than ever, timely & efficient emergency support for our clients is critical. Our Weatherization team continues their work to stabilize our clients and communities throughout Cook County. “ We know how challenging this time can be for our clients. While Utility companies are suspending shut-offs, many economically challenged individuals and families still face issues in their […]
With over 50 years of experience working in low-income communities, we know now, more than ever, our work is critical to stabilizing the hundreds of thousands of lives we touch every year. As we settle into our new normal, we know how challenging this time can be for our clients. Notably for our WIC clients seeking […]
The Cook County city of Harvey, IL, founded in 1889, was once seen as the central hub of the south suburbs. Its growth and popularity lies in the benefits of blue-collar work opportunities from local factories and a growing downtown business district to support the city’s residents. Like many Cook County areas, in these […]
The unique effects of the famous Chicago Fire and it’s formerly stated “fire limits’ are what drove out the city’s first wave of working-class homeowners to what we now refer to as the suburbs. One of the oldest suburbs west of the city is the Town of Cicero, IL. The 5.5. square mile town of […]