Emerging Projects
Click on any one of the topics in the mini-dashboard to obtain data on that topic as it pertains to DuPage County (courtesy of Impact DuPage)
One important function of the Federation is to watch the data and work with the community to identify emerging trends and issues affecting vulnerable people. As these trends and issues are identified, the Federation works toward solutions, either by adapting one of our existing programs or by developing new initiatives.
Over the years, the Federation has been involved in a variety of initiatives, some of which are mentioned below.
Over the years, the Federation has been involved in a variety of initiatives, some of which are mentioned below.
Welcoming Center
In 2017, with funding provided by the Illinois Department of Human Services, the Federation is operating a Welcoming Center. This Welcoming Center is a one-stop human service center designed to help immigrants and refugees navigate multiple service systems to meet their needs.
The mission of the Welcoming Center is to provide immigrant and refugee individuals and families with an array of services, information, programs, and classes to assist in their path towards successful integration to the state and local community; therefore, creating self-sustaining and thriving communities.
More information about the Welcoming Center and its services are available on its web page.
The mission of the Welcoming Center is to provide immigrant and refugee individuals and families with an array of services, information, programs, and classes to assist in their path towards successful integration to the state and local community; therefore, creating self-sustaining and thriving communities.
More information about the Welcoming Center and its services are available on its web page.
Human Trafficking
This issue is at the intersection of the Federation’s previous work on immigration, diversity, and domestic violence. From 2009 to 2011, we partnered with the Illinois Department of Human Services on a federal grant to increase the awareness of health, human services, and law enforcement professionals on this issue. As a result, many cases of human trafficking were identified, and the general awareness of this issue in the community was significantly increased.
The information below will help you recognize human trafficking in your community, and it will help you respond.
The information below will help you recognize human trafficking in your community, and it will help you respond.
Labor trafficking – Using force, fraud, or coercion to recruit, harbor, transport, obtain or employ a person for labor or services in involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery
Examples: Nannies, maids, sweatshop factories, janitorial jobs, construction sites, farm work, restaurants, etc. The crime of trafficking occurs with the exploitation of the victim. The physical movement of the victim is not a requisite. |
If you think someone is a victim of human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center – 1.888.3737.888 – to obtain information and to access supportive services for the victim
Human trafficking is modern-day slavery After drug dealing, human trafficking is tied with the illegal arms trade as the second criminal industry in the world, and it is the fastest growing. Victims of trafficking are exploited for commercial sex or labor purposes. Sex trafficking – Commercial sex act induced by force, fraud or coercion, or in which the person performing the act is under the age of 18. Examples include massage parlors, brothels, strip clubs, escort services, etc. |
Suburban Poverty Forums
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Early Childhood Care and Education Plans
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A significant outgrowth of the information presented in the Community Needs Assessment has been the development of these forums. The first took place in September 2011 at the College of DuPage.
The focus is to educate leaders, educators, human services professionals, and the public about the demographic changes in the suburbs and why these changes are important. A particular emphasis will be on the resources to address the changing needs and what options we may have to develop new resources or re-focus existing resources, given our challenging times. This initiative addresses all three of the critical goals of the Funders’ Collaboration’s goals by (a) presenting information to a broad audience; (b) using this information to advocate for support and build new constituencies; and (c) engaging the community in addressing the challenges highlighted by the information (i.e., improving effectiveness of the system). Partnership with Choose DuPage on Lean Business Process Training
Because of information developed by the Funders’ Collaboration on the value of the health and human services sector to the economic sustainability of the western suburbs, a partnership has been developed with Choose DuPage.
We are focusing on lean process training, which is a process used in private business (an outgrowth of lean manufacturing techniques) to streamline business practices and focus all processes on the outcome (or mission) of the organization. This was deemed critical in the health and human services sector due to the ongoing strains of high demand and reduced resources. This initiative addresses two of the three critical goals of the Funders’ Collaboration by: (a) building support for the health and human services sector by engaging a new constituency group (i.e., the business sector); and (b) improving the efficiency (and the capacity) of the system. |
The Funders’ Collaboration is currently emphasizing the issue of addressing disparities in educational outcomes (one of the issues raised in the Community Needs Assessment) by emphasizing early childhood care and education.
The Collaboration’s role is still under development, but it is likely that it will emphasize the development of local plans to address the specific needs of the local community by acting as a convener and as a facilitator of collaborative solutions. This role will address the first critical goal of the Funders’ Collaboration by expanding its role in information management. In addition, the implementation of the plans will focus on the effectiveness of the system in narrowing the achievement gap in education outcomes. Project to Address Frequent Users of Healthcare Systems
Frequent users are individuals who tend to frequent hospital emergency departments for essentially all of their medical needs, and they account for an inordinate share of healthcare costs (which are often uncompensated because of lack of insurance).
These individuals’ conditions are usually complex, and it is also likely that substance abuse, mental illness, and/or homelessness are contributing factors. The two goals of this effort are: (a) to improve health outcomes for frequent users; and (b) to reduce costs to the healthcare system. Hospitals are working on the frequent user issue, but the Federation’s efforts, in partnership with the DuPage Health Coalition, will create a more efficient and effective response to this issue. |
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