On August 16, Association House officially celebrated its 125th anniversary in Chicago, commemorating over a century of service to our community. Our 125th year has been a big one for the House so far, so it was only fitting that we had a celebration to match!
Over 250 friends from the House gathered for an afternoon of music, delicious local food, games, and a dance performance from our Life Skills Education Hispanic Dance group. The House is a big place, so we took participants and their families on tours around the building, showing off all the amazing programs held inside.
The grand finale was our rededication ribbon-cutting ceremony, performed by leaders from all around the House. Cutting the ribbon was our way of kickstarting a new era for Association House, declaring that we are more ready than ever to uplift Chicagoans. We were honored to have Alderperson Jessie Fuentes kick it off with a powerful address:
"There are individuals who live in this community that are struggling just to survive. They need an organization like this. They need a place that they can call home. They need a place where they can walk through the doors and not feel judged or slighted by bureaucracy. We know Association House provides just that. Today we're going to celebrate 125 years, and tomorrow we're going to get to work-- so that in another 125 years, the generation after us can celebrate again." -Alderperson Jessie Fuentes
The last 25 years at Association House have established us as a powerful force for good in our community. During this chapter of our history, we opened Association House High School, and every single student in its most recent graduating class was accepted into college.
We expanded our mental health and substance abuse support to include youth in our city. We launched our Workforce Development programs to give our participants a jump start in the competitive job market of today, and our career training programs are only continuing to grow.
These amazing steps forward wouldn't be possible without the support of our donors, our staff, our participants, and the dedication of our Board. We are so excited to support our city in every way they need for the next 125 years!
Looking for a way to get involved? Make an impact by joining the Good Deeds Society! Your monthly pledge provides reliable and sustainable support to the community the House has served for 125 years. Learn more by clicking below.
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