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Volunteers/Mentors Needed

Since our inception, the StreetWise mission has been to help homeless and impoverished men and women of Chicago. Each day we strive to achieve our mission and to offer more ways in which we can help these men and women improve their lives. That being said, we have new initiative in which we need your help. We have developed a Housing Committee whose primary goal is to assist selected vendors find housing that is both affordable and safe. We are carefully qualifying and selecting a few vendors to participate in our housing program. We have a panel of people who will be interviewing vendor candidates. Once approved for the program, our vendors may need assistance in finding housing, talking with landlords, moving their belongings, and general support services. This is where our volunteers come in. We need mentors who can help our vendors with the above mentioned items and serve as a mentor to them for the duration of this process.

We are looking for volunteers/mentors who have a history of owning or leasing housing who can help the vendors when they have general questions or needs relative to their move. In addition, mentors will be able and willing to drive the vendors to look for suitable housing and when needed, speak to potential landlords on their behalf. Once housing has been secure, mentors may help mobilize resources needed to help the vendor succeed which can include helping them move in, obtaining supplies for their home, etc. In no case will a mentor provide cash to the vendor. Additionally, mentors may assist vendors in learning their new area (if applicable) by helping them find grocery store locations and other resources including food pantries and more.

Once in housing, a mentor will track the vendor's housing status by speaking to them at least once a month. Throughout the engagement, mentors will verify a vendor's attendance record with CCM. The mentor will also provide the StreetWise housing committee a status report on a monthly basis.

Mentors are encouraged to participate in the initial interview process so that they can better understand the potential candidates' needs and maybe even more importantly, their enthusiasm for finding a new home! The initial interviews will take place at the StreetWise facility between 12:00 - 2:00 on November 24, 2009. Let me know if you can participate in the interview process.

We understand that this request is somewhat outside of the normal scope of our volunteers assignments but it is an extremely important initiative that we feel can positively change the lives of our vendors and their families. Please let us know if you are able to serve as a mentor and please forward this to any others you feel may be willing to offer their time and direction to our vendors.

Please do not hesitate to email me with questions. On behalf of everyone at StreetWise, THANK YOU.

Whitney St. Pierre

Member of Board of Directors, Streetwise
Volunteer Coordinator

whstpierre@gmail.com

Volunteers

Volunteer your Time and Talent.

StreetWise is always looking for volunteers and could use your support. Contact us with your area of expertise and availability. Some volunteer work can be done from the comfort of your own home and some will require travel to the StreetWise office or at our many events.

Contact Whitney St. Pierre at whstpierre@gmail.com

Become An Advertiser In StreetWise Magazine

The most common way businesses contribute to the StreetWise mission is through placing an advertisement in our publication. We offer many ad layout choices to fit your style and budget. If you would like more informaiton about advertisement opportunities please visit the advertising section of this website.

Donate Through PayPal

Make a secure donation of any amount through PayPal to the StreetWise not-for-profit organization. We appreciate your generosity!

Purchase The Publication From One Of Our Vendors

You can purchase StreetWise magazine from many local vendors. Each vendor makes a commission directly from their sales of our publication. Vendors can be found throughout much of the Chicagoland area. Be sure to look for the official StreetWise vendor badge when purchasing.

Give A Gift

Vendors often have to endure much of the cold Chicago winters and spend many hours a day on their feet. Any donation of beneficial or appropriate attire for these conditions would be welcomed! Contact Ben Cook if you have any questions regarding what we are looking for.

Attend A StreetWise Fund Raiser Event

We hold many events throughout the year in and around the Chicagoland area. At which you can meet new people and enjoy great entertainment all while helping our mission. Always a win-win situation for everyone involved! Visit the events page to find out all the details of our next fund raiser.

Purchase A Subscription

If you don't get downtown often to visit your neighborhood street vendor, or have a business where you can showcase the StreetWise magazine for your customers, please consider an annual subscription. Click here for more details.

Visit the Donate page for a complete list of donation opportunities.