Programs

  • Indigenous People's Day Celebration

    The organization successfully established itself this year as a separate financial entity from the First Baptist Church of Waukegan. We hired an Executive Director and almost immediately after that we celebrated Indigenous People's Day with activities in the outdoors and had creative activity also. This event engaged about 20 people but we have been reaching out to build support for future activities and out-of school events for many more kids in the future - mostly planning at this point.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2023
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $15K

  • Program 1 [2024]

    CLE maintained its commitment to quality programming, launching three youth programs and meeting DCFS requirements. * Spring Break Program (March): Engaged 12 students in a hands-on watershed-themed curriculum aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). * Summer Community Experience (June-August): Enrolled 35 youth in nature-based programming, supported by 16 dedicated staff members. * Fall Family Events (October): Included apple-picking outings and a Veterans Garden Harvest Festival. * Increased Community Engagement: CLE reached 276 participants in 2024, with 60% of summer program attendees being new participants. Events like the Coffee, Conversation, and Community (CCC) sessions welcomed 60 partners, parents, and community members to meet the new Executive Director and team. The Earth Month Community Event fostered stronger ties with families, partners, and local organizations. * Outdoor Field Trips Across Grade Bands: CLE expanded access to outdoor experiences through field trips and eco-excursions, such as: o Watershed site tours during Spring Break programs. o Gardening and food literacy activities led by Greentown Grows and North Chicago Veterans Garden o Nature explorations with donated backpacks from Brushwood Center. Community outings like apple picking and harvest festivals. * CLE Leadership Development: 80% of Program Assistants were former CLE participants, reflecting CLE's commitment to cultivating community leaders. Additionally, 75% of summer staff were recent graduates, with 31% being Schuler Scholars.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $149.7K