By Melissa Cook, Executive Director, Heartland Alliance International Today is World Mental Health Day. This year’s theme — “mental health is a universal human right”— resonates deeply with all of us at Heartland Alliance International. From Chicago to Colombia, from the Democratic Republic of Congo to the Dominican Republic, Iraq and Nigeria, our team stands in solidarity with our participants to demand accessible, culturally appropriate, and effective mental health care. I especially want to celebrate our courageous staff today and redouble my commitment to building an organization that take ..read more

Investing in our community plays a major role in violence intervention, and it takes collaboration among different organizations to make this possible. One of the ways READI connects with its partners is through the Community Based Organization Collective (CBO Collective), a collective of 13 nonprofit organizations including READI Chicago, Metropolitan Family Services, North Lawndale Employment Network, and Cara, to exchange resources to employ black and brown people on the south and west sides.   Cara, a fellow partner in the CBO Collective, has helped over 20 READI partic ..read more

50 organizations granted a total of $25 million to pilot or expand catalytic solutions to improve food security globally September 25, 2023-NewYork- Today, the Citi Foundation announced the grant recipients of its first-ever Global Innovation Challenge, a new model to identify and provide philanthropic support to community organizations that are developing innovative solutions to social and economic challenges facing low-income communities. Initially previewed at the Global Citizen Festival this weekend, the inaugural Global Innovation Challenge is providing a total of $25 million to 50 commu ..read more

CHICAGO, IL  – This morning, Executive Director of Heartland Alliance International (HAI), Melissa Cook, joined world leaders for the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) 2023 meeting in New York City. Cook presented HAI’s Commitment to Action, “Building a Torture Treatment Network for Ukraine,” an extension of the trauma informed care offered at their internationally recognized Marjorie Kovler Center, which aims to treat survivors of torture and advance human rights in Ukraine. “Through our Commitment to Action, the Kovler Center will adapt its evidence-based model and technical expertise to ..read more

CHICAGO, IL – Poverty among children more than doubled from 2021 to 2022 (from 5.2% in 2021 to 12.4% in 2022), according to the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM)1 released by the U.S. Census Bureau. This the largest year-over-year poverty rate increase on record among individuals aged 17 years and younger. Children were hardest hit due, in large part, to the lapse of the Child Tax Credit; however, across all ages gains made from COVID-related assistance in 2021 were lost in 2022. Key findings at the national level include: The SPM rate increased by 4.6 percentage-points from 7.8% in 2021 to ..read more

The Kovler Center Child Trauma Program (CTP) is thrilled to announce it is the recipient of a second, five-year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for a Category Three Center of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN).  The mission of the NCTSN is to “raise the standard of care and improve access to services for traumatized children, their families and communities throughout the United States” (www.nctsn.org).  Beginning October 2023, this grant allows CTP to continue its critical work of providing free mental health and supportive se ..read more

On Monday, June 26, the Kovler Center brought together survivors, staff, and supporters to commemorate to mark the United Nations International Day in Support of Survivors of Torture. Amidst a spread of foods from ten countries, much of it prepared by survivors themselves, the Kovler community shared their stories and reflected on their healing journeys. The communal spirit extended to even the preparations for the event — a former participant spent several hours on Zoom instructing a team of volunteers to prepare her exacting and delicious recipe for Haitian stewed chicken and coconut rice. M ..read more

It was a night full of music, laughter, and of course delicious food. In April, the Kovler Center’s monthly International Cooking Group highlighted Afghan cuisine, with the Afghan Alliance of Greater Chicago’s (AAGC) Cultural Broker acting as lead cook. The International Cooking Group creates a safe environment for cultural expression, to reconstruct social networks, and express joy through the meaningful ritual of preparing a communally cooked meal. The April group marked the highest attendance of any Kovler Center cooking group to date; twenty-one Afghan attendees, in addition to attendees ..read more

A report detailing abuses that illegal immigrants suffered while in federal custody has prompted advocates to renew their calls for President Joe Biden to follow through on his promise to end privately operated United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers. The post Biden pushed to fulfill promise of abolishing private ICE jails following reports of abuse appeared first on Heartland Alliance ..read more

As communities worldwide celebrate Pride this month, Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) reintroduced the Greater Leadership Overseas for the Benefit of Equality (GLOBE) Act to reinstate U.S. leadership in protecting and promoting the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals around the world. The post With Pride Month Underway, Rep. Titus, Sen. Markey Reintroduce Bill to Promote LGBTQ+ Rights Through U.S. Diplomacy appeared first on Heartland Alliance ..read more