Our Programs
Every month the Alliance has meetings and programs often welcoming speakers who provide information about the organizations they represent and provide tools to support Lake County’ Social Service Sector.
RESPOND: Respect Every Single Person Through Outreach, Networking, and Diversity
RESPOND (Respecting Every Single Person through Outreach, Networking and Diversity) conversation geared toward frontline and social workers. There are few resources and programs investing in frontline and social workers, yet they are the ones organizations depend on to provide the services families and others experiencing poverty need. RESPOND meetings are built by and for frontline and social workers.
Upcoming RESPOND Events
The Alliance
Alliance geared toward organization leadership. These virtual meetings connect nonprofits, government and other Lake County leaders together leading to more coordinated health, human, and education resources and a stronger safety net. Members expand their knowledge and grow their networks. Every month the Alliance’s hybrid and virtual meetings connect members to one another and serve as a vehicle to share resources and events. Often there are speakers who provide information about the organizations they represent and provide tools to support Lake County residents in need.
Upcoming Alliance Events
Miss A Meeting? Watch the Recording
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Alliance - February Meeting - Building a Culture of Belonging
2.16
Delve into the root causes of burnout, examining factors such as excessive workload, lack of work-life balance, and insufficient support structures. Uncover the role of organizational culture, leadership styles, and communication patterns in contributing to burnout.
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RESPOND - February Meeting - Yes, I can Make Self-Care part of my Day!
2.7
It is time to explore small changes that can lead to really implementing healthy options into your daily life. Offering daily exercises, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction activities, and simple fitness equipment you can use without leaving your office chair.
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RESPOND - January Meeting - Worker's Right and Justice
1.10
Workers’ are often isolated and may not feel like they have the resources or the power to advocate for a living wage and healthy working conditions. Learn from Chris Williams, Employment and Labor Lead Attorney at Chicago Workers’ Collaborative’s Working Families Legal Clinic about their legal and advocacy resources, how to connect workers to these programs, and how to build stronger connections between essential resources
2023 Compensation Survey
Over the first and second quarter of 2023, the Alliance surveyed 43 nonprofit organizations across Lake County equally distributed between : $500,00-$1M; $1 and $3M; over $3M.
Staffing continues to challenge many of those surveyed. The average organization had over a 20% transition rate over the last year and half had between 1 and 5 open positions at the time of the survey.
Special thank you to the Grainger Family Foundation for funding the survey.
Poverty Simulation
This was such an incredible experience for our members. Thank you so much for providing this program.
Leaders United of Lake County
Throughout the year, the Alliance offers Poverty Simulations to empower Lake County leaders, including teachers and other school personnel, government leaders, volunteers, and nonprofit staff and board members, to expand their knowledge, increase resources for those experiencing poverty, and create a more resilient health, human and education sector. The Simulation is a two and a half to three-hour experience for those who have not experienced poverty to begin to walk in the shoes of neighbors who have.
During the Simulation, seventy to hundred and five participants role-play the lives of low-income individuals. Similar to those experiencing poverty, participants are put into situations in which they don’t have enough resources and are forced to make difficult choices that can negatively affect them and their families.
The Alliance helps to facilitate this experience by offering the materials organizations need, providing guidance, and/or organizing the half day event.
View the article about our Spring 2022 Poverty Simulation that appeared in the Lake County Journal
View the article about our Fall 2022 Poverty Simulation that appeared in the Lake Forester
$175 - Rent the kit - Alliance will provide instructions and the kit as well as put the kit back together once the event is completed.
$425 - Alliance provides the kit and offers guidance and expertise to event committee and event facilitator.
$650 - Alliance organizes, recruits volunteers, identifies other potential partners, sets up, and facilitates the event, as well as helps to publicize it.
Book Club
Through the Alliance Book Club, we read books that resonate, provide insight, amplify the voices of those experiencing poverty, and connect us to each other. These conversations are open to all, whether you are a volunteer, social worker or organization leader!
This quarter’s book is “Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness” written by Rick Hanson, PhD, a psychologist, Senior Fellow of UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. The book explains how we can overcome the brain’s negativity bias, release painful thoughts and feelings & replace them with self-compassion, self-worth, joy, and inner peace.
Read the book ; sign up; and join us on Thursday May 11th at 4 pm.
