The Community House
Connection, Engagement, Community-Building
The Community House is a local nonprofit organization that provides community recreation and quality social services to Hinsdale, Willowbrook, and the surrounding communities. CMF has partnered with The Community House (TCH) through our capacity building efforts and responsive grantmaking, including decade-long support of their mental health programming.
Here are some highlights from our conversation with Dan Janowick, Executive Director of The Community House.
The Foundation primarily supports our partners through our responsive grant and capacity building programs. How has our partnership helped drive your mission forward?
For many years, CMF has been a key partner in helping The Community House serve individuals and families who would otherwise not have access to vital mental health services. In the past decade, we’ve provided mental health services to thousands of clients, many of whom are uninsured or underinsured. The Foundation’s support allows us to provide care on a sliding scale, and drives us toward our goal of helping individuals and families live their best lives.
Three TCH staff members have participated in the Foundation’s Ladder to Leadership program. What impact has the program had on your organization?
The Community House has been represented in each of the three Ladder to Leadership (L2L) cohorts, and the program has given our staff the type of invaluable leadership education and experience that strengthens the entire organization as a whole. I graduated in the inaugural L2L class, and I attribute my participation in the program as having an important role in my personal leadership development. The knowledge I’ve gained from the program is something I’ve taken into my new role as executive director.
How has The Community House responded to the challenges presented by COVID-19?
The Community House has continued our work to build strong communities throughout the pandemic. When it wasn’t safe to meet therapy clients in person, we transitioned to tele-therapy. When it wasn’t safe to have kids come to enrichment programming, we transitioned to online options. When it became safe for us to meet in-person, we created childcare opportunities for parents and families that had to get back to work.
We continue to find ways to keep children and adults connected and socially engaged through programming in education, arts, and athletics. The pandemic has highlighted our shared need to connect, engage, and be a part of a community. TCH will continue to find innovative ways to serve our communities during difficult times.
Describe the Foundation in three words.
Collaborative, strategic, thoughtful.
CMF does more than simply provide funding. As a grantee partner, we feel that the Foundation helps problem solve; that it provides expertise and connects organizations that can benefit from mutual collaboration. CMF has consistently provided strategic solutions that strengthen organizations and heighten our ability to be changemakers and leaders in the community.
All photos were taken prior to assuming social distancing measures.