Alternatives, Inc.2011-12 Annual Report

Dear Friends,

After more than 30 years as executive director of Alternatives, Inc., I have a very long list of high points and amazing moments involving the young people who pass through our doors. This year, I got to add a new highlight as we had the honor of hosting inter-nationally renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma at the Alternatives, Inc. Youth and Family Center.

Following a performance by our breakdance performance group, Mr. Ma interviewed one of the performers. The following is an excerpt from that remarkable interview.

Yo-Yo Ma: Tell me something. When you’re doing this, what are you thinking?

Freddie: Well, when I break, a lot of negative energy goes out of me and a lot of positive energy comes back in to me. And I express my energy on the floor.

Yo-Yo Ma: Can you give me an example?

Freddie: In school, I go through a lot of stress, and when I break, I just let all that stuff flow over me. When I break, I’m a new person. In school, I’m Freddie. When I break, I’m the Alchemist.

Yo-Yo Ma: Wow. So when you break, you make magic?

Freddie: Yes. Yes.

Watching Mr. Ma watch our youth perform and seeing the ways in which they so effortlessly impressed him simply by doing what they love and exhibiting the skills they’ve honed here at Alternatives – not only their artistic skills but also public speak-ing, self-confidence, and dedication to learning – was a new high point for me, and a great experience for everyone in attendance that night.

Whether it is through a school-based peer jury, a hip-hop arts program, an anger management group, a girls-only research project, a first job learning to make digital films, family counseling to address substance use, or any of our other youth-focused pro-grams, Alternatives prepares young people to launch and lead successful, productive adult lives. And I, for one, feel privileged to witness and help to make that possible.

Thank you for the part that you play in making these moments and so much more possible for our young people.

Sincerely,

Judith M. GallExecutive Director

A Note from our Executive Director

2011-2012 Board of DirectorsDavid LevineBoard PresidentCatherine E. Wilson, Psy.D.Board Vice PresidentDarran WeeBoard Secretary

Keith BevansMichael CramarossoLarry DamronRandall Doubet-King Ozzie GodinezJustine KnizeskiSabrina LeeDaniel LevisEllen SadurLaurence A. SophianCatherine S. Weidner

Yo-Yo Ma’s visit, along with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Civic Orchestra, to the Alternatives’ Youth Center was an amazing experience for all of our youth and staff.

82% of Youth in Tech Programs said they have a clearer picture of what they would like to be doing in the future than before participating in the program.

88% of Youth across all programs report getting along better with others who are different from themselves.

92% of Girl World participants said they learned how to work in a group or as a team to accomplish a goal.

100% of Youth in Career and Employment Services said they set higher goals for themselves than before participating in the program.

91% of Restorative Justice Peace Keepers say they feel more comfortable communicating both with peers and adults than before participating in this program.

B’s StoryAfter being a referred “repeat offender” in his sophomore and junior years, B became one of the best Circle Keepers in the Restorative Justice program at Senn High School.

After finding himself in conflict with other students, B was referred for peer mediation on more than one occasion. By senior year, he decided to enter the circle in another capacity: he joined the program and became trained as a student Circle Keeper.

Now B uses his past experiences as sources of wisdom and empathy to guide his peers through similar situations. Not only has he heard more cases than any other Circle Keeper this year, but he also rou-tinely involves himself in after- and out-of-school RJ programming, including supplemental trainings and related film screenings. He even recruits friends to participate.

91% of Youth receiving counseling through our Clinical department report improvement in their ability to resolve conflicts with family, friends, and/or teachers.

M’s Story M, a 19 year-old Latino student at Roosevelt High School, is a client whose story is typical of many youth we serve. M’s family has always been gang-involved. After a close relative was killed, M decided to join the gang as well. He stopped attending school regularly and be-gan failing his classes. Following the deaths of several close friends, and just before entering therapy with Alternatives, M decided to distance himself from his gang-affiliated family members and made the decision to leave the gang. He self-referred to the school-based health center to receive support, working with a therapist to address ongoing anger, grief and loss, and substance use. M often told his therapist that his goal was to “get my life back on track.”

He has since stopped using marijuana and is working toward absti-nence from alcohol as well. He began to create a positive communi-ty and engage in positive activities recommended by his therapist. M participated in After School Matters, working as support staff at a daycare over the summer and now participates in school plays, sports, the Tech Crew and the Health Club. He is involved with ROTC and plans to join the Air Force after graduating from high school.

While M lost an entire academic year’s worth of school credit, he was determined to graduate “the right way,” even though it will meant participating in both night and summer school. He graduated in August of 2012.

Youth Served, By ProgramProgram # of Youth Served Career & Employment Services 409Connect Force 301 Counseling 1,097Family Intervention Services 63Girl World 79Prevention Programs 580 Restorative Justice 449 2011-12 Total 2,978

We’re expanding to serve youth across the city of Chicago

We asked youth “What is the best thing you’ve done at Alternatives?”

“Learning how to disagree.”

“Set specific goals that I intend to reach.”

“To get the support needed at this time of my life.”

“Be able to express my feelings with someone who won’t judge me.”

“Being able to express myself fully and feel safe and comfortable.”

“Coping with anger.”“Helping out my community.”

“Working in groups and solving real life problems.”

“Working with other people and having other people look up to

me as a leader and a role model.”

“The best part of Alternatives is that it’s a safe place in my neighborhood and it’s also a safe place to be myself and the best thing I’ve done is hopefully helped my community with

the things we did in our program.”

“I learn how to set goals for myself and respect the people around me.”

“I’ve learned to be patient, that’s one of the best things! Alternatives helped me set goals for myself in regards to eating

healthy.”

“The best thing was help-ing me solve problems that

couldn’t be solved.”

Thank you to our donors!

$50,000+ AnonymousCharles E. Marks Jr. Charitable Trust Michael Reese Health TrustPolk Bros. Foundation Topfer Family FoundationWallace Foundation

$25,000-49,999Target Foundation WGN-Neediest Kids Fund

$10,000-24,999Blue Cross Blue Shield of IllinoisThe Comcast Foundation Eileen Fisher (Corporate office) Friends of Northside College PrepRavenswood Health Care FoundationAlbert J. and Claire R. Speh Foundation Whole Foods

$5,000-9,999Chicago Office Technology GroupCaleb A. Drake Justine KnizeskiDr. Scholl FoundationToys R Us Ventas Charitable Foundation

$1,000-4,999AnonymousAssociated BankBAT 11Keith and Natasha BevansLarry and Char DamronPeter and Lou DicksonRandall and Sally Doubet-KingDr. Scholl FoundationCaleb A. DrakeGeorge M. Eisenberg FoundationDavid and Pamela HarringtonJack Ringer Family FoundationAnn KennedySabrina Lee EdelhauserDavid LevineMcMaster-Carr Supply Co*PACO CommunicationsSimon PerutzCarol RyanEllen SadurShefsky & Froelich FoundationLaurence SophianToys R UsCatherine WeidnerJoshuaWendlerSteve WilcoxMary Wilson

$100-999Alford GroupJason AppleAssociated AgenciesGlenn AzumaJulie BadelJeremy and Beth BeardGeoffrey and Kirsten BelzerPamela BergdallSuzanne Bessette-Smith

Marshall BlankenshipJackie and Demetrius BoninJean and Anthony BorrelliBridgeview Bank GroupMindy and Steve BueckingR. Peter CareyAntonio CasillasTiffany ChiangChicago Foundation for WomenWendy CohenLindsay CoxCy Peiser FoundationJoi Darcel MitchellEugene S. & Elizabeth De Gryse Buino Charitable Fdn.Darien DeLorenzoBill DolnickJ. Scott and Rebecca EtzlerFannie Mae SERVE Matching Gift Don.Fig MediaStephanie FrankDenise GardnerMeredith GeorgeMichael GlassPatrick GleasonThomas GoforthTraci HailpernHam BingoJoseph M. HigginsMary HoffmanHollywood Casino AuroraJohn HolmanRichard and Judith HomerMolly HoranLily HwangInterCallAllana JacksonStephen JensikJeffrey and Marianne JohnsonAdrianne and Paul JohnsonDarlene JohnsonCarolanne JosephMaribeth Joy McManusAlexandra Kavalos-HorowitzHarry and Theresa KekatosMarvin KorvesKraft Foods FoundationNelia LadladDaniel LevisAscher LevyPriscilla LizasuainBridget LyonsMindy MaleckiKerri McClimenDavid and Sarah McConnellAnn & Tracy McCoyDon McIntoshDavid McLaughlinKathleen McLaughlinLarry McLaughlinKaren MertigCharles MichalekLindsay MillerEd MillerSalvador MirelesWilliam MuensterChetan NegandhiBarbara O’Brien YaleMatthew and Barbara O’HaraLinda OlsonPauline Warren & Joan Castle Found.Saralyn PeritzRevelle Peritz

Susan PetersValerie PierceMary PounderLaura ReedDavid RosenRichard RutschmanDavid SatinSid and Elizabeth SchenkierKen & Marilyn SchroederKenneth SchroederGordon SchulzAmanda SewardSally and Frederick SgrossoEd and Laurel ShapiroShirley ShechtmanRita SimoDavid SingleWilliam SpenceJoyce StadterHeather SteansGreg StienerGinny SykesTax ProsAna TharakanCarl TisoneAndrew and Lisa TonachelErnie TothMatthew TragerLaura TuckerGordon and Mary VanceVOA Associates IncorporatedMichelle VosJudson P. VosburgDarran WeeBetty and Stanley WeinbergerBlair WellensiekRichard W. WesterfieldConstance and Hugh WilliamsCatherine WilsonWendy and Stuart Witzel

$25-$99K.E. BethelBruce BuchholzLaurie BuchholzKyung Hee and Seong You ByunCarolina CaligiuriKatie ChiuJanice CollierTeresa CortasLynne CramerLynn DanfordJane DeweySarah DlouhyNancy EbertDorcas A. EdgeRobin FineLaura FransenSylvia GarciaMarcy HackbarthColleen HarringtonJeannie and Kenneth HelgesenVivian HernandezRebecca HernandezAndrew HilsbergLynn HyndmanBharathi JayaramHeidi and Mitchell KieslerBruce KrippnerPhilip and Judith KuebbelerElizabeth LaundyRobert and Carol Lifton

Susan PetersValerie PierceMary PounderLaura ReedDavid RosenRichard RutschmanDavid SatinSid and Elizabeth SchenkierKen & Marilyn SchroederKenneth SchroederGordon SchulzAmanda SewardSally and Frederick SgrossoEd and Laurel ShapiroShirley ShechtmanRita SimoDavid SingleWilliam SpenceJoyce StadterHeather SteansGreg StienerGinny SykesTax ProsAna TharakanCarl TisoneAndrew and Lisa TonachelErnie TothMatthew TragerLaura TuckerGordon and Mary VanceVOA Associates IncorporatedMichelle VosJudson P. VosburgDarran WeeBetty and Stanley WeinbergerBlair WellensiekRichard W. WesterfieldConstance and Hugh WilliamsCatherine WilsonWendy and Stuart Witzel

$25-$99K.E. BethelBruce BuchholzLaurie BuchholzKyung Hee and Seong You ByunCarolina CaligiuriKatie ChiuJanice CollierTeresa CortasLynne CramerLynn DanfordJane DeweySarah DlouhyNancy EbertDorcas A. EdgeRobin FineLaura FransenSylvia GarciaMarcy HackbarthColleen HarringtonJeannie and Kenneth HelgesenVivian HernandezRebecca HernandezAndrew HilsbergLynn HyndmanBharathi JayaramHeidi and Mitchell KieslerBruce KrippnerPhilip and Judith KuebbelerElizabeth LaundyRobert and Carol Lifton

Kerry LismanRobert MertigDavid and Clarice MittelmanGloria MonroyMarjorie MorrisseyNaoki & Leah NakamuraGail NelsonCarl and Constance NelsonDanny NelsonEmma NowackiBrad ObermeyerLeslie OstranderNorman PatinkinJessica PaulsenBeth and Bernard RaapKristen RobertsNancy RoseRobert RubensteinSarah RueyThomas SchneiderSally SharpAllen ShechtmanJoe and Elizabeth SilvermanRoderick SimmsMarcia SmithJennifer and Jeremy TitusKarla and Clint Twedt-BallKaren VillanuevaKatrina WeimholtSean WilhelmJonathan YanceySusan ZeiglerLois and Edmond Zisook

Contracts & Public GrantsAfter School MattersBanner Education GroupChicago Area ProjectCity of Chicago Board of Education, Chicago Public Schools Department of Family and Support Services Neighborhood Arts ProgramFriends of Northside College PrepHeartland Health CentersHoward Area Community CenterIllinois Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency PreventionIllinois Department of Human Services Division of Community Health & Prevention Division of Alcoholism & Substance AbuseIllinios State UniversityIllinois Violence Prevention Authority (through Albany Park Community Center and Organization of the Northeast)Lurie Children’s HospitalThe Night MinistryOne EconomyServe Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community ServiceSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSA)University of Illinois (through Simpson Academy for Young Women)Youth Network Council

In-kind donations3639 Wrigley RooftopAnnoyance TheaterAwesomely Creations

B3 TerrariumsLaura BergerBetsy DesignBloom YogaBrew CampBrixen Ivy RooftopCafe SelmarieCeres TableChicago Architecture FoundationChicago Children’s MuseumChicago CreationsChicago Office of Tourism & CultureChicago Symphony OrchestraCisco Computer SystemsRachel ClaffClever DaysCourt TheatreCrumbaugh CeramicsCurves Uptown SouthSabrina Lee EdelhauserAngela FeganJudith M. GallGooch Too PhotographyPC Gooden-SmileyJennifer and Jeremy TitusJohnathan Breitung Salon & SpaJuliet JewelryMelissa JordanRichard KewitzKopi CafeLanguage StarsLehman School of DanceLillstreet Art CenterLilypopLuxCamenaLynfred WineryMagnolia Cafe

Merry Music Makers, Inc.Microsoft CorporationMillennium GaragesMoMoPicsTina MoranMusic Box TheaterNancy Nikko DesignBruce NelsonOceaniqueOld Town School of Folk MusicMegan Owdom-Weitz Rich PanicoSaralyn PeritzOne Stinkin’ PetuniaPosh PipsqueakPrince Chicago DesignRaviniaRitz-Carlton HotelMary ScottStory Studio ChicagoThe Rosenthal GroupToo Cute by Davey DreamerTrader Joe’s Lake ZurichTrixy XchangeUncommon GroundUptown ACE HardwareVictory Gardens TheaterWBEZ-FM Chicago Public RadioCatherine WeidnerWhole FoodsCatherine WilsonWillOaks StudioWomen And Children FirstBarbara O’Brien YaleRebecca Zemans

Fiscal Year 2012 TotalsRevenue: $2,974,917Expenses: $2,697,643

Alternatives, Inc FY12 Financial Summary

Established in direct response to the needs of area youth, Alternatives, Inc. has stood as a model for Chicago’s youth services field since 1971. Our mission is to facilitate personal development, strengthen family relationships and enhance the community’s well-being.

For more information or to donate, please visit us at www.alternativesyouth.org.

Alternatives, Inc.4730 North Sheridan RoadChicago, Illinois 60640773-506-7474