ABOUT US

Mission and Values

Chicago HOPES for Kids provides comprehensive support to Chicago students and families experiencing homelessness. We are committed to our children’s educational development and long-term empowerment through academic support, dedicated mentorship and basic needs services.

We are committed to offering direct academic services and holistic investment for the long-term resilience, school success and future prosperity of Chicago children experiencing homelessness. Our core values are built upon community, agency, play, illumination, resilience, and presence:

Our History

Chicago HOPES for Kids developed out of an immediate need to offer direct and educational services to an underserved and often forgotten demographic--children experiencing homelessness. While most shelters focus their resources on aiding and stabilizing adults, we realized children were also traumatized by these circumstances. Students facing homelessness encounter a wider variety of challenges in keeping up with schoolwork compared to their peers with housing.

With support from AmeriCorps VISTA members and a handful of volunteers, Patricia Rivera founded Chicago HOPES for Kids in 2006 as a Chicago Public School (CPS) Homeless Education Program. This served as the foundation for what the organization evolved into—a program offering students literacy support, homework help, cultural enrichment opportunities, field trips and personalized
mentorship.

In 2010, Chicago HOPES for Kids became an established nonprofit. We celebrate more than a decade as the only organization in Chicago that provides educational support and specialized services directly to children experiencing homelessness. We proudly serve more than 325 students and their families annually and look forward to many more years of collaboration with our community.

A Walk Through Time:

2006

Pat Rivera establishes in-shelter after school programs

2010

Chicago HOPES for Kids is founded as a non-profit organization

2012

HOPES is granted 501(c)(3) status as a charitable organization

2016

McKinney-Vento Education is established

2020

Chicago HOPES for Kids celebrates 10 years!

Our Founder

Patricia Rivera is the founder of Chicago HOPES for Kids, our non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that provides academic support and literacy mentoring for children living in Chicago’s homeless shelters. She has a Master of Social Work Degree from the Jane Addams College of Social Work, Chicago, Illinois. She retired in 2010, after 33 years as a school social worker for Chicago Public Schools (CPS), with the last 7 years as the administrator for the CPS Homeless Education Program.

After she retired and CPS cut the funding for the shelter-based tutoring program, she and a group of dedicated volunteers founded Chicago HOPES for Kids. She served as the Executive Director of Chicago HOPES for Kids for 8 years before her retirement. She continues to volunteer with HOPES and also enjoys learning the harp, planting and harvesting at her sister's farm in Indiana, and spending time with her grandchildren.

Meet Our Team

Our team brings a wealth of experience and knowledge that continues to empower Chicago HOPES for Kids to great heights. We are fortunate and blessed to have a staff and executive board committed to our organization and supporting the families we serve.