Su Casa Catholic Worker

2006-05-25T17:38:00.000-07:00

Support Su Casa just by searching the internet!

Simply go to www.goodsearch.com, type in Su Casa as the charity, search for what you're looking for, and we'll get one cent for every search. It doesn't sound like much at first, but if each of our supporters uses it to search the internet twice a day, Su Casa will get over $7,000 a year! It is easy to add to your current toolbar and you get the same results from Yahoo. So why not put your computer to work for a good cause?

2006-05-17T12:07:00.000-07:00

Join the Community!

The Su Casa Catholic Worker community has openings for new full-time, live-in community members. Workers at Su Casa help with House Management, which involves welcoming visitors, coordinating volunteer groups, accepting donations, providing childcare, and being present to our guests. In addition, each worker has their own roles and areas of responsibility. Workers usually help with two of the following areas: Hospitality, Food, Family Activities, Volunteer Coordinator, Maintenance, Gardening, Outreach, and Communications. These roles are flexible according to the skills and interests of the volunteer. Spanish speaking skills are very helpful, but not required. All workers receive free room and board and an $80 monthly stipend.

For more information or to apply, please contact us at 773-376-9263 or via e-mail at sucasacw@juno.com

2006-05-10T08:21:00.000-07:00

Spring Benefit: Dessert & Silent Auction, May 6th 2006

2006-05-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

Thank you Thank you Thank you!

The Dessert-Silent Auction Benefit on May 6th was a smashing success! We had a solid turn out that made for some very exiting bidding wars. The event overall brought in almost $2000, which exceeded our expectations, and I think it's safe to say that a good time was had by all. Thanks to this extra income our kids will now have the opportunity to go to summer camp!

A very special thanks to Edgewater Presbyterian Church which hosted our event free of charge, and to our musical guests Sarah Henken (violin) and Ben Walker (guitar). While the remaining list of participants is too great to mention, please know that we appreciated all your thoughtful contributions--those of you who helped set up, those who donated auction items, you who came to bid on them, and especially you who were so organized as to email in your pre-bids. You are well loved!

Stay tuned next year this time for "Cinco de Mayo por Su Casa." Do you already have an auction item in mind?

2005-12-28T11:04:00.000-08:00

2005-12-28T10:26:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of some of the current Su Casa workers and guests at our anniversary open house in November.

2005-12-27T13:03:00.000-08:00

Programs and Volunteer Opportunities

Soup Kitchen: Sundays 12-1pm
Now in it's 12th year, our soup kitchen continues to serve between 80 and 120 hungry men and women each week. Meals are bought and prepared by local parishes and additional clothing and food is often given away. We are always in need of volunteers to help staff this vital ministry. Monthly, bi-monthly, and one-time volunteer groups are particularly welcome.

Youth Outreach Night: Sunday Evenings
Each Sunday night we welcome up to 40 neighborhood kids to play in our secure courtyard. Most nights we play organized games and give out snacks, but the program is largely dependend on the volunteers who show up to help. Would you be interested in helping out one night this year?

Family Outings (ongoing)
Once or twice a month we take our families out of the house on organized activities. Often neighborhood kids are invited along. In the past our outings have included zoos, art museums, amusement parks, professional sporting events, restaurants, camping trips, ice-skating, and more. We regularly partner with Inner City Outings to introduce our guests to the great outdoors.

In-house activities (ongoing)
Inside the house we cook and eat a common meal together five nights a week (Monday-Friday). We have a party to celebrate birthdays on the last friday of every month, and we have additional fiestas as often as we can come up with excuses for them. Volunteers regularly provide our families with arts and crafts programing, counseling services, ESL instruction, health and parenting classes, and whatever other talents they have to share. Do you have an event or program that you'd like to share with our community? Give us a call!

Urban Plunge Groups
We provide space for volunteer groups to stay at Su Casa while participating in and learning about volunteer opportunities in the house and throughout Chicago. While often these groups are made up of high school or college age volunteers who come to help out during their spring breaks, we can accommodate groups of up to 20 people just about any time throughout the year and keep them busy for anything from a couple of hours to a couple of weeks!

The Greater Chicago Food Depository
We get the majority of our food from the GCFD--one of the largest food rescue programs in the nation. The food is not perfectly free, however--we gain credit to buy the food through hours of volunteer labor. Thus we are always looking for individuals and groups to give a few hours sorting food so that our families will be well fed throughout the year.

Fundraising
Over half of our budget is supplied through the private donations of individuals. The other half we raise by applying for foundation grants, renting out some of our property, and doing good old-fashioned fund-raising. Most recently we've been experimenting with cottage industries like selling canned salsas and soups. Do you have an idea for a fundraiser Su Casa might benefit from? Would you want to help out with grantwriting or selling salsa?

Live-in Volunteers and Workers
We are always looking for full-time and part-time workers at Su Casa. Our Catholic Worker community is bigger than most and we have plenty of space to accommodate experienced volunteers who have time to spare. Currently our workers range in age from 19 to 70 something. Some stay for a couple months, others for several years. Are you interested in intentional community? Want to try living out your values in service to the poor? Stop by and ask for an application.

Social Action
For many years we have taken an annual trip to the School of the America's protest at Ft Benning, GA. We try to send workers to as many anti-war protests as we can spare them for, and we periodically sponsor educational events surrounding issues of immigration and human rights. One of our workers is currently working on the No More Deaths campaign on the US-Mexico border and another is involved in the Hyde Park Committee Against War and Racism. Please see our seasonal publication, Kairos, for more information on social justice issues relating to our mission and be sure to contact us with events that might be of interest to our constituency.

2005-12-27T12:56:00.000-08:00

Mission Statement:

Our ministry is three fold: we provide hospitality and a healing environment for displaced Hispanic people who are poor, homeless, and oppressed; we partner with our neighbors to make our community a better place to live; and we engage in educational and social action activities concerning social justice issues related to our ministry.

2005-12-27T12:38:00.000-08:00

Address & Directions

5045 S. Laflin St.
Chicago, IL 60609
(773) 376-9263
Fax: (773) 376-9241

The community is housed in an old Franciscan monastery that is situated in an African-American/Hispanic inner-city neighborhood on Chicago's south side. For those who know the city we are two blocks East of Ashland, just off of 51st street.

By Car: From the Dan Ryan Expressway (90/94) take the 51st street ramp, head West for about two miles, and turn right on Laflin. If you haven't passed Halstead or Racine, then keep going. If you've passed Ashland you've gone too far.

By Public Transportation (preferred!): Take the Red line south to 47th st and then the 51 bus to Laflin, or take the number 9 bus all the way down Ashland to 51st and walk East to Laflin, or you could even take the 55 bus to Ashland/Laflin and walk north to 51st.