Siobhan Perricone
such size,
There's a cafe here in the Uptown area of Chicago that caters to the homeless, abused, etc. It is "gourmet", e.g. first - clbutt food, and it treats folks with dignity. The "guests" have rules however. I think such a program is a good idea:
'Inspiration Cafe
Located in Uptown on Chicago's north side, Inspiration Cafe provides restaurant-style meals, housing, job-training, case management and other services to homeless men and women in a therapeutic community of dignity and respect.
Inspiration Cafe was founded in 1989 by Lisa Nigro, a Chicago police officer who began searching for a personal response to the homelessness she encountered in Uptown. She began by loading up a red wagon with sandwiches and coffee to distribute to homeless individuals on the streets.
Inspiration Cafe uses a very specific definition of homelessness: an individual who lacks adequate and sustainable housing.
Inspiration Cafe Services:
Inspiration Cafe (IC) is designed to buttist individuals who are homeless, unemployed, underemployed, mentally ill, recovering substance abusers and-or socially isolated. Inspiration Cafe's core service is the therapeutic community that occurs during the restaurant-style meals cooked and served by volunteers every day for breakfast and four nights a week during dinner. It is the milieu of successful alumni, who are graduates of IC, and guests at different stages of recovery and self-sufficiency that create the therapeutic community at the Cafe. Providing services in a way that fosters dignity and respect is at the core of Inspiration Cafe's mission.
An individual qualifies for acceptance into Inspiration Cafe's program by obtaining a referral from another social service agency that verifies the following criteria:
Drug- and alcohol-free for at least 30 days No recent history of violence A willingness to work toward exiting homelessness by obtaining housing and a source of income
Once guests graduate from Inspiration Cafe by attaining stable housing and a steady income source, they become alumni. Alumni can attend up to 12 meals each month and receive ongoing support by having access to the Cafe's programs, including a Food Pantry exclusively for their use. Monthly newsletters and annual reunions also keep alumni connected to Inspiration Cafe's therapeutic community.
Case Management:
buttertive case management services are provided to help individuals achieve the objectives they have defined and reach their ultimate goal of self-sufficiency. Through required weekly meetings and an Individual Development Plan, guests receive individualized counseling and support in identifying, monitoring and achieving goals. In addition to this one-on-one work with guests, we link guests to services available in the community, including health care, housing, employment, educational opportunities and job-training programs. We also offer ongoing case management services to our alumni when they need it to ensure they have every possible opportunity to successfully manage their lives.
Meal Schedule:
The Inspiration Cafe's hallmark program includes meals prepared and served by volunteers in our beautiful restaurant-style setting. Breakfast is served daily, and dinner is served four nights every week: Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. These meals provide our guests with the opportunity to begin the long journey back from homelessness by being in the company of others. And because our guests are required to attend all meals, they have the chance to create daily structure in their lives, while knowing the pleasure of "being expected" at the table.
Our Cafe exudes an aura of warmth and camaraderie, while providing the strong sense of community that can only be found when breaking bread with others. The environment is a therapeutic community - a place of fellowship, a place of safety, a place of acceptance and a place where ordinary people have an extraordinary impact on each other. And because the Cafe is open every day, it provides a framework for guests, alumni, volunteers and staff to live each day in a positive way.
Referral Process:
Inspiration Cafe accepts referrals of qualified applicants from more than 50 social service organizations within our referral network. To qualify, applicants must be drug- and alcohol-free for at least 30 days, have no recent history of violence, and be willing to work toward obtaining their own housing and source of income.
All applicants must be referred by a social service provider who has substantial experience working with the applicant in order to verify the qualifying criteria. Once a referral is made, the applicant is put on a waiting list. When a space becomes available, we contact the referring agency to set up an buttessment interview. Applicants are accepted based on the buttessment of our case managers.
House Rules :
(revised January 2003)
1. Inspiration Cafe guests are referred from other social service agencies. To become a guest of the Cafe, an individual must demonstrate a desire to find housing and a stable source of income. The case manager buttists each guest in developing a plan to achieve these goals. Every guest meets with the case manager once a week for continual support and buttessment. The first two weeks of participation at the Cafe are a probationary period; each guest must meet with a case manager, set achievable goals and reach those goals along with consistent attendance at meals and meetings. If a guest does not fulfill the agreed upon goals, case management staff may require the guest to leave the program.
2. The Cafe provides an atmosphere of dignity and respect for all who enter its doors. Disrespectful treatment and verbal abuse of another guest, alumni, volunteer or staff member is not tolerated and carries the risk of immediate suspension or discharge.
3. The Cafe does not tolerate physical or verbal fighting under any circumstances. All parties who engage in any physical fighting or who threaten violence inside or within one block of the Cafe will be discharged immediately. If a verbal dispute arises, Cafe staff will intervene. Further, no illegal behavior of any kind, including drug trafficking, will be tolerated and is grounds for being barred from the Cafe.
4. To ensure the safety and wellness of the Cafe community, alcohol or drug use is prohibited at all times. Relapse will be handled on an individual basis, to be decided by case managers and depending on the needs of the guest-alumnus. Depending upon the situation, a relapse might result in suspension from meals and activities for 30 days, during which time the guest-alumnus will meet once a week with his or her case manager in order to intensify focus on recovery. The case manager can also request random drug testing of Cafe guests. If the result is positive, the above stated rules will be enforced. Guests refusing to take a drug test will be discharged from the Cafe.
5. Cafe guests attend breakfast seven days a week and dinner four nights a week. Volunteers will serve cereal and beverages to guests who arrive before or after these times (no food will be served 15 minutes after the kitchen closes). Food cannot be taken out of the Cafe. Meal times allow for socializing with guests, alumni, staff and volunteers.
6. Guests must notify the case manager in advance if they need to miss a meal. If the case manager is not available, please inform the Cafe staff on duty AND follow up with the case manager as soon as possible. Guests who are absent from meals for two consecutive days are automatically suspended until meeting with the case manager. Missing meals frequently may result in being discharged from the Cafe.
7. The Cafe offers meal service. Volunteers or staff will serve coffee, beverages, meals and other items. Guests are requested to stay in their seats while waiting for an order and during the meal times. The kitchen is off limits to guests, except for kitchen staff. Once the volunteers have finished cooking, guests on clean-up duty can enter the kitchen.
8. Common courtesy is expected. Sunglbuttes and headphones should be removed and cell phones are not to be used during meals. Men are required to remove their hats in the Cafe. Any clothing with information or description about alcohol or drugs is prohibited. Smoking or foul language is prohibited. In order to be respectful to yourself and others, we require proper hygiene.
9. All guests are buttigned clean-up shifts each month. Guests are responsible for finding a replacement if they cannot do clean up because of work, school, doctor or other necessary appointments. Guests must then notify an buttistant Cafe Manager of the change. Failure to find a replacement or missing a clean-up shift will result in suspension from meals until the guest meets with his or her case manager and a responsibility to buttist with clean-up at the next meal attended.
10. Guests and alumni may request permission to bring a friend or family member to a meal. This request must be made 24 hours in advance and in person to a Cafe staff member on duty, who will sign up the visitor if a slot is available. Leaving a message and-or showing up with a visitor does not consbreastute permission. Only one guest or alumnus is allowed to bring a visitor per meal. Each guest and alumnus is allowed one visitor per month. Individuals who are not in good standing with the Cafe will not be allowed t o visit the Cafe. While dining at the Cafe, visitors are expected to follow all Cafe house rules.
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11. Staff and volunteers cannot grant personal favors such as lending money, cars or other personal items. Personal belongings cannot be held or left unattended at the Cafe. No dating is allowed between staff (which includes volunteers) and Cafe participants (guests, alumni, Cafe Too students).
12. In addition to meals, the Cafe offers an array of programs and resources to guests. A telephone is available for guest use. A computer lab is available at various times during the week, however, a guest must attend an orientation before accessing the lab. The lab is closed during meal times. The following services are mandatory on a weekly basis: men's and women's support groups, Case Management appointments, and recovery meetings (if applicable). Guest meetings, which are held every other Wednesday, are also mandatory. Guests who cannot attend a meeting because of work, school or health-related appointments must inform the case manager. If the case manager cannot be reached, a guest can inform another Cafe staff member by telephone or in person, but MUST follow up with the case manager as soon as possible. Verification of the appointment may be required to receive an excused absence.
**Guests will be suspended until they see their case manager if they miss a chore, meal, support group meeting, guest meeting or any other mandatory meetings without notifying staff prior to that meeting.
13. Through the Art for All program, guests and alumni are invited on group outings to artistic, cultural and recreational events. Guests have first priority. Cafe rules apply on all outings (traveling to-from and while at the event). Guests and alumni who have signed up for an event, but do not show up will be suspended from the following Art for All event. Continued no-shows will result in a suspension from the Art for All program.
14. In addition to the programs offered at the Cafe, guests can access many services at other agencies through referrals from the case manager. These referrals are made with the faith that guests will follow through with them.
Inspiration Cafe staff are responsible for following and enforcing these rules. Staff are mandatory reporters - meaning they can disclose any information that they feel needs to be reported back to Case Management staff. A staff member on duty can suspend a guest who violates these rules. In turn, guests can follow the grievance procedure if any staff member violates these rules.'
The Cafe can accommodate up to 30 guests at any given time, and it serves approximately 100 people each year. It has an average of 185 active alumni.
Our services are provided by a professional staff and supported by over 450 volunteers. Inspiration Corporation's 15-member board of directors provides leadership and vision for the agency.
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