About
The Grass Roots Community Activist Institute will provide services centering around the black family. We will offer entertainment which will include a restaurant within the African American Community.
Our Goal: To deliver an unparalleled guest experience through a combination of food, drinks and on site games in a safe environment for children and their families. We will offer Performing arts class; oil painting class; music business class; start up business class; vocational training.
Description
The Grass Roots Community Activist Institute will be a private for profit service base business that will include educational services along with a restaurant serving hot wings, ribs, and shrimp with the latest interactive and video games. We will offer various services such as an after school programs for children, culturally competent health services, clinical services, prevention programs and adult education.
Mission
Building a community of hope while changing lives.
The Grass Roots Community Activist Institute
will provides and coordinates comprehensive human services to residents on the Westside of Chicago and eventually on the Southside of Chicago. The primary goal of GRCAI is to develop a service system which assists and supports single black mothers, single black fathers, and low income working families, in their efforts to improve their health, social and educational needs. These services will enhance the quality of life for black families, children, youth, adults, and seniors. GRCAI will provide these services in a culturally competent manner.
After I graduated from high school I decided to go to college and when I return from college I wanted to improve my former community which was lacking of basic services in the low income African American Community. I created the Grass Roots Community Activist Movement to focus on the disparity in availability, accessibility and utilization of a safe environment for children to play and enjoy life.
The lack of job opportunities for black men and black women within my former community. After 20 years of rejection by established black organizations to work with me I decide to published my book The Solution For Black America: Reclaiming, Rebuilding, And Restoring The Urban Ghettos In America" Second Edition in order to generate capital so that I can offer incentives to thirty individuals within the state of Illinois or beyond who have read my book and agree with my plan on improving Urban America. I want them to come to Chicago and work with me directly in getting this organization started.
Once we’re established in Chicago, I plan on expanding my organization to 25 other cities within 25 states. Once we’re established in 25 states I plan on expanding my organization abroad to Africa, Brazil, and the Caribbean Islands. We will offer private employment to our clients and members within the organization pending on our budget and our sponsorship.
Our objective is to enhance the social well-being of African Americans throughout Chicago.
To develop comprehensive intervention and prevention strategies for mental health and social/family wellness services that meet the needs of the ethnically diverse Black population. Embracing hope, and changing lives.
Our Youth Programs
The B.R.I.D.G.E.
Building Relationships, Inspiring Dreams, Gaining Experience.
Mentorship Program for youth matches African-American professionals with African-American students for a meaningful mentoring experience. Both lives can be enhanced as the partnership grows and experiences are shared. Because of the tremendous pressures African-American youth face today, this program allows the youth to identify with–and learn from–adults who have gone through similar experiences.
One of the common struggles for African American males is the pressure to achieve academic success. These pressures can compound hardships teens already face in this crucial time of social development. In addition, many youth may have limited healthy adult relationships, especially if they come from single parent household. B.R.I.D.G.E. hopes adult mentors will provide guidance and shared experiences to help the youth find their own way through some of their struggles. Mentors can be a sounding board, act as advisor or teacher, and perhaps most importantly, a positive role model. Through this program we hope to reduce drop-out rates, increase attendance, improve test scores, bridge barriers, and provide mentoring.
B.R.I.D.G.E. will encourage family participation and involvement in student’s life. Parents of students are welcomed to join in order to improve family cohesion, bonding and communication. The mentoring component matches African American professionals with African American students for a meaningful mentoring experience. Both lives can be enhanced as the partnership grows and experiences are shared.
Project S.M.A.R.T.S. (Students Molding and Relating towards Success) is an innovative youth development that aims to deliver drug prevention to low-income, at-risk black youths. This program seeks to enhance youth’s self esteem and communication skills, build bridges of understanding with authority figures, reduce truancy, promote character development, and enable young people to develop life skills.
Youth are often stressed by developmental demands, such as meeting parental expectations, avoiding peer pressure and temptations, traversing through relationships, and dealing with bullying while trying to define their identity.
However, obtaining basic communication skills and relationship development can help youth grow into successful and happy adults. Through Project S.M.A.R.T.S, aims to assist students our staff will tailor the curriculum to the specific and unique needs of the participants while incorporating appropriate elements from standardized national curricula.
Our Senior Programs: Project HOPE is to enhance the health and social well-being of African American seniors in the greater Chicago land area through individual counseling, bi-weekly support groups, educational workshops and case management. Many seniors experience a variety of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, dementia, and grief and loss as well as health concerns related to aging, which also affect their quality of life and well-being.
We will provide community based senior supportive psycho-educational groups and workshops to seniors in the community. Our clinical staff will conduct groups
to facilitate a sense of community and support among those seniors who live in the community. Through our programs, we hope to:
- Help seniors realize a sense of joy and happiness
- Enhance the seniors’ ability for communication and self-expression
- Maintain the seniors’ self esteem and sense of identity
- Strength the seniors’ coping ability and self-mechanism in adjusting to late adulthood through discussion and learning, increasing their adaptation to their environment
- Facilitate an atmosphere of mutual assistance, support and sharing among group members, as well as creating a self-support system
Seniors can attend our weekly or bi-weekly support groups, monthly educational workshops and join our field trips for FREE.
Our weekly/bi-weekly basis senior support groups are the basic care given to seniors, who need mental health supports in terms of emotional, social and peer in their own neighborhood. The support groups provide relaxation, problem solving skills training, stress management, strength perspectives and positive thinking training, family life, social skills training, and much more.
We will organized several preventive educational workshops for our seniors. Topics include:
- Crime Prevention
- Humor and Health
- Prescription Drug Management
- Skin Care
- How to Enroll in Medicare Part D
- Wills and Trusts and Right and Responsibility of Citizen and Government etc.
These workshops will help the senior participants get up-to-date information and empower them to get involved in the community actively. It enhances their cognitive level and becomes active aging. At GRCAI, we strive to meet their needs with our Case Management Program. Case management services include rent and utility assistance, information about transportation, home health services referral, service providers referral, application for Medicare, Medicaid, and financial assistance. Case Management will be provided on a one-on-one basis at no charge.
Family Services
dynamic 7 session program that provides parents with education and skills, on how to live a harmonious family life and build the foundations for children’s success.
The Goal:
1. How to deal with family stress
2. How to link children’s needs and behaviors
3. How to speak with the heart and get your message across appropriately
4. How to solve family conflicts
5. Age-appropriate discipline and family meetings
6. How to ensure your family’s safety and bow to accomplish family dreams
These parenting classes are offered in collaboration with our Family Resource Center. We will also provide free civil legal assistance for eligible low-income individuals and families who need it. GRCAI will be established to address the availability, accessibility and utilization of basic services that are lacking in the low income African American Community.
Educational Conferences
Issues related to youth, seniors, substance abuse and women’s health.
Public Awareness and Outreach Campaigns
GRCAI will work to raise awareness about institutional racism; structural inequality; police brutality; job discrimination; political activism; democratic socialism; Christian Socialism; via ethnic media outlets, including radio talk shows and newspapers columns.
Our A.H.E.A.D. Program will prepare individuals for gainful employment. We will offer many various training classes to instill diverse skills as well as provide computer skills for our clients, members, and students.
Computer Classes
Computer Basics: Learn the basics of operating a computer.
Word: Learn how to use Microsoft Word Processor and create text documents and more.
Excel: Learn how to use Microsoft Excel to make spreadsheets and more.
PowerPoint: Learn how to make professional presentations using PowerPoint.
Vocational Training will be in the areas of Hospitality /Housekeeping and Home Health Aide. Training, with a focus on terms and conversational skills frequently used in those work environments. Upon completion attendees will receive a certificate of completion.
Housekeeping Skills Training
This course will provide the knowledge and skills to manage a small business as a housekeeper and to work in the hospitality field at large. Training sessions will range from technical, like basic cleaning and chemical safety, to business management, such as setting up your own business and business skills.
Home Health Aide Training
This course builds on knowledge learned in nursing assistance. Clients will be trained to perform basic nursing skills, psychosocial needs, communication, resident rights, and body mechanics as it relates to the home health care. This course will incorporate beyond classroom training we will partner with local hospitals and nursing home to provide on-the-job training.
Job Readiness Workshop
Job-readiness training will focuses on developing the skills and techniques necessary for conducting an effective job search or for placement in specific fields. Important components of job-readiness preparation also include workshops on the job market in Chicago, resume preparation and interview preparation.
Financial Literacy Workshop
These workshops are designed to guide a completely unprepared individual on the road to financial integration and self-sufficiency. Topics include banking, checking and savings accounts, ATMs, credit cards, debt management, credit building, setting goals, and personal finance.
Most of our programs and services are provided free of charge. Vocational training services are provided at a sliding scale according to income, with fee as low as $30.00. Help us build stronger healthier families together, we can make a lifelong difference for black families.
My organization is open to all ordinary law abiding citizens, and all racial groups but everyone must agree with all of the principles in my book no exceptions. I have labored twenty two years doing my best to get my message out to the public and I am willing to speak at any school, university, or place of worship to those who will invite me. But I cannot do this alone others who are also concerned about these issues must play a role too. I know my cause will not be in vain this is a benefit not only to the black family and the black community but also to society. This is my contribution back to my community and throughout the African Diaspora. Real Christian Socialist Online
My You Tube Video
My Book Link on Amazon.com
My Book Link on Createspace.com
My Cause: (Help Stop The Genocide In American Ghettos)
My Google Plus Fan Page
https://plus.google.com/115565856699257153690#115565856699257153690
My Organization GRCAM