PAA MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

May 2014

Programs/Staff News

PAA Immigration Services Department will no longer provide in person free immigration information services. Instead we will provide fee based immigration consultations and processes by appointment ONLY. The department will continue to organize monthly FREE of charge Citizenship N-400 workshops provided by New American Initiative Program. For more information please check our website HERE or contact Grazyna.

PAA continues a partnership with the PrimeCare Community Health Clinic to enroll County Care and Medicaid eligible clients into the quality health care under the Affordable Care Act.  Each Tuesday and Thursday in May the clinic staff will work from our main office from 9 am-5 pm. The interested clients should call Basia Pietrowski at the main reception to make an appointment.

It is the last chance to enroll in our CNA program this fiscal year! The last paid class will be starting in May. For more information or to register please call Basia Gawronska or Jagoda.

New American Initiative Program invites all eligible Permanent Residents to a free CITIZENSHIP WORKSHOP on Saturday, May 31. It will take place at St. Hyacinth’s Basilica located at 3636 W. Wolfram Street in Chicago. Registration will be held as usual from 9-10.30 am. For complete information please go to our website or call Grazyna, Teresa or Basia.

The Career Center invites you to attend a free information session on How to Achieve Financial Wellness.  The session  will take place on Tuesday, May 20 at 6.00 pm at the Copernicus Foundation. For more information call Kasia Rachwal.

We will continue offering job placement assistance services at our South Side location. Our employment staff will be present in the office on May 15 from 10 am to 2 pm to provide program information and to register clients. For more information please call Bianka at ext. 418. To reach the employment program staff at the South Side office please call 773 767-7773 ext. 209.

Our private pay home care program is ALWAYS looking for new clients. We are asking for your help with spreading the word and we will reward you for referring a client to PAA.  The reward schedule is set up as follows: if the referred client stays with us for a month the reward is $25, it doubles to $50 if the client is being served for 3 months and finally it becomes $100 after 6 months of service provided. If you know of anybody in need of home care service, please ask them to call Bogusia.

Staff Birthdates and Anniversaries

Happy Birthday and Sto lat to all who are having their birthday in May:

Maria Bis, Michal Chybowski, Slawomir Czajkowski, Teresa Glen, Barbara Haniaczyk, Daniel Jarosz, Zofia Koscielniak, Teresa Kozlowska, Maria Kruczek, Maria Leja, Iwona Lippert, Barbara Lukaszek, Jadwiga Morzy, Katarzyna Olender-Misiarz, Tomasz Pik, Katarzyna Rachwal, Agata Radek, Jadwiga Rozanska, Alicja Szremska, Marzenna Szwarc, Krystyna Wiszowata, Walentyna Wolska, Bozena Zdrzalka

PAA Retirement Corner by Pat Madigan

For those of you who already get too much mail, you can now receive your John Hancock quarterly statements via e-mail.  If you are interested you may do the following:

• First you log-in to https://www.jhancockpensions.com
• Next Choose “Modify your personal information.”
• Click: "Statement delivery preference".
• Review the Terms & Conditions.
• Select eDelivery and provide a current e-mail address.

It’s quick, it’s secure, and it’s convenient.

From Gary’s Desk

As many of you know, the PAA Board of Directors approved the hiring of a Human Resources Manager. An extensive search was conducted with many of our community partners across the metropolitan area for an experienced professional in the field of HR. Our search has now been concluded and I am happy to announce that on Thursday May 1 Sonji Jones will begin her work here at PAA.
I know you will all welcome her to the PAA family.

I am pleased to announce that the 2 G Show has premiered on Polvision TV. This will be a regular ½ talk show with co-hosts of Grazyna and I. Interviews will be of topics of interest not necessarily covered by regular shows but of note. We will post the links of this weekly show on our web site as it becomes available. For now, follow the link to the Polvision You Tube Channel where the first show is HERE.

Have a  great month everyone!

Development News

Please join us for the Polish Constitution Day Parade on May 3rd. PAA will be marching as the 85th organization. All Polish American Association participants will be meeting at 10:30 am on Balboa, just west of Lake Shore Drive (Balboa Dr. is 700 South) and the parade starts at 11:15 am. For the march order and a map click HERE. Please confirm your participation with Gary at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 773-427-6317. We look forward to having you with us!

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2014 CHAIRMAN'S BRUNCH was held on Sunday, April 27, 2014 at the Standard Club Chicago. We raised over $21,375 (net). Special thanks for being a part of making it all happen to Arie & Bozena Zweig, Solidarity Award for Lifetime Giving recipients and Honored Guest Speaker, Jim Pawelczyk, Astronaut who shared his inspirational story on his distinguished career as an astronaut and academician, and his pride in his Polish identity.

 
We want to thank each of you who attended or supported this event by a donation. Special thanks to Patrick Madigan and Robert Gols who used the special promotion and attended  our Brunch. Your attendance at the event is much appreciated.

HERE you will find pictures from 2014 Chairman's Brunch
HERE you will find the YouTube video from 2014 Chairman's Brunch

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Last month PAA received $10,000 from the Northern Trust and $5,000 from the Chicago Society. Both grants  are intended for the general operating support.
 
Please start sharing the photos of PAA FY’14 events with Mary. These will be used for the next annual report and we want to have plenty to choose from.
    
SUNDAY FAMILY DINNER: You are cordially invited to join us for celebrating the International Children’s Day at the Sunday Family Dinner on June 1 at the White Eagle Restaurant. Reception 3:00pm Dinner 4:00pm Tickets: $50 adults, $25 children (ages 2-12) FASHION SHOW, provided by Worth New York, the Passion Dance Ensemble - contemporary ballet group and more attractions are planned for the event. For reservation please call Basia at 773-427-6307.

Reminders & Other

Days off:

• Memorial Day - May 26

Please mark your calendars for two annual staff events:

• Staff Meeting/Picnic on September 12 (Friday)
• Christmas Party on December 12 (Friday)

The annual performance evaluations need to be completed by Monday, June 16.

We are starting a construction project at the main PAA building the week of May 5. We will be replacing the windows’ beams and making repairs to the damaged bricks on the south/east corner of our main building (second floor at the Starting  Point Clinic). All that will be done from the outside. The City requires the use of the scaffolding so you will see it around our building for a couple of days. The work should be completed within a week.

Be prompt in signing your timesheets! They need to be turned in to Basia NO LATER than by the 5th of the following month.

Be Inspired

Our attitude toward life determines life’s attitude towards us.