The new fiscal year starts off with the exiting news. We are soon to enjoy the functionality of a modern and sophisticated cloud based phone system. Yes, we are having our phone system replaced over the summer! Even better, we were awarded a grant by the Service Club of Chicago which covers the upfront cost of the new system’s installation and activation.

Recently you may have noticed some construction going on in our buildings (as well as on Cicero Avenue…). They were mostly the repairs related to the fire which occurred in the homeless shelter back in February. We have few more things planned for summer, among those the carpet/tiles replacement in the main office. We will keep on addressing the critical building issues throughout the year budget permitting. The goal is to create the welcoming environment for the staff and the clients we serve.

There is number of events happening over the summer. The Junior Board has his Beach Bash/Soccer Tournament scheduled for July 29. On August 29 we will held our first ever Piwo Fest. Then in September we are invited again to work the Money Wheel at the Taste of Polonia to earn a donation for PAA. We are tentatively scheduled to be there Friday and Saturday and we will be looking for volunteers to help out. And finally this year’s Chairman’s Brunch is planned for October 28. This promises to be a spectacular event. Again, we will be asking for your participation, access to your networks and that you spread the word so we make those events the most successful.

During our On the table conversation with a group of staff a suggestion was made that we increase our visibility in the community by participating in the picnics and fests. We have made few appearances already and may be asking for volunteers to staff the upcoming events in the summer. If you plan on going anyway, we hope you consider being a PAA advocate at the same time. Sometimes the fees are a bit prohibitive, so any influence you can entertain to waive them for PAA would always be welcome!

People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. (Maya Angelou)

Anyone interested in CNA classes, for more information please contact Barbara Gawronska ext. 403 or Jagoda Branicka ext. 401.

Registration for ESL and ABE classes is ongoing. Please contact Mira Krolikowska ext. 409, Kasia Koptilin ext. 405, Beata Hryn ext. 404 or our Southside location (773) 767-7773 Malgorzata Bodyziak ext. 202 for more information.

The citizenship class registration starts August 1. For more information or to enroll please contact Janina Malewicz at ext. 400.

Teen Starting Point Program is excited to announce - for the first time at our south side location - a workshop for adolescents between 13 to 18 years of age:
FORWARD/DO PRZODU.
Teens participating in this workshop will be provided with better understanding of anxiety and practical strategies that might help reduce social anxiety and/or test anxiety. Our target point is ……ultimate personal and academic success of every young person! This free of charge event will take place on July 24 ,31 and August 1 2018 from 6 to 7:30pm. Registration is a required since the number of openings is limited to approximately ten participants. To register contact Malgorzata Olczak at 773 427 6345 or Ten adres pocztowy jest chroniony przed spamowaniem. Aby go zobaczyć, konieczne jest włączenie w przeglądarce obsługi JavaScript. . Please visit our website www.polish.org for detailed description of this empowering event.

Job seekers who are Cook County residents are welcome to visit the employment services at the Polish American Association and enroll in job placement assistance programs. For more information about PAA’s employment services please call Ewelina at ext. 412.
Individuals interested in enrolling in WIOA job placement assistance program should attend the program orientation. Orientations are held every Tuesday: at 11am in Polish and 1pm in English.; and the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month at 6pm in Polish and 7pm in English. For more information please call Barbara at ext. 413 or Magda at ext. 423.

Individuals interested in enrolling in WIOA job placement assistance program should attend the program orientation. Orientations are held every Tuesday at 11am in Polish and 1pm in English; and on the second and fourth Monday of the month at 6pm in Polish and 7pm in English. For more information please call Magda at 773 481-5423 or Barbara at 773 481-5413.

Registration for paid computer classes will start in July/August. We will offer the following classes: • Introduction to QuickBooks 8/25/18-10/6/18, Saturday 12-4pm at 3815 N. Cicero Ave • Basic Computer Literacy 9/29/18-12/22/18 Saturday 5pm- 8:15pm at 3815 N. Cicero Ave • Basic Computer Literacy 9/29/18-12/22/18 Saturday 6:15pm- 9:30pm at 6276 W. Archer Ave For more information please call Bianka at 773 481-5418.

In July and August the Resource Room will be open only on Thursdays from 9am to 5pm. The regular schedule (Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays 9am-5pm) will resume in September. The Resource Room is open to walk-ins and is free of charge. For more information please call Bianka at 773 481-5418.

Summer has arrived at last! Hopefully, everyone is enjoying the great weather (despite the occasional hot spell) and numerous outdoor activities. The FY19 budget was passed by the Board of Directors so we will be meeting with each department to discuss their individual budgets for the upcoming fiscal year. We will also take a look back at FY18 department numbers as we close FY18 accounting records and prepare for the fiscal year end audit. We will be introducing some procedural changes in regard to timekeeping and payroll processing to improve accuracy and reduce the administrative burden on hourly employees and finance staff. The details will be released in an upcoming memo. We also welcome your questions and suggestions as they relate to finance. Please contact Larry directly.

The winter CEDA(LiHEAP) Program will start in October for Senior Citizens and the disabled, please tell clients to contact reception in the beginning of September for more information!