Living Works is a nonprofit organization committed to enriching the lives of children and families in the Rogers Park neighborhood through the formation of community partnerships that enable us to offer quality, collaborative programs that address felt needs of community members. We are committed to the principals of anti-violence, anti-racism and ecumenical collaboration.
The Living Works After-School Program has been in existence since 1995, and seeks to foster development of the whole child by providing academic support, physical activity and extra-curricular activities that promote social and spiritual growth.
- Homework Help and Tutoring – The After-School Program collaborates with Loyola University’s Federal Work-Study Program in order to provide one-on-one and small group homework help and tutoring. Tutoring takes place on-site at Kilmer Elementary School, where all of our program participants attend, allowing us to further build bridges with the school and support the work of Kilmer teachers and administrators.
- Extra Curricular Activities – Extra Curricular Activities take place several afternoons each week at Living Water Community Church, and include Science Class, Writer’s Workshop, Arts & Craft Class, Cooking Class, Drama and ‘Say YES’.
- Safety Networks Grant – For the 2011-2012 school year, Living Works After-School Program received a grant through Organization of the Northeast and the National Recovery Initiative Safety Networks program. Living Works was able to purchase the Learning A-Z curriculum in order to track student progress in reading. The grant also allowed the purchase of laptop computers, which the students use for a writer’s workshop and for the RAZ Kids on-line reading program.
The Living Works Peacemakers Program has been in existence since 2009. The mission of Peacemakers is to empower people to live in peace by training youth and adults in verbal and physical skills for preventing violence and transforming conflict.
What we teach:
- Thinking skills (how to perceive and analyze conflict)
- Verbal skills (how to speak in assertive and de-escalating ways)
- Physical skills (how to place, coordinate, and move one’s body)
- Socials skills (how to cooperate with and belong to a positive social group)
How we teach:
- Verbal and physical exercises, including defensive martial arts
- Role playing exercises
- Story telling to illustrate effective transformation of violence
When we teach:
- Community Taekwon-do class: most Saturdays, 9-10:30 am, 6808 N. Ashland (in the meeting space of Living Water Community Church)
- Peacemakers Taekwon-do for youth: Tuesdays, 3:30-4:30 (girls and young women), 4:30-5:30 (boys and young men) at United Church of Rogers Park (1545 W. Morse)
Contact Us
Sue Ormesher, After-School Program Director – livingworksasp@gmail.com
Katherine Vincent Lamb, After-School Program Supervisor – s.katherine.vincent@gmail.com
Living Works After-School Program Community Partners
Kilmer Elementary School
Loyola University Community-Based Federal Work Study Program
Living Water Community Church
Organization of the Northeast
Living Works Board of Directors
Tim Peebles – Chair
Sue Ormesher – Secretary
Ronn Frantz – Treasurer
Katherine Vincent Lamb – Board Member