Latest news with #Children'sHomeAssociationofIllinois
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Peoria's Michelle Taylor focuses on trauma-sensitive learning
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A trailblazer in education focusing on a trauma-sensitive and human-centered approaches for Peoria-area students. Michelle Taylor is the Vice President of Education at the Children's Home Association of Illinois (CHAIL) in Peoria. She oversees Kiefer School and the Academy for Autism. Both schools serve students with autism from diverse backgrounds, providing them with a safe place to grow and navigate their challenges. We are equipped to address each student's individual needs and ensure they receive the tools necessary for success. This includes individualized therapeutic learning environments, grouping students with similar needs within classrooms, providing readily accessible special sensory items, and offering additional sensory rooms, while maintaining a 2:1 student ratio. Michelle Taylor For two decades, she's remained committed and dedicated to students and staff helping them to thrive in the face of adversity. 'Kids have a future that is worth fighting for,' said Taylor. 'I think the impact that we have is seen when kids begin to thrive after they've been here with us but the impact is something that will last for decades.' She said leadership, engagement, and growth are pivotal for students to be able to feel empowered to learn in a safe environment. Taylor continues to transform education at the agency, but her reach goes into the community as well. 'Education opens doors,' said Taylor. 'It provides a future that helps students, families, it helps all people. I think the reason I got into education was because some of the most important people in my life in my past were educators.' School hallways and classroom may sit empty in June, but Taylor said planning and advocating for students and staff continues year round. Students who attend either school can also be provided with wraparound services provided under the umbrella of CHAIL. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Children's Home plants pinwheels for Child Abuse Prevention Month
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — One Peoria organization planted pinwheels on their lawn to raise awareness for child abuse. Children's Home Association of Illinois had an event with several people in attendance where remarks were made and pinwheels were planted for Child Abuse Prevention Month. Anni Reinking, vice president of prevention services for the Children's Home, shared what her department's goal is and why the home's services are important. 'Really our goal at the prevention services is to get into the homes before any sort of abuse or neglect may occur,' Reinking said. 'We really want to build those positive experiences with families.' Reinking spoke about home visits, a vital program that helps victims of child abuse trust themselves to be good parents. 'We're going in and we're making sure that the parents understand what it means to have really good pro-social engagement with their child,' she said. 'What does it mean to have early literacy? What kind of games can you play? Those types of things. Just really building parents' confidence so that they know and they feel confident that they can parent.' Children's Home offers services like Good Beginnings, a prenatal and postpartum home visit program including classes and doulas, igrow Coordinated Intake, another home visit program, Family Connects, which include postpartum mother and baby checks and Perinatal Connects which are monthly home visits during pregnancy all the way up to a year after birth. Explaining how they are more than just a place kids can call home, Children's Home educated guests on all of the different programs they offer to new mothers to make sure each family is happy and healthy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Children's Home Association of Illinois earns StormReady status
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — On a fittingly overcast Thursday afternoon, the Children's Home Association of Illinois received a StormReady certification by the National Weather Service. John Lundy, safety coordinator for the Children's Home, has put in lots of work and credits his staff for their support to create a place that can weather any storm. 'We want to make it a safe environment for our clients, for our students, for our staff, any visitors that come in during the event of severe weather that they would have a safe place to go,' he said. 'That has been looked over by the National Weather Service, by the meteorologists there.' To get this honor, Children's Home had to get working weather radios and a point of warning that is able to go through their phones. Ed Shimon, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service, handed Lundy a plaque of recognition, and then posed for a photo with Lundy, who held a sign that said 'We are StormReady.' Lundy's two daughters then walked up to the front of the Children's Home conference room and presented their dad with a sign that said 'Congrats Agent Lundy,' — John's nickname. The poster was decorated with pictures of Lundy and his daughters glued to the poster. 'I hope this is a catalyst for other organizations thinking about StormReady,' Shimon said. 'It's worth the effort and the community benefits, not only the organization, but the community as a whole benefit from the actions that you take to protect yourself and become StormReady.' When asked if the safety department of the Children's Home had a slogan, Lundy said, 'Stay vigilant, stay aware and always be prepared.' In a Facebook post, Children's Home Association of Illinois said, 'We are thrilled to be the 4th organization in the city of Peoria and Peoria County taking action to keep our employees, clients, and visitors safe, especially during Severe Weather Preparedness Month.' Weather Forecast: Warming things up with storm chances On the National Weather Service's website, it describes the weather preparedness program by saying, 'The StormReady program helps arm America's communities with the communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property–before, during and after the event.' To become StormReady, you have to apply. The guidelines to be certified on the NWS website are as follows: 'Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center. Have more than one way to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts and to alert the public. Create a system that monitors weather conditions locally. Promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars. Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.' To find how to apply to be StormReady, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
CI Hero: Foster care director is a champion for children
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Inside the Children's Home Association of Illinois in Peoria, Michelle Hayes commits to helping foster children find their permanent home. 'To know that we're making change and we're helping children change, and adults change, is so rewarding,' said Hayes. Hayes is the director of foster care. Her team supports both traditional and specialized foster care programs. They work to help families find stability and support. Become a foster parent Learn more about resources 'We really work closely with the biological parents and the foster kids and really work hard to get these kids returned home as quick as possible and to a safe environment,' said Hayes. 'We want all the youth to be safe and we want the parents to learn and grow.' A green leaf is added to a mural tree inside the department when a child achieves permanency. Either going back to a safe home, getting adopted, or being emancipated. It's a celebratory moment for Hayes and her team. 'Talking about the good pieces of foster care when it can be so negative, so, really getting out there and cheering these parents on, cheering our community on, and really teaching and educating the central Illinois area about foster care and about Children's Home and the services we provide to the community,' said Hayes. She said there's always a need for more foster families. 'I really like seeing foster parents advocate for what they're doing and bringing in new foster parents and really be in that champion to interact with the community and telling them how great and how easy it is to become a foster parent,' said Hayes. The nonprofit is gearing up for the May Mother's Day flower basket fundraiser. Purchase Flower Basket Donate to Children's Home Pick up is May 8, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 2130 N Knoxville Avenue in Peoria. Mother's Day flower baskets for sale, grown by kids from Children's Home Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
