The Inner Voice, Inc. Receives $20,000 COVID-19 Grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois

Chicago, IL – To help ease the ongoing needs of Illinoisans created by the COVID-19 pandemic, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) has awarded The Inner Voice Inc. a $20,000 grant as part of BCBSIL’s latest round of giving aimed at helping the helpers. 

“This generous grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois could not have come at a better time,” said Inner Voice, Inc.’s CEO Jackie Edens. “One of our two highly utilized vans had just broken down for the second time in ten months and the cost of repairs was not in the budget. At the core of every service Inner Voice delivers is the need to have reliable transportation to procure and distribute essential goods and services. Thanks to BCBSIL, we can continue to deliver critical food and supplies to individuals and families Inner Voice serves on the South and West sides of Chicago.”  

BCBSIL selected 175 organizations across Illinois with missions focused on access to care, hunger, shelter and behavioral health care, and COVID-19 health education and vaccine access to receive $20,000 grants as part of its COVID-19 Community Collaboration Fund. 

“A year into the pandemic and the health, economic and social impacts around Illinois are still great,” said Harmony Harrington, vice-president government and community relations for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. “We’re proud to be able to help so many organizations increase their capacity to help more people receive the help they need.” 

See the full list of grantees. 

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The Inner Voice, Inc., a 501(c )(3), provides a combination of affordable housing and support services designed to help families and individuals, including returning citizens and Veterans, use housing as a platform for health and recovery following a period of homelessness.  

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) is committed to expanding access to quality, cost-effective health care to as many people as possible in Illinois. BCBSIL is dedicated to innovation and exploring, nurturing and activating future possibilities to make the health care system work better for our members and our communities. 

It's Been A Minute: Catching Up On The Last Few Months

As we at Inner Voice near the end of our fiscal year, I'd like to take a moment to update you on how we've been operating since the words "Coronavirus," "COVID-19" and "self-quarantine" first entered our vocabularies. While our offices closed for the quarantine, our transitional homes never ceased operating except for a brief closing of one where a resident tested positive for COVID -19 and had to be hospitalized. Our work hasn't stopped – it has evolved and intensified as we continue to successfully serve the men, women and children who rely on us for housing and supportive services. 

Since March 23, a daily staff meeting is conducted via Zoom to discuss best practices, challenges and opportunities; this connection helps to maintain team members’ morale and relationships with co-workers. Case management now mostly occurs via phone, email and text with only minimal service disruption compared to pre-pandemic practices. Staff check on participants’ well-being daily to make sure their basic needs are met. Food, PPE, transit/gas cards and medications are delivered by staff to clients’ homes as needed. New participants are still welcomed into Inner Voice’s supportive housing programs, successful exits still take place, and  jobseekers are still being placed through Inner Voice’s workforce readiness programs. In fact, of the six residents currently living at Pioneer House, five are working, and two will move to permanent housing by July 1!

Of course, the pandemic has presented unique challenges. Eddie Beard Vet House and Pioneer House, Inner Voice’s men’s transitional homes, were briefly evacuated and professionally sanitized early in the quarantine; about half of the residents in one house were temporarily relocated to a Salvation Army shelter to accommodate social distancing measures. However, Inner Voice used this time to make much-needed improvements to Pioneer House, including installation of a perimeter fence,  a security system, and a basement renovation. 

"Other duties as assigned" in our employees' job descriptions has taken on a whole new meaning since the quarantine, as Inner Voice staff works to keep the men, women and children in our supportive housing programs well-stocked with food, household items and PPE. With pallets, heavy equipment and large vans, Pioneer House is occasionally the site of Inner Voice’s ad hoc distribution center, where  case managers select and package items to personally deliver to their participants. At all times, Inner Voice team members  practice social  distancing, handwashing/using hand-sanitizer, and wearing face masks. While a handful of individuals across Inner Voice’s nearly 1,000 participants have tested positive for COVID-19, there have been no fatalities. Several staff members who were exposed to the virus early on self-quarantined. The Inner Voice family is in good health and taking care to remain that way. 

As city and state restrictions begin to loosen, we are making plans to cautiously return to the office  and have accelerated our long-standing plans to relocate to a larger office space at the  CTA  building. We're researching best practices including staggering employees’ work schedules, reducing the number of days employees are in the office, and preparing directional signage to ensure socially distanced traffic flow, frequent hand washing and sanitation practices. Staff are eager to re-engage in-person with each other and with our participants!

Looking back over the last year, Inner Voice experienced an incredible amount of expansion on several fronts. In 2019, the V.A. awarded Inner Voice a new Case Management program, and the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) funded an expansion of our Pioneer House transitional housing program and a new employment preparedness program, Helping Individuals Re-Enter Employment (HIRE).The Illinois Department of Human Services increased funding for our Supportive Housing Program by $100,000 and awarded us a new Emergency & Transitional Housing program to supplement the Pioneer House’s meager federal budget. The U.S. Department of Labor increased funding by $200,000 for our Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) to return our Veterans to the workforce. Just recently, Inner Voice was conditionally awarded an increase in its VA  Homeless Grant and Per Diem Transitional Housing program that will enable three times the number of veterans to be served. We have more proposals in the hopper for 2020 that look very promising,  including one that focuses on re-entry.

It’s  been an extraordinary year so far. Inner Voice celebrated Father's Day by joining with the National Alliance for the Empowerment of the Formerly Incarcerated (NAEFI) for a peaceful protest in Chicago's Austin community. After a moving speech by NAEFI co-founded Benneth Lee, the group raised their fists for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in George Floyd's memory and in commitment to making change happen.

I’d love to hear any thoughts or questions you have for me and for Inner Voice. Please email me at info@ivchi.org and let me know what you’re thinking!

~ Jackie

Join Our Team: We're Hiring an HVRP Outreach Specialist

HVRP Outreach Specialist Job Description

The Inner Voice, Inc. is seeking a highly qualified, dedicated individual to fill the position of Case Manager for its Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program

Description of Duties The Outreach Specialist (OS) works collaboratively with the Employment Specialist and Case Manager (CM) to ensure the participant is receiving the appropriate services. The OS is responsible for outreach and engagement and recruiting of new participants. Once a participant is enrolled into HVRP, the OS will complete an intake assessment, assist participant with obtain the supportive services needed to be successful. Assist in developing a resume and ensure the participant is enrolled with AJC. It is also the OS responsibility to refer participants to the local DVOP and to Job Club. The OS will conduct training sessions such as mock interviews and completing online applications and other Job Readiness Trainings necessary. OS will track participant progress as well as referrals provided, transportation assistance and retention services within the files.

Primary job responsibilities/duties

• Responsible for recruiting new participants through outreach and engagement at various locations throughout the city.

• Maintains working relationships with local Veteran agencies and resource centers.

• Represent the Agency at public forums and community events.

• Assist with initial client assessments including financial, personal and crisis assessments.

• Coordinates the development of an Individualized Employment Plan that addresses barriers, goals, and responsibilities; Monitors its implementation through participation in team meetings, interaction of team members, and direct contact with client.

• Maintains accurate and timely records of clients through detailed case noting of assessments, contacts, and progress within clients file.

• Completes referrals for services in the community and coordinates access to services.

• Monitors clients’ progress in implementing a case plan, counseling in formal and informal sessions, individually and in a group to successfully implement case plan.

• Assist with monthly and quarterly reports as well as data quality reporting

Preference will be given to individuals with a background in homeless services and to honorably discharged veterans.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

Bachelor’s Degree in a related field and/or five years’ experience required.

• Experience with veterans and veterans’ services a strong plus

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products including Word, Excel, Outlook and other relational databases required.

• Ability to clearly communicate orally and in writing.

• Knowledge of geographic location within demonstrated areas.

• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

• Ability to employ critical thinking and problem solving skills.

• Ability to employ organizational skills effectively.

• Excellent cross-cultural, inter-generational and interpersonal skills.

• Knowledge in working with the homeless population experience a plus.

• High energy and patience in working with difficult, non-compliant clients.

• Demonstrate ability to work independently and on a team.

• Understanding of complex client, community and agency issues and ability to take appropriate action

• Availability to work flexible hours, some evening hours may be required.

• HMIS training or ability to complete training within 90 days of hire.

WORK SCHEDULE: Full-time (Monday - Friday)

REPORTS TO: Director of Veteran Employment Services

An Email From Our CEO to Our Employees

Alderman Walter Burnett interviews Inner Voice Employment Team

We had the pleasure of participating in a taping of Network 27, in an episode to air in Feb 2020. The topic: EMPLOYMENT! Pictured below: Inner Voice Outreach Specialist Ralph Riess; Inner Voice Employment Specialist Sir Everett; Alderman Walter Burnett, Jr. and and Michael Mosley of Code Platoon.

We're Honored!

We received this Certificate of Appreciation from the U.S. #Army for our participation in last Sunday's 472nd Chemical Battalion Open House.

472nd Chemical Battalion Open House

Inner Voice's Outreach Specialist Ralph Riess represented at 472nd Chemical Battalion Open House, held December 8.

With about a hundred Army reserves and Active duty members attending, the event was a great opportunity to exchange information with members of Chicago's Veteran community.

Want to learn more about Inner Voice's veterans programs? Contact us at 312-994-4358 or info@ivchi.org.

GiveNKind Connects Nonprofits with Donations

Today we had the pleasure of meeting Emily Petway, Founder and President of Givenkind, shown here with just a few of the 126 boxes of handwarmers she distributed today! These donated items will go to Inner Voice, All Chicago, Breakthrough Urban Ministries, Cornerstone Community Outreach and a number of other nonprofits in Chicagoland. Givenkind's mission is to make giving more personal and purposeful. They do this by providing a searchable, online database that creates opportunities for individuals with items to donate to find, and directly connect with registered nonprofits that can repurpose those items for good within their community. Thanks, Emily, for all you do for our community! We are thankful for you!

Standdown in Humboldt Park

Inner Voice represented at Chicago's Winter Standdown, held November 15 at the Northwest Armory in Humboldt Park! Ralph Riess, Outreach Specialist (and Navy Veteran) met with dozens of veterans to share information about our services. Did you know that nearly 200 Standdowns occur each year nationwide, serving over 52,000 veterans? While the Department of Veterans Affairs and other government agencies may participate in these events, they are independently run by community agencies and not-for profits and funding is provided through grants and donations. Learn more here.