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In late July, Mr. Tracy had a vision to collect 500 pairs of shoes for DREAAM's Back to School Drive in honor of his 50th birthday---a goal that seemed near impossible. But our community and supporters from all over the nation stepped up and far exceeded that goal!! On August 13th, DREAAM was able to supply more than 600 pairs of shoes to the youth in our community!!! We are humbled and in awe! We are so incredibly grateful for the support of our donors and our community. We're pretty certain this was a birthday celebration Mr. Tracy won't soon forget!! P.S. It's not too late to celebrate Mr. Tracy by making a gift to DREAAM here.

We love Destin's story, and we just had to share it with you! Destin Lembelembe started working for DREAAM about a year and a half ago, in February of 2021. Last fall, he took part in DREAAM's 5-10-15-20 Program, which included 5 eligible participants who participated in a 10-week program and received 15 hours of life skill training per week and were assigned with life coaches to help them along the way. In addition, 20 hours per week were reserved for employment or volunteering services that would eventually work towards employment. [Participants then decided to pursue further education including completing a GED, applying for college, trade school, or obtaining a full-time job. The aim was to promote personal and professional development. Life skills included finance literacy, mental health, physical health, nutrition, preparing for job search, job application process, resume writing, mock interviews, communication skills, etc.] Destin is always wanting to help others and has grown so much as a person, an employee, and a DREAAMer. He has been an integral part of our team. We look forward to seeing this young gentleman make strides here in Champaign County and beyond! He's well on his way! Read more about Destin in our interview below. Please tell us about you! Where are you from? How long have you lived here in Champaign? I am from Africa–The Democratic Republic of the Congo. I have been living in Champaign-Urbana for about 7 years now. What's your favorite food? Fufu and chicken Please explain your experience with DREAAM. How did you learn about DREAAM? I learned about DREAAM through my church, First Presbyterian - Champaign. And that’s the only way I learned about DREAAM. Mr. Tracy Dace spoked about DREAAM during a Sunday service. Once I heard about it, I was interested and I wanted to be a part of it but I couldn’t because I did not know if they wanted younger employees. But one day I was looking for a job and I remembered Mr. Tracy. After visiting with him, he offered me a position with DREAAM; I got so excited and I immediately accepted the offer and have been with DREAAM ever since. I stuck with it. DREAAM–it’s an organization that builds you up as a young man, all the way up to an adult. I am forever grateful. Awhile after I started working with DREAAM, I heard about this 5-10-15-20 program. I took the class. The class taught me about money management, bills wise, banking, eating healthier, how to be a successful young man living on my own, etc… I learned so much and am so grateful. What has been your favorite experience with DREAAM? My favorite part about DREAAM is that we are all family. We strive to help the youth and we are not ashamed to share our personal problems, feelings. Because when we do so, there’s always a solution on the situation or the problem. We're all there for each other. Where are you working now and how did you get there? I am still with DREAAM through the month of July. I have a life coach who has been keeping me going and has motivated me not to give up fast. Thanks to DREAAM and all I've learned, I will be moving on to be a teacher at Bradley Learning Center, an Early Childhood Education Center, in Urbana.

The Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnae Association of Champaign-Urbana's 52nd Annual Flower Sale starts tomorrow!!! We are so grateful that, for the second year in a row, the sale will be benefiting DREAAM!!! [Thank you, CU KKGs!] Get your flowers tomorrow, Friday, May 13th from 9am to 5pm or Saturday, May 14th from 9am to noon at Indian Acres (1 Arrow Road) in Champaign. Some of our DREAAMers will be there tomorrow afternoon and on Saturday to help assist customers! [NOTE: Please remember to bring either cash or checks, as credit and debit will not be accepted.] There is a wide array of planting flowers and herbs to choose from, as well as hanging baskets, patio gardens, and more! All the plants come from Ropps, a local nursery from in Mahomet and Gibson City. The plants are incredibly beautiful and healthy and long lasting! So, make sure to grab some for yourself this weekend! Hope to see you there!

After a two year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Illinois (Marathon*) Race Weekend is here! DREAAM is one of the race weekend's Charity Running Partners, which means runners have the opportunity to give more meaning to their miles, training, and race(s) by raising money for a nonprofit organization. We are humbled to have three amazing people (& me : ) running for DREAAM today and tomorrow. If you're planning to be out on the course to cheer on the runners, be on the lookout for highlighter yellow shirts with the DREAAM logo on the front and cheer loudly!!! Let's meet the runners!!! Judi Geistlinger will be running the Mini I-Challenge: the 5K (3.1 miles) tonight and the 10K (6.2 miles) tomorrow. Judi first learned about DREAAM through First Presbyterian Church of Champaign, one of our first partners who stepped up with seed funding early on. [Thank you, First Pres!!!] In Judi's words: “I started "running" 10 years ago primarily at fundraiser races. I run for the swag, the people cheering, and the post-race banana! When DREAAM became part of a race I have run for the last several years, I jumped at the chance to support this wonderful cause. I was already planning to run the Illinois Marathon Weekend, but now I get to support this terrific work too. I am running with a purpose this year. I love DREAAM because it helps raise up young men, giving them the future my children had automatically due to our race, economic status and education. Supporting DREAAM financially is such a small thing to do, but if it can make a difference in one young man's life, the world will be a better place. And so many young men have the chance for success with the skills and community developed through DREAAM. I will be honored to wear a DREAAM shirt this weekend and support this wonderful cause.” Jake Watts will be running the Illinois Half Marathon (13.1 miles) tomorrow. He grew up on a farm in Rankin, IL and attended PBL High School in Paxton. After graduating from PBL, he studied Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois and graduated in December of 2021. Since graduation, he has been working in the Moose functional genomics lab on campus as an hourly employee studying nitrate transport genes in corn. How cool is that!??! Jake hopes to attend graduate school in the fall to continue studying plant genetics. In Jake's words: "I run simply to stay active and elected to raise money for DREAAM because we share the belief that education is our greatest tool to end poverty cycles in the community and your organization takes action on that belief!” Caitlin Drake will be running the 10K on Saturday. Caitlin has been a longtime supporter of DREAAM and says, "I love a challenge so thought it would be a good time to train for the 10k and when I saw DREAAM was a charity partner, it was an easy decision to choose you guys. Love your program and the impact it has in our community." Caitlin's daughter, Mia, will be rocking the Youth Run tomorrow, as well! Thank you so much, Judi, Jake, and Caitlin, for running for DREAAM! All of us here at DREAAM are wishing you a phenomenal race! Know we are all cheering you on!!! You ROCK the DREAAM HOUSE!! Learn more about the Illinois Race Weekend at illinoismarathon.com. *The marathon is not a part of the races this year due to staffing and the amount of space the marathon would take up street-wise and time-wise. Many thanks to our fundRACERS Jake Watts, Judi Geistlinger, Lina Mongwa, Jacqueline Jasek, Caitlin Drake, and Caitlin's daughter, Mia Drake! And thank you to all who supported DREAAM through the Illinois Race Weekend fundraising platform! Take a look through these race day photos!

For the past few weeks, 10 DREAAM participants had the wonderful opportunity to take part in STRIVE, a program offered by the YWCA in Champaign. They not only enjoyed the personal interaction, but also gained worthwhile experience with technology that they are sure to use in future careers, as well as in their daily lives. STRIVE’s program offers free digital skills and workforce development using the Google suite of applications, such as Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Keep, etc. In addition to learning tech, the STRIVE program offers peer mentoring and fellowship. On the first day of training, each DREAAM participant received a Chromebook, which they were able to keep upon completion of the program! Throughout the six-week course, specific topics were covered, including basic familiarity of computers, introduction to Google Workspace, and gaining confidence with technology. STRIVE and DREAAM are helping our participants gain beneficial skills to help them succeed! The next 6-week session will begin soon. If you're interested or know someone who could find this program helpful, please reach out to sam@dreaam.org.

Did you know DREAAM is a Charity Running Partner for the Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend? The big weekend is coming up April 28-30, and we are looking for 10 volunteers to work the expo or be out on the course during the races. If you're interested, see how to sign up below. And THANK YOU!!! If you would like to run for DREAAM, click here. Instructions for Volunteers to Sign Up: 1. Click on this link to sign up to volunteer for a volunteer position with the Christie Clinic Race Weekend during race week (April 27-30). https://illinoismarathon.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer/ 2. You will see the following four options a. Expo Volunteer Positions (April 28-29) b. Friday Course Team Positions (April 29) c. Saturday Course Team Positions (April 30) d. Start/Finish/Stadium/Airport Volunteer Positions (April 27-30) 3. Click on one of the above options and look for a position that fits your availability. 4. When you find one that works for you, click the small white box to the left of the time of your shift (if it is not already checked). 5. Scroll down and start entering your email address, first name, last name, t-shirt size, etc. until you reach the disclaimer. Make sure to choose our organization from the list of Charity Running Partner organizations in the questions that asks "Are you with a charity running partner?" Read the disclaimer, click the box that says you accept the terms, and enter your name as a digital signature right below the line where you clicked the box to accept the terms (the box is hard to see). 6. Click the “Sign Up To Volunteer” button. 7. You should receive a confirmation email. If you don’t receive an email, check your spam and junk folders. If not there, click this link http://illinoismarathon.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer/self_check.php?, enter your email address and first name and click “Submit.” You will receive an email message in your inbox. Click the link to check to see if your information was entered correctly. You can update your information at this link or cancel your participation if your plans change. Thank you! If you have any questions, please email them to volunteer@illinoismarathon.com.

To view a pdf version, click below.

Resolution of Appreciation Dorothy Scott Chesser from the DREAAM House Board of Directors We, the Board of Directors of DREAAM House, grieve with and for our Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Tracy Dace, upon the physical death of his Mother, Dorothy Scott Chesser. Whereas our Friend and Brother Tracy Dace was born into a Christian home and nurtured with siblings by a Mother committed to loving God and serving neighbor; Whereas Ms. Chesser nurtured and served not only her own children but also the children in her community as their constant advocate for justice and dignity; Whereas we all stand on the shoulders of giants, and Ms. Chesser was one such giant in her community and in the State of Mississippi from whom generations of neighbors have drawn strength and hope; Whereas we affirm with Paul in his letter to the church in Corinth that “If one member [of the body] suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it” (First Corinthians 12:26). Therefore, be it resolved that we celebrate the life and legacy of Dorothy Scott Chesser; we grieve her loss; we rejoice in her life; we thank God for her witness; and we recommit with hope and courage to live into our calling to love and serve our neighbors—especially the children and families entrusted to our care—in whose face is graven the image of God. Respectfully submitted, on behalf of the DREAAM House Board of Directors, William P. “Matt” Matthews, Jr President of the Board January 21st, 2022 Champaign, Illinois

From all of us at DREAAM, we wish you and yours a spectacular year ahead!

Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. The whole idea behind Giving Tuesday is that no one can do everything, but everyone can do something. And when we do it together, the impact is multiplied. No matter how you celebrate Giving Tuesday, we thank you for your generosity and helping make this world a better place. If you'd like to make a contribution to DREAAM as a part of your Giving Tuesday, you can do so here. Thank you for your support as we build HOPE for the FUTURE!

We are elated to share this news... We reached out for your help, and you sure stepped up and provided!!! This past week, with your help, DREAAM was able to give away more than 140 new coats, 50 hams, 150 turkeys, 1,080 socks, 360 gloves, 360 knit hats, and 200 laundry detergent items, in partnership with the Foster Grandparent Program, the Wayne McClain Pipeline Foundation, and other supporters. We are so grateful for your support! With that, we embrace you. This is the time when we pause to count our blessings. Here at DREAAM, you're surely one of our blessings! And we thank you for being such an important and special part of the DREAAM family! From all of us at DREAAM, we wish you and yours a beautiful and bountiful holiday. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

In Remembrance of Mrs. Janice Mitchell, a visionary, family advocate, and a phenomenal woman With heavy hearts, DREAAM joins our community in celebrating the life and legacy of Janice Mitchell. Many of our staff worked with Mrs. Mitchell, as she was an incredibly kind, encouraging, and ever optimistic leader and mentor to us. Mrs. Mitchell devoted her time, talents, and treasures to Urbana youth and their families, always encouraging them (and everyone) to achieve their highest potential and contribute to build a better community. She also provided guidance and support to many local organizations, but especially put her mark on the community through her visionary work with Urbana Neighborhood Connections Center, which she founded in 2010. Mrs. Mitchell put her whole heart into her work and our community. What a blessing she was to all she came across! Our thoughts and prayers are with Mrs. Mitchell's family, friends, and UNCC staff and families. She will be deeply missed by all of us at DREAAM. May we all carry on her legacy and spread hope and healing to our communities.