As Christians, we must take seriously the Gospel imperative to care for—even defend—those who depend on the many social services funded by the State and who will be disproportionately affected by the proposed budget cuts.

Cathedral Shelter, itself, is at stake of loosing over $240,000 in state funding for its addiction recovery treatment home and supportive housing program for homeless families and individuals if lawmakers do not revise its budget before July 1.

The store’s normally low prices have been reduced even lower to help reach Second Chance’s core mission of reaching those in most need during these tough economic times. So whether you go to thrift stores because you love them or you need them, Second Chance Thrift has a lot to offer.

Nationwide, only 1 in 70 (1.4%) 2008 Award recipients qualified as 2009 Award Winners. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2009 USLBA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third parties.

Cathedral Shelter’s supportive housing grant from the state is $65,861. Without this important funding we cannot provide services.

The realities are difficult for our state: The state is $12 billion in debt. Federal economic stimulus funding will fill in $4 billion, leaving the state $8 billion in debt.

The House is putting together a “Doomsday Budget” that may come out before the end of this week, May 23. It has only funding for programs and projects for which the state receives federal funding, either Medicaid reimbursement or stimulus funding. Everything else, including supportive housing service funding is either zeroed out, cut by 75%, or cut by 25%. This budget is a scare tactic, but it will be very real if we cannot generate the rest of the votes needed to pass an income tax increase.

Gov. Quinn has proposed an income tax increase from a rate of 3% to a rate of 4.5% with protections for low and moderate income households.

There are only 40 votes in the state House for an income tax increase. 60 votes are needed for it to pass.

My personal feelings aside about an income tax increase, I shudder to imagine the impact of such drastic cuts to Illinois’ most vulnerable citizens.

I would like each of you to:

Call your state senators and representatives in their Springfield offices.*

Give your name and address, say you are a constituent and a registered voter.

Ask: Will you vote for an income tax increase to protect the funding for supportive housing and other vital services to keep 8,300 men, women, and children from returning to homelessness?

If you actually talk with your legislator, wait for her or him to respond and make a note of what they say.

If you leave a message for your legislator, leave the above question, and ask for a return call from your legislator. Leave your phone number.

Email me to say you did it, who you called, and their response if you got one.

Ask others in your own personal networks to do the same.

* Not sure who your state legislators are? Go to http://www.elections.state.il.us. Click “by address”. Type in the address of your agency, your supportive housing, or your own address. Click “Search”. Click on the names of your STATE senator and your STATE representative (the second and third names on the list). Their contact information will come up. Call their Springfield offices.

* Know who your state legislators are but need their Springfield phone number? Go to http://www.ilga.gov. Under the headings Senate and House, click on Members. Find your rep and click on their name. Their contact info will come up.

The appointment comes after Cathedral Shelter’s Executive Director, The Rev. Glenn B. Chalmers, announced his call to return to parish ministry.

Mr. McCullough joined Cathedral Shelter’s staff in 2005 serving as Director of Operations since 2007.

Cathedral Shelter is a highly respected organization, both within the Episcopal Church and in the wider professional field of addiction and supportive housing. It has been a pioneer in establishing Illinois’ first halfway house as well as one of the first supportive housing programs in the Midwest. CSC has a diverse funding base, particularly in attracting a strong individual donor base, support from parishes, and government funding.

CSC has a clear sense of its work and mission and seeks an individual who will maintain and grow its funding base; manage and direct its various programs; relate effectively to its varied constituencies; and be entrepreneurial in identifying new opportunities to keep CSC at the forefront in the delivery of social services.

Interested candidates can learn more about CSC on this website, as well as find a job description and our most recent Annual Report provided as PDF files.

Cathedral Shelter is thriving. It has a committed and effective staff, and enjoys a strong team spirit among staff and board. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated fundraising abilities, strong managerial skills and the ability to provide spiritual leadership to CSC. Ordained Episcopal clergy are encouraged to apply.

Interested candidates should submit a copy of their CDO profile, resume, and cover letter to the Rev. Jack Seymour, Chair, Search Committee for Executive Director, at CathedralShelterSearch@yahoo.com.

• Executive Director Job Description (PDF)
• 2008 Annual Report (PDF)

“We’re glad that we can go back to offering high-quality items at discount prices during a time when people struggling with the economy need them most,” says Store Manager Kevin Longstreth.

Many items donated to Second Chance Thrift come from the wealthiest Episcopal parishes in Chicago. Local antique dealers in Chicago often purchase items at Second Chance to resell in their boutiques. Sales from the thrift store help fund Cathedral Shelter’s programs and services for individuals and families struggling with poverty and addiction.

To learn about volunteering at Second Chance Thrift, or donating items to the store, please visit our volunteer or donate page. Also, peek at our upcoming promotions and become a fan of Second Chance Thrift when you visit us on our new Facebook page.

“We must be the change we want to see in the world,” said The Rt. Rev. Bishop Jeffrey D. Lee, in his address to the Cathedral Shelter’s 95th annual meeting gathering, “Cathedral Shelter, thank you, for being willing to change. Today, Cathedral Shelter is changing our country, our state, or city.”

Throughout the evening, Cathedral Shelter recognized outstanding volunteers and community partners, while honoring exceptional program participants who are leading better lives after overcoming barriers of homelessness, unemployment and addiction.

Among honorees was “Parish of the Year” Saint John’s Church in Mount Prospect, whose volunteer service, fundraising efforts, and additional support was essential to Cathedral Shelter as the nation’s economy worsened. Honored as “Corporation of the Year” was CRASH, a coalition of contractors whose pro bono construction services and donated materials resulted in the recent renovation of Second Chance Thrift.

Cathedral Shelter also announced its Board of Directors for the year 2009. Newly elected are Richard Abbott of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, Sam Griffin of Asset Management Credit Services, and real estate consultant Douglas Nataluk. Leading the board is President, Lynne Taylor; Vice-President, Stephen Rankin; Secretary, Hope Schall; and Treasurer, The Rev. Jack Seymour. The Rev. Paris Coffey joins Rankin and Schall for their second three-year terms. Working with the board officers are Executive Committee members Karen Ferrantella, Kathryn Montgomery Moran, and newly elected Richard Wellner.

Prior to joining Cathedral Shelter, Longstreth served in the fields of sales management and operations management in Chicago, Washington D.C., and Ecuador. He also worked a year as a Bilingual Tourist Guide in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Longstreth received his BBA in International Business from George Washington University in Washington DC.

Longstreth succeeds Jeanette Patrick, who began at Cathedral Shelter as a volunteer over 34 years ago. In 2003, Patrick received the Thomas Jefferson award from NBC5 Chicago and Harris Bank, being identified as one of the city’s unsung heroes. Most recently, she was honored by The Right Reverend Jeffrey D. Lee, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, with the Bishop’s Award in May 2008. Cathedral Shelter will recognize Patrick for her dedicated service at its 2009 Annual Meeting on Thursday, January 29.

See Second Chance Thrift’s store hours and promotions and become a fan of of the store by visiting its new Facebook page.