Northern

WHO:      Join One Hope United to celebrate the first anniversary of its Aurora Early Learning Center and the receipt of its certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

WHEN:    Thursday, Sept. 20, from 2-3 p.m.

WHERE:  One Hope United Aurora Early Learning Center, 525 College Avenue, Aurora, IL

WHAT:     The Aurora Early Learning Center’s state-of-the-art sustainable design lowers operational costs while also providing educational opportunities for the children who learn about the environment and grow plants in an on-site vegetable garden. The center’s Healthy Lifestyles curriculum promotes overall health, exercise, nutrition and environmental sustainability.

“We are proud to serve Aurora-area residents with this top-quality learning center that is committed to early education and healthy living,” said Mark McHugh, executive director of One Hope United.

Tours of the 22,000 s.f. Aurora child care center’s building, playground and garden will be given following the presentation of its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The council’s Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.

Aurora Early Learning Center offers year-round childcare and education for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years and after-school, enrichment and summer camp programs for school-age children. It provides high-quality affordable options for families in the Aurora area.

About One Hope United: One Hope United is a nonprofit agency with a mission to educate, nourish, and empower all children with trusted early care and education. It operates 11 child care centers serving more than 2,000 children and families in northern Illinois.

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Chicago (Sept. 26, 2012) – One Hope United received a $40,000 Community Partners Grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois to provide mental health counseling to at-risk families in Lake County.

“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois’ generous grant supports our mission to protect children and strengthen families,” said Mark McHugh, executive director of One Hope United. “We would not be able to offer these services without the support of companies such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois.”

The grant benefits One Hope United’s individual and family counseling for mental health issues including depression; suicidal ideations; sexual abuse; and substance abuse. Children who benefit have been diagnosed with conditions such as autism; ADHD; discipline issues; early signs of mental illness; obesity; and chronic health conditions.

These counseling services, which take place in clients’ homes or at One Hope United in Gurnee, Ill., help families who might not otherwise have access to these services handle underlying causes of conflict and improve their chances of saving their families.

According to 2011 data, the number of abused children has increased due to parental poverty and related stress. Counseling is the number-one need identified by case managers working with clients in other One Hope United child abuse prevention programs. Along with financial strains, most of these clients are experiencing conflict resolution difficulties and often have previous unresolved childhood histories that impair their parenting abilities.

This grant demonstrates Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois’ commitment to promoting the health and wellness of communities.

About One Hope United:
One Hope United is a private human service organization dedicated to protecting children and strengthening families, offering an array of prevention, intervention and community-based programs. The nonprofit also specializes in child welfare system management, reform, consultation and training. With offices in Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri and Florida, One Hope United impacts than 42,000 children and their families nationwide each year. For information, visit www.onehopeunited.wpengine.com.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois:
With more than 7 million members, BCBSIL, a division of Health Care ServiceCorporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, is the largest health insurance company in Illinois. Started in 1936, BCBSIL is committed to promoting the health and wellness of its members and its communities through accessible, cost-effective, quality health care. To learn more about Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, visit www.bcbsil.com.