Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal is hosting our annual Holiday Shopping Spree for Club families and a limited number of community families, on Saturday, December 16th .
Families walk through our shopping area, where new donated items are available (toys, winter wear, etc).
To be considered, please leave your name, and contact information via Leslie Adams, Family & Volunteer Coordinator, at 309-829-3034 ext. 112 or ladams@bgcbn.org.
Follow up information will be communicated to each participant as it is available.
Home Sweet Home Ministries, Midwest Food Bank, and Thrivent will be distributing meal boxes complete with turkeys!!
Meal box distribution day:
Saturday, November 18th
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Midwest Food Bank
2031 Warehouse Drive, Normal, IL
We will be using a drive-thru style system. Individuals picking up are asked to bring a photo I.D. to receive a turkey and meal box. The boxes will be available to the first 2,000 families.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding pick up, please contact Leslie Bunge at 309-319-2820 or lbunge@hshministires.org.
November is National Runaway Prevention Month. Project Oz is the only local runaway and homeless youth provider in McLean & Livingston Counties. If you are in need of services or know someone who is at risk, please contact Project Oz at 309-827-0377.
Our amazing artists at RAS have been developing line control in this silhouette project. Students created silhouettes of one another, then used pattern to create movement throughout the image. Here are just a few of the works the RAS artists have developed.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. If you or someone you know is in an abuse relationship, please seek help. Local resources are available to assist you. Please call the free & confidential 24/hour domestic violence hotline at 309-827-7070 or call PATH at 211 or TXT211.
Salvation Army Winter Coat Program 2023
The 2023 Salvation Army New Winter Coat program is now available to adults (over 18) and children under the age of 5. Individuals who did not receive a coat in 2022 are eligible for a new coat in 2023. Individuals wishing to request a new coat should call (309)829-9476, extension 289 and leave a message with their name and telephone number clearly stated. A member of our team will return the call within seven business days to complete an over-the-phone intake and schedule the November distribution.
RAS Bloomington Campus was lucky enough to host the Mobile Museum of Tolerance (MMOT) on Tuesday, October 10th. Our middle school and high school students had the opportunity to participate in the Civil Rights Workshop offered by the MMOT, which explored "civil rights in a historic and contemporary context". Thank you, ROE 17, for this excellent learning experience!
Special thanks to First Christian Church for sponsoring our Fall Student Led Conferences. Our students, families and staff all loved the delicious gifts!
Chestnut Family Health Center is accepting new patients – those who are on Medicare/Medicaid as well as those who are uninsured. There is currently no waiting list to see a provider. The health center is located at 702 W. Chestnut St., Bloomington. For an appointment, please call (309) 557-1400.
The Housing Authority of the City of Bloomington will open the waiting list for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program on Monday, October 16, 2023 at 9:00 AM through Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 4:00 PM. Applicants may apply electronically during that time period at www.waitlistcheck.com/IL1835. Paper applications will be available at the Housing Authority office at 104 E. Wood Street, Bloomington, IL as an accommodation to those with disabilities or without access to the electronic application.
Free Cleanings for Children Event
With fall fast approaching our office wants to make sure your kids are set up and ready to finish the year right. We are offering free cleanings for children ages 16 and under.
The event is being held
Friday October 6, 2023 between 2:00-4:00PM. Appointments are required and space is limited. Once all appointments are full, we will not be able to add any additional visits that day. To book please call us at (309) 661-0197 and ask to schedule for the free cleaning event.
Affordable Dentistry Today
1507 N. Veteran's Parkway, Suite 2
Bloomington, IL 61704
(309) 661-0197
Our learning labs have been hard at work! In the first unit for our STEAM Lab, Problem Solving, students have been practicing how to solve problems using the Engineering Design Process. The final project challenged students to work individually or in a group and design a unique game or marble maze. Numerous problems/challenges occurred during the project that required students to apply real world problem solving skills. The results were super creative and so impressive! Giving students the opportunity to choose a project, explore and develop their own learning styles and interests helped make this project a success.
September is Suicide Prevention Month — a time to raise awareness and discuss this highly stigmatized topic. If you or someone you know is having a difficult time or thinking about self-harm, please contact the PATH Crisis Center at 211.
Community Partnerships Matter. RAS greatly appreciates Eastview Christian Church who provided us with a staff lunch on 9/13/23. Staff and students were able to reciprocate with helping to build ECC Little Free Pantry.
Over the past two days RAS hosted two groups: 16 7th grade students from Metcalf researching space utilization/integration and 35 Unit 5 future educators. It is always great to connect with youth and showcase our program.
📸⭐️First-ish Day of School pics: RAS Edition ⭐️📸 Life is GOOD! (Check us out on Facebook or Instagram for more pics!)
2023 Bed Blitz Applications Are LIVE!
Apply online and get all the details at www.westbloomington.org/bedblitz
or get a paper application from our location at 724 W Washington St., Bloomington.
The WBRP Bed Blitz gives local youth (ages 5-18) a twin-size bed frame, a brand-new mattress, sheets, pillows, a blanket or quilt, laundry detergent, books, a hygiene kit, and a teddy bear. All FREE!!
*Get all the details, including eligibility requirements, online at the WBRP Bed Blitz Website listed above
Behavioral Health Urgent Care
The Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) at The Center for Human Services is available free of charge to individuals 18 and older experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The BHUC provides an alternative to emergency departments when appropriate. Their services include crisis screening, crisis intervention, short-term counseling, linkage to resources, and peer support.
They are located at 520 N. Center St., Bloomington, IL 61701, in the Tower Center just a half block north of our main location on Market St.
Current hours of operation are Monday through Friday 5:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.; Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; currently closed on Saturday.
For more information, visit Behavioral-Health-Urgent-Care (mcchs.org).
If you tried calling the school or emailing any of the staff today, please accept our apologies. We were outdoors to kick off this epic school year because...Life is good! We shared, we listened, we reflected, we hiked, we ate, we laughed, and we did it all with love and intentionality. We thoroughly enjoy being alternative, even for the opening day in-service!
Anyways, what did you do at school today?
#LifeIsGood #TeacherInservice #BackToSchool
Staff from RAS attended the ROE 17 Annual Administrators Back to School Breakfast today. Listening to State Superintendent Dr. Tony Sanders inspired our fearless leader, Mr. Kendall, to change into his NASA shirt as a reminder that anything new and different is hard and challenging, but can and MUST be done to progress into something BETTER no matter how long it takes! We are excited to continue to do all of the new, different, hard, and challenging "stuff" this year to meet the needs of our students and to ensure true learning and active engagement are taking place.
