Albert Orsello, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Prevention Partnership, Inc. has announced that the organization will support the mission of the West Garfield Park Community Stakeholders to reduce violence and substance abuse to create a safer West Side. The two organizations are now dedicated to working together to establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, public and private non-profit agencies, federal, state, local and tribal governments to support the efforts of community coalitions.

The Prevention Partnership, Inc., grew from an interagency collaboration involving two Chicago agencies—The Learning Network, Inc., and Right Way Youth Center—and an agency in St. Paul/Minneapolis—Person Education Development Education. In 1984, the directors of these agencies formed The Partners in Prevention program. Later, in June 1987, the partners incorporated as a 501(c)(3) minority-governed community-based prevention and health promotion agency.

The Prevention Partnership operates under the leadership of its President and Chief Executive Officer, a seven-member Board of Directors, and a 15 to 20-member Board of Advisors. The agency has six full-time employees and uses the services of over thirty independent contractors. Some of the agency’s programs have been funded by sources such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (SAMHSA); the Illinois Department of Human Services and Public Health; City of Chicago Department of Youth and Family Services; City of Chicago Department of Public Health; Chicago Public Schools; and the Community Economic Development Association (Head Start), The Chicago Foundation for Women; Polk Brothers Foundation; and the St. Paul Chapter of UNICO National.

The Prevention Partnership bases its work on the conviction that community-based teams in possession of planning, communication and decision-making skills are the most effective agents for solving community problems. Using an environmental systems approach, the agency facilitates a process that enables a community to integrate its cultural, political, spiritual, and philosophical beliefs and values into a vehicle for positive change. Our main target population is the youth of communities, but we know that the most effective way to advance youths’ development is to also work with their parents, other family members, and their communities at large. The positive growth we see in the young people we work with is evidence to us that our approach and practices are sound and effective, and our external evaluation data also supports this observation.

Even though Chicago’s Westside is where our corporate office is located, we’ve also conducted programs and delivered services in other states—Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, Indiana, California, and Nebraska. One reason we’re able to do this is that our training models are flexible enough to be easily adapted to work in other settings. The Prevention Partnership is located at 5934 W. Lake Street in Chicago, Illinois. Phone: (773) 378-4195. Email: info@p2online.org.

Join the efforts!
The West Garfield Park Community Stakeholders hosts Community Empowerment and Unification meetings on the 2nd Monday of each month at 6:00pm sharp at 4540 West Washington, Blvd. in Chicago. Everyone is always welcomed to attend, especially if you are concerned with the future of the West Garfield Park Community and the welfare of its residents. For additional information, internships and volunteer opportunities, please feel free to contact Fathers Who Care at 773-287-5821 or email us at martha.gooden@fatherswhocare.org.