Project HELP’s history begins with the Exchange Club of Naperville in 1992. Understanding the inherent challenges of parenting children, members of the Exchange Club established Project HELP as a non-profit organization in an effort to help parents achieve better parenting skills.
Project HELP, accredited by the National Exchange Club, now serves as a model for a national network of Exchange Club Centers that span 72 locations in 25 states. As a mission-driven organization, the Board of Directors and staff are passionate and committed to enhancing the lives of children and families. Peggy McGuire, Project HELP’s executive director, has dedicated the past 23 years to her mission of strengthening families and the communities in which they live. Project HELP works continuously to provide quality services designed to empower parents with the resources necessary to provide for their children’s health and well-being.
Project HELP accomplishes its mission of empowering parents, nurturing families and strengthening communities by:
- Providing home-based parent mentoring services
- Providing parenting education workshops
Project HELP Joins Forces with YWCA Metropolitan Chicago to Better Serve Families of DuPage County, Naperville and Surrounding Areas
Project HELP and YWCA Metropolitan Chicago have a long history of collaborating to meet the needs of families in DuPage County and the surrounding areas. As a strategy to better serve families of metropolitan Chicago, effective September 16, 2017, Project HELP has become a program offering of YWCA Metropolitan Chicago.
Project HELP’s services complement YWCA Metropolitan Chicago’s current Young Parents Program which serves the south side of Chicago through home visiting and group services that promote healthy attachment and positive relationships between teen parents and their children.
This program expansion allows Project HELP to increase its impact and serve more families by leveraging the strong infrastructure of the YWCA. Project HELP will also be able to provide increased support by connecting families with additional services offered by the YWCA such as the Child Care Assistance Program, Career and Business Services, Sexual Assault Support Services and youth STEAM programming. The expansion also allows YWCA Chicago to broaden its footprint and services for families in the western suburbs.
Project HELP’s current staff will continue to serve the program as employees of YWCA Metropolitan Chicago and will be led by Peggy McGuire who will transition to a new role as the YWCA’s Director of Project HELP, Child & Family Development.
Looking Ahead
Project HELP is guided by the Strengthening Families framework and strives to integrate the strengthening factors approach into our programs and practice. The strengthening families approach is grounded in research and benefits ALL families. It builds on family strengths, bolsters family resilience, and promotes better outcomes for children.
Our ability to implement evidence-based programs that enhances the lives of children and families is made possible by the continual support of the Exchange Club of Naperville, and donations from individuals, businesses, and service clubs. HELP us to Empower Parents, Nurture Families and Strengthen our Communities!
Please Contact Us for more information about our programs, volunteer opportunities, or to make a donation.