Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago

Reception & Placement Services provide war-torn families with a chance to reunite and start a new life in America. The program includes reception at the airport, placement in affordable housing, cultural orientation, referrals and general care during the initial 90-day period following a refugee's arrival. ECAC also provides financial assistance to immigrants who have been granted asylum status and to their family members with derivative asylum status. Asylees can apply for this service within 30 days from the date of asylum approval and the derivative asylees should apply to get the assistance within 30 days from the date of entry to the United States. The goal of the program is to make refugees and asylees self-sufficient and become contributing members of society.

Employment services focus on assisting refugees and immigrants to develop the skills necessary to join the workforce at large and gain economic independence. The program includes assessment, job readiness training, counseling, referrals and placement. In 1996, in collaboration with partner agencies, Refugee Electronics Assembly Training was added to the program, and most recently, a computer-training program geared toward career advancement has been implemented. Both continue to be successful.

Electromechanical Assembly Training (EMAT)

The Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago (ECAC) in collaboration with S&C Electric Co. has organized Electromechanical Assembly Training (EMAT) for job seeking clients. The training is 10 weeks long. The first 6 weeks (3 hrs per day, 5 days per week) is at the Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago facility at 4750 N. Sheridan Rd, Suite 249. The last four weeks (4 hrs per day) will be in the form of internship at the potential employer companies. The training prepares the participants for electrical, electronics, and/or mechanical assembler positions.

EMAT creates wide range of job opportunities, as it is of the first of its kind to integrate all the required skills to assemble electromechanical devices like transformers, switches, alternators, computers, motors, and printed circuit boards. For detail , please read the EMAT Brochure.

Computer Training

ECAC's computer training has graduated more that 62 students in A+ and Network+. The program is fully equipped and conducive for learning. The training curriculum now has changed to training basic computer skills and internet surfing particularity for new immigrants, youth and children and people from the neighborhood who have no access to internet services.

This program educates recently arrived immigrants about the American economic system, financial survival and literacy, and strategies to build personal financial wealth. The program focuses on asset building tools that promote saving and investing in long-term financial goals. Financial Planning and Education workshops are organized to cover wealth accumulation (saving), money and beliefs, goal setting, budgeting and options for saving and investing money.

ECAC recognizes through experience that in order for refugees to adjust to the economic climate of their new home, they must be actively involved in the management of their personal finances. This financial literacy program will help increase the chances and the capacity for Refugees and asyless to become self-sufficient, thereby giving them the tools to more fully participate in the economic, cultural, and civic life of mainstream America. Immigrants, like American citizens, need to achieve sustainable economic well-being by engaging in ongoing income asset building strategies. The program will teach them the basics of money management. This is an initiative to economically empower families and individuals through financial education and counseling.

All ECAC's health activities emphasize on prevention. The health programs include diabetes, breast cancer, HIV/AIDS, osteoporosis prevention and immunization. Diet and exercise are the educational components to preventing these communicable and non-communicable diseases. Particularly diabetes has become the major health hazard in our immigrant community. Organizing health workshops, health fares, training of peer educators and distribution of translated educational materials are the strategies to outreach the target population. Recently, education about menopause has been added to our health education program. Referral to appropriate health services, accompanying some clients and interpretation are parts and parcel of the health education program.

Community Organizing: In collaboration with the Coalition of African, Asian, European and Latino Immigrants of Illinois (CAAELII), ECAC organizes its community and advocate for affordable housing, jobs and business opportunities for its constituency.

Community Safety: ECAC offers education about safety and calling 911 to refugees & immigrants when they first arrive or any time it is needed. There are meetings every month with CAPS and clients

Other Community Services: There are numerous community services with the main purpose of strengthening the Ethiopian Community in Chicago. These services do not only help to retain Ethiopian culture, but also promote it to mainstream society. Events like community picnic, Ethiopian New Year, Ethiopian day, numerous social gatherings and sports activities are the major components of this service.

Immigration and Citizenship Assistance: ECAC helps refugees and immigrants become full United States citizens by preparing them for citizenship exams by providing free Citizenship classes, filling out and filing N-400 application form, and following up with INS.

Program activities include homework assistance/tutoring Monday through Friday from 2-5pm, cultural education classes, arts and crafts, sports and computer education.

Additionally, ECAC is involved in the Multicultural Youth Project (MCYP), a program that involves the collaboration of six different ethnic agencies in the Uptown, Edgewater and Roger's Park neighborhoods. The aim of MCYP is bring together young individuals from various backgrounds in a safe and healthy environment. This encourages their participation in learning about and educating one another about their unique cultures and experiences. Components of MCYP include:

ECAC is also a delegate agency for Chicago’s Region 1 Youth Net Program. Through this affiliation, cultural classes are conducted on Saturday mornings and they include traditional dance training, games, and native language education. The Ethiopian Children’s Dance Troup was created as a result of these cultural classes, and they perform between three to four times a year.