COVID-19 has been out of the headlines for almost two years, but workers at Youth Services of Glenview/Northbrook are still seeing the emotional and psychological impact of the pandemic on their young clientele, officials said.
Given that, the Glenview Village Board on April 2 voted unanimously to give the non-profit agency $500,000 as part of its Youth Service ACT Now Campaign.
“For me, it’s a no-brainer,” Trustee Adam Sidoti said of the contribution.” From what I’ve seen even in my own neighborhood, my kids, and their friends, they all could probably use a little bit of help, especially coming out of the impact of the pandemic. I see no greater investment than this.”
Indeed, as the pandemic raged in 2021, Youth Services of Glenview/Northbrook “faced an untenable situation,” according to a memo from Deputy Village Manager Maggie Bosley to the board.
She said that more than 150 children were on the waitlist to see a therapist and that in response, the Board of Directors of Youth Services committed to raising $5.5 million for its Act Now Campaign, designed to meet rising demand, strengthen the organization’s foundation and to position the agency for the future.
“The initial goal was reached a year later, and donor dollars have already been invested in the agency, ultimately increasing clinical capacity by nearly 40 percent,” the memo says.
In July 2023, the goal was raised to $8.5 million after finalizing building “re-imagining and renovation plans in a time of unpredictably high construction costs and refining the agency’s plans as the demands of the community evolved.”
“I think it is really great that we are in the position that I believe we can support social services we have,” Trustee Mary W. Cooper said of the Village’s $500,000 contribution.
“Continued support is really important,” she added “I think we all know the pandemic has been really hard on the kids.”
According to the memo, more than $6.12 million has been raised toward the $8.5 million goal, and construction is slated to start this summer.
About 70 % of the agency’s clients are from Glenview, and after the renovations are completed clinical capacity space will be increased by 40 %, equating to the agency’s ability to treat 400 additional local youth, said Amy O’Leary, executive director of Youth Services.
“We’re also anticipating additional growth and referrals, looking back at how our referral rates have increased exponentially since 2021,” she said. “We are definitely leaving some room to grow which is a good thing because we want to stay within the space we are at.”
She also said the agency will ask Northbrook officials for financial support in the coming months.
Bosley said the $500,000 from Glenview will be given to “Youth Services” over five years and the money can only be used on the “facilities-based portion” of the Youth Service ACT Now Campaign. She said that includes redesigning the first and second floors, eight additional therapy spaces, a dedicated clinical office workspace, an intake room, 2 telehealth workstations, and three flexible group spaces.
She said Youth Services opened in Glenview in 1971 and has since enjoyed continued support from the Village.
In 1972 the Village gave Youth Services space in a Village-owned property on Waukegan Road. In 1976, the organization began fundraising and the Village began providing annual financial support for the agency’s programs, with initial funding at approximately $35,000. In the 1980s Youth Services moved to another Village-owned office space on Waukegan Road and Chestnut Avenue. Youth Services of Glenview then merged with Youth Services of Northbrook and moved to Northbrook for a short time 1990s. The organization then moved into a Glenview-owned house at 1254 Shermer Road and the village provided landscaping and upkeep to the building, Bosley explained.
She said the agency works with the Village and its police department and schools to identify “areas of highest need” and that in 2001 the Village designated a 1.6-acre parcel of land in the 3000 block of West Lake Avenue in Glenview as a permanent site for the social service facility.
“I think we also know your team is able to really help stem some of the behavior and help some people who could go onto bigger crisis, which then lands on our police department,” Copper said of the agency. “So to me this provides intervention getting to situations that could be escalated.”
Brian L. Cox is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
