FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FREE EYE EXAMS

 

HOMEWOOD, IL, June 13, 2018 – South Suburban Family Shelter in partnership with Prevent Blindness Illinois and Rosin Eye Care Centers will offer free eye exams on June 26 by appointment. Anyone age 5 and older who does not have vision insurance and has not had an eye exam in the past year is eligible.

Eye exams will take place at South Suburban Family Shelter’s administrative offices located at 18137 Harwood Avenue in Homewood. Those patients who need glasses or referrals for further optometric testing will receive vouchers to use at Rosin Eye Centers.

Appointments take approximately 20 minutes. To schedule an appointment, please call Dawn at 708-794-2140, extension 308. There are a limited number of appointments available.

South Suburban Family Shelter provides services in English and Spanish for families impacted by domestic violence including counseling, emergency shelter, transitional housing, legal advocacy, court advocacy, and violence prevention programs.

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Contact: Dawn Peloso
708-794-2140, ext. 308
dawnp@ssfs1.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

University of Chicago Medicine Ends Partnership with Domestic Violence Workers Medical Advocates dismissed from UC Medicine Ingalls ERs and Urgent Cares

 

HARVEY, IL, November 20, 2018 – After nearly 20 years of serving the community, University of Chicago Medicine/Ingalls Hospital has ended their contract with South Suburban Family Shelter to provide advocacy to victims of domestic violence in their emergency rooms and urgent care centers. The news came in a letter from University of Chicago Medicine’s legal counsel announcing that the long partnership will terminate in 30 days.

South Suburban Family Shelter Executive Director Jennifer Gabrenya commented “This is a disappointing statement on University of Chicago Medicine’s commitment to the well-being of families in the south suburbs.”

The dissolution of a long-standing partnership means that thousands of people per year will no longer have access to medical advocacy services at Ingalls. Last year, South Suburban Family Shelter served 11,699 people in Ingalls ERs and Urgent Care centers by providing domestic violence screenings, assessments and intake to those in need.

South Suburban Family Shelter has already begun looking for new ways to reach out to people in need of their services in the community. They are also working to fill the budgetary gap that the dissolution of their partnership with Ingalls leaves.

South Suburban Family Shelter provides comprehensive, coordinated services to families in which domestic violence exists, without imposing any one solution. South Suburban Family Shelter accepts clients regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, immigration status, marital status or age. Services are provided at no charge to victims and include a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, counseling, medical advocacy, legal advocacy, community education, partner abuse intervention and transitional housing.

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Contact: Dawn Peloso
708-794-2140, ext. 308
dawnp@ssfs1.org