Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center Foundation 10th Anniversary Gala Raises Funds for Life-Saving Programs


Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center Foundation 10th Anniversary Gala Raises Funds for Life-Saving Programs

There’s Jala, Kadasha, Jason, Nigel, Ricardo, and countless others. They are among the hundreds of young adults who have benefited from the life-saving programs and services offered by the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center Foundation. The JTDC Foundation aims to divert youth from the criminal justice system by helping them regain positive control of their lives.

Several former residents of the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center shared stories at the JTDC Foundation 10th anniversary gala of how they were able to turn their lives around. With a new lease on life, they are doing some noteworthy things. Jason is a painter. Nigel is in a nursing program. Jala is a manager.

Husband and wife TV personalities Karen Jordan, of ABC7, and Christian Farr, of NBC5, served as emcees. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot served as the event chair and provided a call to action for the audience. Gala honorees included the Union League Boys & Girls Clubs and its president and CEO Mary Ann Mahon Huels, businessman and politician Dr. Willie Wilson, The Resurrection Project CEO Raul Raymundo, and S.T.A.R. Barber College Managing Director Bobby D. Mattison. Former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan keynoted the event. Chicago Capital, CIBC, Northern Trust, and Huntington Bank sponsored the organization’s inaugural fundraising gala.

Proceeds from the gala will support programming that enriches the lives of the more than 300 youth. Programs are designed to inspire cultural awareness and foster community involvement and include The Karman Garden, observances of Black History and Hispanic Heritage Months, and JTDC’s signature program, The Court Involved Youth Project. The Court Involved Youth Project helps youth aged 12-18 return to and remain in their homes and communities by providing them with solid opportunities to increase their educational attainment, labor force participation, and leadership abilities.

About the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center Foundation

The Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center Foundation was founded in 2009 by Earl Dunlap, federal court transitional administrator, and Sharon Grant, executive director, JTDC Foundation. JTDC provides temporary secure housing for youth, from the age of 13 through 20 years, who are awaiting adjudication of their cases by the Juvenile Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County. The Center also provides care for youth who have been transferred from Criminal Court Jurisdiction. These youth would otherwise be incarcerated in the county jail. Each year, the JTDC Foundation supports facility-based programming and activities, serving nearly 3,200 court-involved youth by providing education, life and job skills, and resources needed for them to successfully return and remain in their communities as productive, violent-free citizens. For more information, visit http://www.jtdcfoundation.org.

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