CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS RESOURCE GUIDE RICHARD M. DALEY, MAYOR

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1 This is a marvelously useful guide for new and seasoned Chicago residens alike. Organized by vial informaion abou how o navigae he ciyói s public ransporaion, he public school sysem, direcories o Chicagoís abundan ehnic, culural, and civic offerings. And doní forge your pracical ì Know Your Righsî Card included inside, so you will always be prepared. No Chicagoan, new or naive, should be wihou his book! All of he informaion in his book is available online hand sories, essays, and spoken word poems abou immigran experience here in Chicago, one of he mos diverse and global ciies in he world. immigranciychicago.hullhouse.uic.edu CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS RESOURCE GUIDE RICHARD M. DALEY, MAYOR CHICAGO COMMISSION ON HUMAN RELATIONS JANE ADDAMS HULL HOUSE MUSEUM, COLLEGE Of ARCHITECTURE AND THE ARTS UNIvERSITY Of ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO

2 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENT'S GUIDE immigranciychicago.hullhouse.uic.edu

3 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENT'S GUIDE immigranciychicago.hullhouse.uic.edu The Freedom o copy and share he work wih ohers

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5 Message from Mayor Richard M. Daley Dear New Residen: As Mayor and on behalf of he Ciy of Chicago, i gives me grea pleasure o welcome you o our ciy. Chicago s pas and presen have been shaped by immigrans and refugees who came from around he world. These deermined men and women dedicaed hemselves o improving he ualiy of life for heir families and he communiy a large. Your arrival coninues his proud radiion and I have no doub ha you bring he same energy and opimism o Chicago as did your predecessors. Our ciy governmen akes pride in is long sanding radiion of welcoming and embracing immigrans and refugees. In keeping wih ha radiion, he Chicago Commission on Human Relaions Advisory Council on Immigran and Refugee Affairs has been working diligenly o mainain and foser a welcoming climae for our new arrivals. Among many oher aciviies, his office conducs educaion and oureach programs including he publicaion of he Chicago New Residens Resource Guidebook. I commend he parnership beween he Advisory Council and he Jane Addams Hull-House Museum in redesigning, publishing, and disribuing he Guidebook. Such parnership exemplifies public-privae secor collaboraion and sands o conribue o he ualiy and uaniy of public service for all ciizens. I hope you will find his Guidebook o be a source of useful informaion as you build your new life in Chicago. May your new fuure be filled wih healh, happiness, and prosperiy. Bes wishes, Richard M. Daley Mayor Ciy of Chicago Welcome o Chicago The Ciy of Chicago Commission on Human Relaions Advisory Council on Immigran and Refugee Affairs is pleased o presen he ediion of he Chicago New Residens Resource Guide. The purpose of his publicaion is o make perinen informaion available and conribue o he smooh adusmen of immigrans and refugees o life in Chicago. The Guide comprises many aricles and an exensive lis of public and privae resources. The aricles provide general informaion abou a wide specrum of opics, including he legal sysem, housing, healh, communiy services, employmen, educaion, and consumer proecion. The Resource Lisings secion provides names and elephone numbers, addresses, and websies (where available) of governmenal, non-governmenal, and communiy-based service providers ha offer services o immigrans and refugees, eiher for free or for low fees. Included in he lisings are ehnic communiy-based organizaions and Consulae General offices. In preparing his ediion, special aenion was given o designing he Guide o be user-friendly, covering he issues and opics ha are mos perinen, and ensuring ha he resource lisings are reflecive of he diversiy of Chicago s immigran and refugee communiy. The end resul, we hope, is ha he inended beneficiaries of he Guide immigrans and refugees, especially newcomers will find i an informaive and empowering ool in heir ues for a new and beer life in Chicago. Despie our bes inenion and effors, we may have omied cerain organizaions from his ediion. If your organizaion was omied and you feel ha i is appropriae for inclusion in fuure ediions of he Guide, or should you find any inaccuracies in your organizaion s lising, please forward us your changes, suggesions, or commens by compleing he Updae Form which is included in he back of he Guide. You may also conac us a (voice) or (TTY). Edwin Silverman, Ph.D., Chair Hayelom Ayele, Direcor/CommuniyLiaison Advisory Council on Immigran and Refugee Affairs

6 Message from Chairman Dana V. Sarks Dear Friend in Human Relaions: As Chairman and on behalf of he Chicago Commission on Human Relaions (CCHR), i gives me grea pleasure o express bes wishes o all immigrans and refugees who have chosen our ciy as heir new home. The CCHR enforces he Ciy s ani-discriminaion laws The Chicago Human Righs and Fair Housing Ordinances (CHRFHO) and srives hrough legal and educaional means o creae a bias-free sociey. The CHRFHO prohibi discriminaion in he areas of employmen, housing, public accommodaion, credi, and bonding. I is unlawful o discriminae agains any person because of his/her race, color, sex, age, religion, disabiliy (including HIV/AIDS posiive saus), naional origin, ancesry, sexual orienaion, gender ideniy, marial saus, parenal saus, miliary discharge saus, or source of income. As mandaed by he Ciy s Hae Crimes Law, he Commission assiss hae crime vicims. A hae crime is a criminal offense agains a person ha is moivaed by he vicim s race, color, gender, religion, naional origin, age, ancesry, sexual orienaion, or disabiliy. Such a crime is a felony (a very serious offense). The CCHR also sponsors programs and aciviies ha reduce bias and promoe posiive inergroup relaions. These programs and aciviies bring people ogeher across racial, ehnic, culural, and religious lines and promoe posiive awareness of diversiy. This Guide is inended o conribue oward ha end; and i is our hope ha immigrans and refugees (especially recen arrivals), social service providers, and ohers will find i useful and informaive. We look forward o being of service o you as you esablish a new life in our ciy. Dana V. Sarks Chairman and Commissioner Chicago Commission on Human Relaions Acknowledgmens The successful compleion of his proec would no have been possible wihou he guidance and suppor of he members of he Chicago Commission on Human Relaions Advisory Council on Immigran & Refugee Affairs. In paricular, Council Chair Edwin Silverman and he Educaion and Oureach Commiee members Hussein Affey and Bindi Desai-Lessing deserve our hearfel hanks for heir conribuion o he Guide. Thanks also o Firs Depuy Commissioner Kenneh Gunn for his guidance and suppor for his proec. Iris Archilla, Joanne Newsome and William Greaves of he Chicago Commission on Human Relaions have been of grea assisance in reviewing and criiuing he firs draf of he Guide. Special hanks o Makeysha Durham-Diouf, Uraidah Hassani, and James Muhammad, who gave immeasurable amouns of voluneer ime and experise. Their dedicaed effors have ensured a comprehensive lis of resources and up-o-dae informaion. And finally, hanks o our parner agency, he Jane Addams Hull- House Museum a he Universiy of Illinois a Chicago, and is fine saff, wihou whose generous financial suppor and experise he successful compleion of his proec would no have been possible.

7 Message from Jane Addams Hull-House Museum The Jane Addams Hull-House Museum is a proud parner of his resource guide and he accompanying websie, which is filled wih personal sories, essays, poery and firs-person accouns of wha i means o immigrae, migrae and o ake refuge in Chicago, one of he mos diverse and cosmopolian ciies of he world. We encourage you o use his guide o parake of everyhing Chicago has o offer. And in he spiri of Hull-House s commimen o he democracy, diversiy and inclusiviy ha animae his book, we also acknowledge ha new immigrans profoundly conribue in an inesimable way o he life of our dynamic ciy. Each chaper of his book provides criical informaion for any new residen o he ciy. No only will you find informaion abou how o obain affordable housing, locae hospials for healh care, navigae he Chicago Transi Auhoriy, and learn how o regiser your kids for public schools, bu you will also discover a Know Your Righs Card from he American Civil Liberies Union, find informaion specific o immigran s righs from he Naional Cener for Immigran Jusice, learn how o ge a library card so you can check ou a free book a a local Chicago Public Library, locae he closes fresh green marke for local vegeables, and find lisings for ehnic museums and culural organizaions. This book will make i easier for you o paricipae in he arisic and culural aspecs of urban life and become civically engaged. The Jane Addams Hull-House Museum expresses is solidariy wih immigrans o his ciy by co-funding/co-publishing? his resource guide and is accompanying websie. We invie you o visi he Museum, which is a naional hisoric landmark, locaed a 800 Souh Halsed Sree in wo of he original Hull-House Selemen buildings. We celebrae and inerpre he hisory of Jane Addams, America s firs woman o win he Nobel Peace Prize, and he work of he reformers and communiy members who paricipaed in he programs and aciviies of he Hull- House Selemen ha ransformed he Unied Saes ino a more socially us and democraic counry in he early 1900 s. The Hull-House Selemen was siuaed a Halsed and Polk Srees, and much of is success as a boldly visionary public space, a laboraory for democracy and engine for social change, is due o he fac ha he communiies surrounding Hull-House were populaed wih he mos recen immigrans o he Unied Saes. Over wo-dozen ehnic groups lived near he Hull-House and communiy members aended reading clubs, language classes, ciizenship classes, sex-educaion classes, poery readings, music performances, as well as ehnic heaer. Hull- House modeled a new kind of ciizenship and parioism. Jane Addams and her group of Hull-House reformers opposed immigraion resricion and he uoa sysem, and hey also opposed Americanizaion programs ha aemped o wipe away culural radiions of immigrans. They cared deeply abou he welfare of new immigrans and of all people. The figh for immigrans righs included advocaing for fair labor pracices, public housing and healh regulaions, educaional reform and usice reform ha benefied all of us. This book and he accompanying websie champion he idea ha immigraion is no a challenge o our democracy, as i is someimes porrayed, or a problem ha needs o be addressed, raher immigraion can and should realize he ideals of democracy- eualiy, diversiy, and inclusiviy. This book would no have been possible wihou he ireless work of Margo Nikias, who became a passionae immigraion acivis and proec coordinaor a he Museum, he eam of designers who conribued o he democraic design of he book including Benamin Thorp, Sarah Higgins, under he leadership of Jonahan Krohn, and he visionary Marcia Lausen. We also hank he Boeing Corporaion for heir suppor ha made his resource book and he websie possible, and heir commimen o promoing civic life in Chicago. Lisa Yun Lee Direcor, Jane Addams Hull-House Museum

8 able of conens Becoming a U.S. Ciizen Benefis of Ciizenship Ciizen Reuiremens Applying for Ciizenship Consumer Proecion Becoming an Educaed Consumer Know Your Governmen Eleced Officials The Ciy of Chicago Ani-Discriminaion Laws Ehnic Organizaions Asian Communiy-Based Organizaions African Communiy- Based European Communiy-Based organizaions Laino Communiy-Based organizaions Middle Easern Communiy-Based Organizaions Lisings Hospials Museums & Culural Insiuions Farmers Markes/Food Co-ops Consulaes Communiy Services Chicago Imporan Symbols Geography Physical Layou Climae Ho Weaher Tips Cold Weaher Tips Organizaions by Regions 101 Cenral 155 Norh 49 Healh Services 193 Norhwes 53 Educaion 205 Souh 57 Housing 233 Souhwes 61 Employmen 243 Suburbs/Oher 65 Chicago Neighborhood Map 255 Wes 67 CTA MAP

9 Becoming a U.S. Ciizen Acuiring U.S. ciizenship is he ulimae goal of everyone who has chosen he Unied Saes of America as her or his new counry. The process of becoming a U.S. ciizen is called nauralizaion. benefis of ciizenship The Righ o Voe Ciizenship gives you he righ o voe in local, sae, and naional elecions. Voing allows you o choose your represenaives in governmen. You mus regiser o voe a leas one monh before any elecion. Voer regisraion forms are available a your swearing-in ceremony or a any pos office or library. Greaer Freedom o Travel and Sponsor a Relaive As a ciizen, you will be able o leave he U.S. anyime and for as long as you like and hen reurn wihou resricions. To ravel ouside he U.S., you mus obain a passpor. You can also apply o bring close relaives such as your spouse, children, parens, brohers, and sisers o he Unied Saes as legal permanen residens. When you become a ciizen, you accep all of he responsibiliies of being an American. In reurn, you ge he righs and privileges of ciizenship. ciizenship reuiremens In order o become a U.S. ciizen, you mus mee cerain reuiremens. You mus: Be a leas 18-years-old; Have lived in he U.S. as a legal permanen residen for a leas five years, or hree years if permanen residency was obained hrough marriage o a U.S. ciizen; Be of good moral characer. For example, you mus have paid your axes on ime and no have been conviced of a serious crime. If any criminal record exiss, please consul a lawyer or local communiy organizaion before filing your ciizenship applicaion; Males beween he ages of 18 and 26-years-old mus regiser for he Selecive Service Sysem. (To check if you have regisered or o ge your Selecive Service regisraion number, call ); Demonsrae ha you have knowledge and undersanding of U.S. hisory and civics. Visi or call your local communiy organizaion for more informaion abou he sandardized nauralizaion exam. Free or low-cos ciizenship classes and ciizenship applicaions are available hrough organizaions lised in his Guidebook. To become a ciizen, you mus be willing o swear your loyaly o he Unied Saes. You mus agree o suppor and defend he U.S. Consiuion. CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 17 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 18

10 applying for ciizenship Sep One: Fill Ou N-400 Applicaion Fill ou an N-400 applicaion from he U.S. Ciizenship and Immigraion Services (USCIS). You can receive he form in one of he following ways: Visi a local Communiy Organizaion; Call USCIS Forms Reues Line a (in English and Spanish); Visi a local Chicago Public Library; Log on o he USCIS Websie, Once he form is compleed, send i o he USCIS (see Form N-400 for mailing address) along wih: A copy of your Alien Regisraion Card (Green Card); Applicable fees in he amoun as specified in he N-400 insrucion shee; Phoographs as specified in he N-400 applicaion. Sep Two: Have Fingerprins Taken Afer you send he compleed packe o he USCIS, you will receive an appoinmen noice for your fingerprins o be aken digially a an Applicaion Suppor Cener. You mus bring he noice o he USCIS fingerprin faciliy, along wih a valid idenificaion card. Once your fingerprins are aken, USCIS submis hem o he Federal Bureau of Invesigaion (FBI) for processing. Sep Three: Waiing Period/Sudy U.S. Hisory and Civics and Prepare for an Inerview There is a considerable waiing period before he USCIS can schedule you for an inerview. I is imporan ha you use his period o sudy U.S. hisory and civics in preparaion for your inerview. A communiy organizaion can refer you o a free or low-cos Ciizenship class in your area. For more informaion, conac your communiy organizaion or see he ciizenship & ESL service column under Type of Service in he Quick Reference o Service Providers secion of his Guidebook. The USCIS officer will ask you uesions abou U.S. hisory and governmen from he lis of U.S. hisory and civics uesions. You will hen be asked o demonsrae a basic knowledge of English by wriing a few shor senences dicaed by he examining USCIS officer. This review also allows he examiner o see if you can speak and undersand basic English. When you come for your inerview, you will need o provide applicable documens such as a cerificae of marriage, divorce, or deah of a spouse; daes of any ravel in and ou of he U.S.; and your income ax reurns. Excepions o he English Language Reuiremen Depending on your age and lengh of residency, you may be exemp from he English language reuiremen. This means ha you can ake he civics examinaion in your naive language if you are 50-years-old wih a leas 20 years as a legal permanen residen, or if you are 55-years-old wih 15 years as a legal permanen residen. In hese cases, you may have an inerpreer presen during your inerview. If you are a leas 65-yearsold and have been a U.S. residen for 20 years, you will be given special consideraion in he degree of difficuly of he uesions asked. CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 19 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 20

11 In some cases, applicans wih cerain disabiliies such as blindness or deafness may ualify for disabiliy waivers o he English language reuiremen. Please consul a lawyer or local communiy organizaion for more informaion and a copy of he USCIS Disabiliy Regulaions. Sep Four: Taking he Oah of Allegiance When you pass your USCIS inerview and he U.S. hisory and civics reuiremen, your pah o ciizenship is nearly complee. The final sep is o ake he Oah of Allegiance a an USCIS adminisraive ceremony or a a ceremony wih a udge. Afer aking he oah, you will receive your Cerificae of Nauralizaion as evidence of your U.S. Ciizenship. Noe: If you move, you are reuired by law o noify he USCIS of he change of your address. A Change of Address form is available a he Chicago USCIS Disric Office (101 W. Congress Parkway) or he USCIS websie ( Be sure o include your name, new address, your Alien number (file number), and noificaion ha you have a pending ciizenship applicaion, if any. For more informaion, please conac USCIS Cusomer Service Cener a CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 21 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 22

12 Consumer Proecion The Ciy of Chicago Deparmen of Business Affairs and Consumer Proecion (DBACP) is a special deparmen ha helps consumers hrough educaional and enforcemen programs. In addiion o conducing many programs, he DBACP provides reliable informaion and referral services. Special programs and educaional maerials are developed o help consumers undersand heir righs and each hem o file complains. Addiionally, he DBACP invesigaes complains agains businesses and verifies ha businesses have all reuired licenses needed for operaion in he ciy. The DBACP can be reached by calling (voice) or (TTY). Becoming an Educaed Consumer Credi Hisory Esablishing credi is an imporan sep for mos families and individuals. Previous credi is reuired a imporan imes, such as when purchasing a home or car. Credi is obained by doing such hings as buying iems and paying for hem in insallmens, aking ou loans, and applying for credi cards. These ransacions are repored o credi agencies, which hen compile a credi hisory for you. If you have made hese kinds of ransacions and you always pay your bills on ime, your credi will be good. If, however, you have made hese ransacions bu have failed o pay your bills on ime, have declared bankrupcy or foreclosure, or have had any cour acions aken agains you, your credi will be harmed. In a family, i is advisable for boh spouses or parners o have good credi raings. Should he family experience a divorce or he deah of one parner, i will be beneficial for all concerned o have planned ahead. You can obain a copy of your credi repor online or by looking in he Yellow Pages of he phone book under credi or credi raing and reporing. Ofen several credi reporing agencies will hold informaion abou your credi raing, and hey will provide informaion abou your credi for free or a small fee. Credi Counseling Using credi may become problemaic if you are no aware of how credi works. If you are having rouble wih a credior whom you believe is being dishones wih you, if a deb collecion agency has been abusive o you, if you have esablished credi and are having difficuly wih your paymens, or if you need general financial counseling, please conac he DBACP or one of he organizaions lised wih he Financial Services symbol [u] in he Resource Lisings secion. Food In addiion o handling complains abou food ualiy and relaed issues, some agencies run special programs called food cooperaives (co-ops). Co-ops may provide an inexpensive way o purchase food. The idea is ha if people combine heir food orders and make large purchases ogeher, he price is usually less. Farmers markes ake place regularly hroughou he ciy. These markes allow farmers o sell heir goods direcly o you wihou going hrough a grocery sore. Many people find farmers markes provide healhy, fresh food a a reasonable price. Area farmers markes are lised in he special Farmers Marke secion in he Resource Lisings. Addiional informaion on farmers markes is available online a www. CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 23 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 24

13 Shopping by Mail and on he Inerne Buying producs hrough he mail using a caalogue or on he Inerne can be a uick and easy way of shopping. On occasion, problems such as los or lae orders, incorrec bills, and damaged or defecive producs can occur. Some general helpful guidelines are: Never send cash in he mail, use a check or money order; Telephone numbers ha begin wih an area code of 800, 888, 877, 866, or 855 are free of charge o you and you may call such numbers o conac companies wih which you do business; If you do no receive an iem you ordered, or you receive he wrong iem, conac he company; Keep a wrien record of all ransacions you make, as well as he name of he person/websie ha ook your order; If you do no recognize a charge lised on your credi card, call your credi card company or follow he insrucions provided wih your bill; If you experience problems dealing wih a mail order or Inerne business, conac he company and ry o resolve he problem. If he problem canno be resolved, file a complain by calling he DBACP. Insurance Purchasing any ype of insurance is a personal decision. However, auomobile liabiliy insurance is mandaory. If you have a car, Illinois law reuires ha you mus buy his kind of insurance. If you ge ino an acciden, liabiliy insurance will pay for he damage o oher cars or propery involved (bu NOT your car; his is called collision insurance and is no reuired in Illinois), as well as for he medical coss of people hur in he acciden ha exceed your deducible. This means you will pay for accidens cosing up o he amoun of your deducible (a pre-agreed amoun), bu your insurance will pay any coss over his amoun, up o he maximum amoun of your coverage. The Illinois Deparmen of Insurance handles insurance problems including claims, policy cancellaions, and unscrupulous agens and brokers. Formal complains mus be filed in person or by leer o he James R. Thompson Cener, 100 W. Randolph S., Suie 9-301, Chicago, IL For more informaion abou ypes of insurance, conac he Illinois Deparmen of Insurance a (voice) or (TTY) or he DBACP for assisance. If you have a complain abou an insurance company, or if you hink i has done somehing dishones or illegal, you should repor i. Recognizing and Combaing Fraud Fraud occurs when a vendor/business inenionally misrepresens a produc or service. Tha is o say, if a business misleads a cusomer by making promises abou he ualiy, abiliy, or effec of goods or services, and hey do so wih inen, hey are commiing fraud. There are laws governing he conduc of business and adverising. If you hink ha you have been misled by a business and are unable o resolve he problem wih he business, you should call one of he agencies lised wih a [u] in he Resource Lisings secion. Immigraion Fraud When seeking legal help wih immigraion maers, be sure only o deal wih an immigraion aorney, a legal inern supervised by an immigraion aorney, a person accredied by he Board of Immigraion Appeals, or a volunary agency (Volag) recognized by he U.S. Ciizenship and Immigraion Services (USCIS). Legal assisance on immigraion maers canno be given by anyone else, including a Noary Public, unless ha person is also a lawyer. Make sure ha your immigraion consulan has a general business license from he Ciy of Chicago and is regisered wih he DBACP. If you choose o receive immigraion assisance from a source oher han hose menioned above, remember ha hese consulans are no lawyers and are no allowed o provide you wih legal aid. Before receiving services from an immigraion consulan or a lawyer, i is recommended ha you boh sign a conrac ha includes an explanaion CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 25 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 26

14 of he services o be performed and he cos o you. You may cancel his conrac wihin hree days of signing i and receive your money back if you do no receive he services for which you conraced. Be suspicious of anyone who wans o charge you money o help you apply for a new amnesy program. Be suspicions of immigraion consulans who claim o have special relaionships wih he USCIS. Remember, bad advice from unualified and unauhorized immigraion consulans and an improperly filed applicaion could have serious conseuences. In addiion o loss of money and denial of your applicaion, applying for benefis for which you are no eniled can resul in your removal from he Unied Saes. If you feel you have been he vicim of immigraion fraud or you wan o know more abou your opions for assisance wih immigraion maers, please refer o he appropriae agency lised in he Resource Lisings secion. Mail Fraud Companies may conduc heir business hrough he mail sysem. Companies place ads in magazines or on elevision and you wrie o he company o order merchandise. Oher companies mail adverisemens direcly o you. If you purchase somehing from a company hrough he mail and you believe ha you have been aken advanage of, you should keep all documens and leers ha are involved. These problems should be repored o he DBACP. Telemarkeing Fraud Companies may conduc business by calling he homes of consumers. Mos of hese companies are legiimae, bu some are no, so i is bes o be cauious when doing business wih elemarkeers. Some helpful guidelines o keep in mind when solicied over he phone are: NEVER give ou your credi card number over he phone unless YOU made he call; If you are ineresed in he produc or service being offered, ask for he company s phone number and call hem back afer checking wih he Beer Business Bureau or oher consumer agencies; Be cauious if he caller ells you he offer ends oday or is available oday only; Be careful if he offer seems unbelievably cheap or you are offered exravagan free gifs. If i sounds oo good o be rue, i probably is; Ask he caller abou refund or exchange policies; If you decide o buy he produc or service, and you pay for i wih a personal check, do no wrie your credi card number on he check. If you have a problem wih a mail order or Inerne business ha canno be resolved by conacing he business, you can complain by calling he DBACP. Business Complains Businesses operaing wihin he Ciy of Chicago are expeced o conduc hemselves in an orderly, hones fashion as oulined by various regulaions. In general, a business mus perform a service or deliver goods in a safe and udicious fashion. For an esablishmen such as a food sore, his means ha hey mus charge no more for an iem han he price wih which i is marked. They mus keep heir public (and resriced) areas clean and free of subsances which could be harmful o he public. Every business has rules which govern is operaion. If you hink ha a business has reaed you unfairly, or if you believe he business o be unsafe, you should ry and approach he owner or manager in charge. Explain your concern and see if hey are helpful (mos will be). If hey are no responsive, conac he DBACP. How o Complain Effecively From ime o ime, you may buy producs or services ha are no a an accepable sandard. Though mos businesses will make an effor o resolve your problem, if hey do no, firs decide wheher you wan a refund or a replacemen aricle or service. Go back o he person who sold you he iem or performed he service, and calmly sae he problem and wha acion you would like o ake. If his person is no helpful, ask o see he manager or supervisor. Repea CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 27 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 28

15 he complain. Mos problems are seled a his level. If you are no saisfied wih he response, don give up. If he company operaes naionally or he produc is a naional brand, wrie a leer o he presiden of he company, anoher official of he company, or he DBACP. I is very imporan ha your leer of complain deals direcly wih he problem, saing your poin clearly and concisely. There are, however, cerain deails which mus be included. Therefore, we have pu ogeher a sample complain leer for your use (see following page). When wriing, be sure o include he following poins in your leer: Sae your purpose; Name of produc and serial/model number or service; Include dae, locaion, and oher purchase deails; Describe he problem, when i began, noises/smells or oher characerisics of he problem; - Enclose copies (no originals) of all documens (for example, warranies and receips); Ask for acion wihin a reasonable ime period; Include your name, address, and phone number. If you are no saisfied wih he company s response o your leer or do no receive a reply, you may wish o conac he DBACP or anoher agency in order o help you resolve he problem. SAMPLE COMPLAINT LETTER Your Name Your Address Ciy, Sae, Zip Code Dae Appropriae Person Company Name Company Address Ciy, Sae, Zip Code Dear Appropriae person (or Direcor of Consumer Affairs Deparmen), Las week I purchased (or had repaired) a (name of produc wih serial number and model number, or service performed). I made his purchase a (locaion, dae, and oher imporan deails of ransacion). Unforunaely, your produc or service has no performed saisfacorily (or service was inadeuae because). Therefore, o solve his problem, I would appreciae your (sae he specific acion you wan). Enclosed are copies (copies, NOT originals) of my records (receips, guaranees, warranies, canceled checks, conracs, model and serial numbers, and any oher documens). I am looking forward o your reply and resoluion of my problem, and will wai hree weeks before seeking hird-pary assisance. Conac me a he above address or by phone a (home and work numbers here). Sincerely, Your Name CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 29 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 30

16 Know Your Governmen As you embark on a new life in he Unied Saes of America (U.S.), i is very imporan ha you familiarize yourself wih he laws of he counry. U.S. laws proec he righs and freedoms of he individual while proecing he righs of he whole sociey. There are wo ypes of laws forming he basis of he U.S. udicial sysem: criminal laws and civil laws. Criminal and civil laws are designed o se limis on he behavior of he individual in relaion o he res of sociey and o proec sociey as a whole. Whenever you need legal counsel, advice or assisance, make sure ha you have personal confidence in he lawyer you hire or who is assigned o you. Ge names of possible lawyers from rused friends and organizaions. In his secion, we aemp o idenify some maor areas of law you encouner in he U.S. In addiion, organizaions providing legal services are provided in he Resource Lisings secion of his Guide. The lis includes public and no-for-profi organizaions. However, for privae aorneys or for-profi organizaions, check he Yellow Pages phone book. Noe: As in many naions, cour decisions, poliics, foreign relaions, and naional incidens play a role in alering he law. Therefore, i is very imporan o keep abreas of hese changes. Chicago Governmen The Ciy of Chicago governmen is divided ino execuive and legislaive branches. Of he hree ciywide eleced posiions (mayor, clerk, reasurer), he mayor is he chief execuive. The Ciy Council, wih members represening each of he ciy s 50 wards, is he legislaive body. Governmen prioriies and aciviies are esablished in an annual budge ordinance usually adoped in November. The ciy akes official acion hrough he passage of orders, ordinances, and resoluions a meeings of he Ciy Council, usually held monhly. Eleced Officials: Mayor As he ciy s chief execuive, he mayor performs duies prescribed by he Sae of Illinois and specified wihin ordinances of he Ciy of Chicago. Execuive funcions are exercised in various ciy deparmens. Deparmen heads repor o he mayor, and each one is usually referred o as a Commissioner or Direcor. In addiion, he mayor is responsible for direcing he ciy s special-purpose agencies and commissions, making appoinmens o heir governing boards. The mayor presides over Ciy Council meeings wih veo power and voes in he even of a ie. Addiional informaion can be found a Clerk The clerk is he record keeper for he ciy, and he clerk s office is he designaed reposiory for all official ciy documens. The clerk publishes he Journal of Proceedings, which reflecs all legislaive acion. In addiion, he clerk s office processes claims in he ciy and issues vehicle ax emblems and licenses. Addiional informaion can be found a www. chiciyclerk.com. Treasurer The reasurer accouns for money belonging o he ciy and keeps financial record as prescribed by ciy ordinance. The reasurer s office maximizes reurns on invesmens made by he Ciy and pays for warrans and debs. Addiional informaion can be found a CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 31 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 32

17 Ciy Council The Ciy Council is made up of 50 aldermen, who represen each of he ciy s 50 wards. As he legislaive body, he Ciy Council approves all loans, grans, land acuisiions and sales, zoning changes, raffic conrol issues, and oher financial appropriaions. The Ciy Council s 19 sanding commiees work wih individual deparmens on he execuion of ciy aciviies by reviewing proposed ordinances, resoluions, and orders before hey are voed on in he Ciy Council. Alderman The Ciy of Chicago aldermen represen he residens and oher sakeholders in each ward in order o assure and enhance he welfare of he communiy. To find ou who is he curren alderman for your ward, call 311, he ciy s non-emergency number. For addiional informaion regarding he Ciy Council and aldermen, visi THE CITY OF CHICAGO ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAWS Who May File a) Anyone who believes he or she was discriminaed agains in: Housing, Employmen, Public Accommodaions, Credi Transacions Bonding b) The discriminaion mus be based on one or more of he following: Race, Age, Naional Origin, Parenal Saus, Source of Income, Color, Religion, Ancesry, Marial Saus, Gender Ideniy, Sex, Disabiliy, Sexual Orienaion, Miliary Discharge Saus c) The discriminaion had o ake place in he Ciy of Chicago. d) The Complain mus be filed wihin 180 days of he discriminaion. e) Realiaion agains a person who files a complain or is a winess in a Commission case is a violaion of he Human Righs Ordinance. How Do People File? A person may come o he Commission on Human Relaions in person, or may file by mail. Forms and insrucions for filing by mail may be found on or hey can be mailed o you. Call he Commission a and ask for he invesigaor on duy. (Be sure o sae wheher your complain concerns housing, employmen, public accommodaion, credi or bonding ransacions.) If a person chooses o go o he Commission Offices, an invesigaor will assis him or her in compleing a complain. Because he inake of a complain involves inerviewing he filer o ascerain all informaion surrounding he alleged discriminaory inciden, he process may ake up o wo hours. The person filing should bring any wrien maerial ha provides background and evidence as well as he names and conac informaion for winesses. Wha Happens Then? 1. The Invesigaion The Commission is a neural agency; i does no ake eiher he side of he person who filed (complainan) or he side of he person or business he complain is agains (responden). The Commission sends he complain and oher maerial o he responden wihin seven days of he complainan s filing. The responden mus file a Verified Response wih he Commission and serve i on he complainan wihin 30 days. In addiion, he responden mus file a response o he Commission s reues for documens and informaion. Over several monhs, he Commission s invesigaor will collec all documens and inerview winesses wih respec o boh he complainan s allegaions and he responden s defense. The Commission s invesigaors are always willing o deermine wheher here is a way for he wo sides o come o an agreemen abou how o resolve he case a any ime during he invesigaion. CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 33 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 34

18 If he paries do no sele, he Compliance Commiee reviews a summary of he enire invesigaion and decides if here is subsanial evidence for he case o proceed. If here is no subsanial evidence, he case is closed. Subsanial evidence does no necessarily mean ha he responden is liable, bu only ha here is enough evidence o proceed furher. 2. Selemen Conference If he Commission deermines ha here is subsanial evidence of discriminaion, i may reuire he wo paries o mee o ry o sele he case a a selemen conference. A mediaor experienced in discriminaion law, civil righs, and mediaion will conduc he conference. Unlike a formal cour proceeding, his is an informal meeing beween he complainan, he responden, and a mediaor o ry o sele he case. If he paries reach an agreemen, he case is closed. If here is no agreemen, he case is scheduled for an adminisraive hearing. 3. Adminisraive Hearing Afer a finding of subsanial evidence, a hearing is held only if here is no agreemen a he selemen conference. The hearing is similar o a cour proceeding, bu less formal, and is run by a Hearing Officer who generally acs as he udge for he case. The paries are no reuired o have an aorney a he hearing, bu i may be in your bes ineres o seek legal advice. The adminisraive hearing is a legal proceeding, he decision of which is enforceable. The Hearing Officer hears he evidence ha boh sides presen and wries a recommendaion saing which pary should win he case. The recommendaion includes he facual and legal reasons for he recommendaion. The paries review he recommendaion and make any obecions o i. Then, he Hearing Officer reviews all he obecions and responses and makes a final recommendaion o he Commission s Board of Commissioners. The Board makes he final ruling. Wha Can a Complainan Receive? If he responden is found liable afer he adminisraive hearing, he complainan may be awarded one or more of he following ypes of relief: Ou-of-Pocke Damages reimbursemen for any losses relaed o he discriminaion, such as back pay if he or she was fired or moving coss if he or she was forced o move from an aparmen. Emoional Disress compensaes for sress and upse proven o be caused by he discriminaion. Inuncive Relief orders he responden o do or no o do somehing such as ceasing a discriminaory policy or insalling a ramp so a wheelchair user can ener. Aorney s Fees and Coss pays for he work a complainan s aorney did on he case. Puniive Damages damages paid by he responden in cases where he conduc was found o be willful, wanon, or reckless concerning he complainan s righs. Fines paid o he Ciy of Chicago whenever here is a finding ha he responden discriminaed agains he complainan. Have Quesions? Call he Commission on Human Relaions a (Voice) or (TTY). CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 35 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 36

19 THE CITY OF CHICAGO ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAWS (Chicago Human Righs and Fair Housing Ordinances) FACT SHEET Is available in he following languages: Amharic (Ehiopian) Arabic Assyrian Cambodian Chinese English Esonian French Hindi Korean Laoian Lavian Lihuanian Polish Russian Somali Spanish Tagalog Tigrigna (spoken in Ehiopia and Erirea) Urdu Thai Vienamese Please call he Commission a (voice) or (TTY) if you would like o receive copies of he Fac Shee in any of he above languages. CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 37 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 38

20 Communiy Services Public services are governmen programs, funded by ax money, which are responsible for proecing basic human needs and improving ualiy of life. Ciy of Chicago public services include police and fire proecion, garbage collecion, sree cleaning, public assisance, and public educaion, housing, and healh. Privaely run social service programs are usually adminisered by churches, chariable organizaions, communiy associaions, or non-profi agencies ha have a mission o promoe public welfare. Programs exis o serve he public on boh a neighborhood and ciy-wide level. The resources described in his secion cover a wide range of services. Many of he services are available free of charge, whereas some have fees ha are based on he clien s abiliy o pay. Public Assisance Governmenal agencies provide assisance o eligible persons in need. The Illinois Deparmen of Human Services (IDHS) deermines he ype of program for which one is eligible. In Illinois, he sysem includes federal, sae, and municipal (ciy) programs. Please be aware ha municipallevel programs may no be in coordinaion wih sae programs and may provide assisance even if he sae or federal programs do no. Public assisance can include money, medical care, housing, and food. Please visi or call (voice) or (TTY) for eligibiliy guidelines and o apply. Immigran & Refugee Services Chicago has a well-organized sysem of service delivery for immigrans and refugees. The Refugee Program adminisered by he Illinois Deparmen of Human Services (IDHS) faciliaes he smooh adusmen and economic self-sufficiency of immigrans and refugees. In recogniion of refugees diverse backgrounds, he Refugee Program provides specialized, bilingual social services hrough communiy-based organizaions and volunary agencies, many of whom have bilingual saff. Muual Aid Associaions, as ehnic self-help organizaions, play an imporan role as sources of culurally and linguisically appropriae services for refugees and oher newcomers. Public Transporaion America s srees, roads, and highways are filled wih cars, rucks, buses, and oher vehicles. Chicago has an efficien public ransporaion sysem. The Chicago Transi Auhoriy (CTA) runs rains and buses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, providing coverage for he enire ciy. Please see he pocke map of he CTA s bus and rain sysem included wih his Guide. Addiional informaion can be found a or by calling from any Chicagoland area code. Privae axis are also a convenien means of ransporaion. Taxis are found a designaed axi sands, by calling a axi company, or hailing one on he sree. Addiional informaion on privae axi companies is available hrough your local Yellow Pages phone book. Recreaion The Chicago Park Disric offers a variey of aciviies and classes for aduls and youh a faciliies hroughou he ciy including beaches, parks, zoos, swimming pools, golf courses, ennis cours, archery ranges, and ice skaing rinks. Field houses a local parks organize spors aciviies including soccer, golf, ennis, swimming, horseback riding, baseball, CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 39 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 40

21 fooball, baskeball, hockey, and lawn bowling. Boas, roller skaes, and bicycles may be rened during he summer. For more informaion, call or visi Paying Taxes By midnigh on April 15 each year, individual ax payers mus file heir federal and sae income ax reurns. Depending on your circumsances, compleing income ax forms can be a simple or complex ask. A uick review of he ax form appropriae for your financial circumsances may help you o decide wheher o complee your income ax form yourself, or o use he services of a professional ax preparer. You may also conac he Inernal Revenue Service s Tax Informaion Cener for help or your local library for publicaions, forms, and oher assisance. The income ax and sales ax are wo basic ypes of axes. Income ax is imposed by he federal governmen and mos sae governmens. Income axes are aken from an individual s paycheck by he employer. The amoun of money aken depends on a variey of facors, such as marial saus, family size, and he ype of ax (income, social securiy, or Medicare). If you have uesions regarding hese deducions, ask your employer firs. Sales axes are aken by sae, couny, and/or municipal governmenal bodies as a percenage of he cos of he goods sold. Unlike income ax, which is prepaid a lile a a ime from one s paycheck, wih final deerminaion a he end of he year, sales ax is paid in full a he same rae for everyone when iems are purchased. The revenue generaed by axes is used o fund many programs designed o serve he public. This revenue pays for public schools, police and fire deparmens, public ransporaion, highway and sree consrucion, mainenance and suppor of he armed forces, and regulaory, healh, and oher public agencies. To file your Federal Tax reurns send compleed forms o: Inernal Revenue Service Kansas Ciy, MO To file your Illinois Sae Tax reurns send compleed forms o: Illinois Deparmen of Revenue Springfield, Illinois Geing Licenses A license is he graning of official permission by he governmen o an individual or organizaion allowing performance of a ask or delivery of a service which is oherwise illegal wihou a license. Licenses are reuired for various ypes of aciviies. Marriage, operaion of a moor vehicle, fishing, huning, and operaing a business reuire a license. Marriage and Divorce Each sae has laws regulaing marriage and divorce. These laws are developed by each sae and apply o hose individuals filing for marriage or divorce in ha sae. Marriage laws relae o he age and healh of applicans, and lengh of ime beween applicaion and receip of a marriage license. In Illinois, marriage licenses are available a he local Ciy Clerk office (Couny Clerk in Chicago). To be graned a license boh applicans mus: Be a leas 18 years of age (16 wih parenal presence or wrien permission); Bring wo forms of picure ID lising dae of birh, hough only one form is reuired in mos cases; Wedding ceremonies mus be held a leas one day and no laer han 60 days afer receip of marriage license. Applicaions for marriage licenses are available a he Cook Couny Building, 118 Norh Clark or one of he suburban Chicago locaions (call for a lis of locaions). Once a license is obained, he husband and wife, recognized by he cours and given he necessary auhoriy, mus have a marriage CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 41 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 42

22 ceremony o esablish a legal marriage. Recognized ordained minisers of esablished religious organizaions are empowered o perform marriage ceremonies, as are udges of he cour and usices of he peace. The Couny Clerk s office and many local places of worship can assis you in finding he services of an individual who can legally perform he ceremony. For informaion on obaining a Marriage License, conac he Couny Clerk: Couny Clerk Bureau of Vial Records 118 N. Clark Chicago, IL Phone: vialrecords@cookcounygov.com Divorce procedures are also governed by he sae cour. In Illinois he cours can only gran divorces for individuals legally residing in he sae and couny for a leas 90 days. Grounds for divorce are esablished by he sae legislaure. In Illinois here are several grounds for accepance of divorce peiions, including deserion, adulery, and abuse, as well as a no-faul provision. No-faul divorce is dissoluion of a marriage whereby neiher he husband nor wife is found o be a faul, bu a sae of irreconcilable differences is recognized o exis beween he wo paries of a marriage, and he couple has lived separaely for a leas wo years. As wih all legal maers, i is advisable o seek he counsel of an aorney for divorce procedures. Law Enforcemen Agencies Law enforcemen agencies are responsible for he enforcemen of criminal and civil laws passed by he U.S. Congress and oher sae and local legislaive bodies. These agencies oversee differen aspecs of he law (such as immigraion law and ax laws). The federal governmen agencies are under he adminisraion of he U.S. Aorney General. Sae governmens esablish he guidelines for all law enforcemen agencies in ha sae. Couny agencies serve all pars of heir couny bu ofen focus heir resources in areas wihou adeuae services. Municipal police deparmens and oher enforcemen agencies have primary urisdicion over, and responsibiliy for, he enforcemen of laws wihin heir ciies. Personal Proecion If you are he vicim or winess of a crime, repor he inciden immediaely by dialing 911. For all non-emergency maers, please call 311. The Chicago Police Deparmen has a nework of inerpreers available o help non-english speaking and limied-english speaking callers. Imporan Chicago Numbers For Police, Fire, or Ambulance (emergency), call 911; To repor a missing person, call or 911. To reues services or o repor problems such as roden conrol, dead animal pick-up, holes in srees and curbs, illegal refuse dumping, broken sree/alley lighs, problems wih raffic lighs and signs, rash removal, ree and sump removal, weeds in vacan propery, open fire hydrans or abandoned cars, call 311 To repor a Gas Leak (emergency), call Peoples Gas a For informaion regarding voing and voer regisraion, call he Chicago Board of Elecions a or he Chicago League of Women Voers a CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 43 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 44

23 Chicago A ciy of world-class saus and unsurpassed beauy, Chicago is locaed along Lake Michigan in he norheasern par of Illinois. Chicago is he hird larges ciy in he Unied Saes wih a populaion of over 2.7 million people. The ciy aracs visiors from around he naion and he world. Chicago is also home o world-championship spors eams, an inernaionally acclaimed symphony orchesra, renowned archiecure, award-winning heaer, and a diverse communiy of people. Imporan Symbols Chicago Seal Chicago Flag Geography The land in Chicago is fla and divided ino hree main pars: norh, souh and wes. Below is informaion on he physical layou of he ciy. Physical layou Laiude N Longiude W Area suare miles Ciy block (avg.) 330 fee x 660 fee Ciy lo (avg.) 125 fee by 30 fee Aliude fee above sea level Lakefron (Lake Michigan) 29 miles River fronage 100+ miles (Chicago, Calume & DesPlaines Rivers) SOURCE: Chicago Public Library, 2007, Chicago Facbook 2007 Climae Chicago s climae conains four seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winer. The spring season sars in March and ends in May. The summer season sars in June and ends in Augus. The fall season sars in Sepember and ends in November. The winer season sars in December and ends in February. However, weaher in Chicago is known o change abruply regardless of he season. In fac, here is a saying if you don like he weaher in Chicago, wai an hour and i will change. The following is a able of he monhly average emperaures in Chicago. Monh Average Temp. Average High Average Low January 25 F ( -4 C) 32 F ( 0 C) 18 F ( -8 C) February 31 F ( -1 C) 38 F ( 3 C) 24 F ( -4 C) March 40 F ( 5 C) 47 F ( 8 C) 32 F ( 0 C) April 50 F (10 C) 59 F (15 C) 42 F ( 6 C) May 61 F (16 C) 70 F (21 C) 51 F (11 C) June 71 F (22 C) 80 F (27 C) 61 F (16 C) July 75 F (24 C) 84 F (29 C) 66 F (19 C) Augus 74 F (23 C) 83 F (28 C) 65 F (18 C) Sepember 67 F (19 C) 76 F (24 C) 57 F (14 C) Ocober 55 F (13 C) 64 F (18 C) 46 F ( 8 C) November 42 F ( 6 C) 49 F ( 9 C) 35 F ( 2 C) December 30 F ( -1 C) 37 F ( 3 C) 24 F ( -4 C) CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 45 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 46

24 HOT WEATHER TIPS Keep your home cool by: using an air condiioner or fan o circulae air covering he windows during he day and opening windows a nigh using a fan o circulae cool air avoid using he oven ofen Wha o wear Ligh clohing Sandals Ligh ha or umbrella o block he sun Learn o recognize sympoms of dehydraion, including heavy sweaing, muscle cramping, faigue, fainness; seek medical help when necessary. sympoms of hea sroke, i.e. severe hrobbing headache, dizziness and nausea, confusion or unconsciousness, red, ho skin bu no sweaing; ge medical help. COLD WEATHER TIPS You keep pipes from freezing by: leaving cabine doors open o le warm air circulae around waer pipes leing he cold waer drip from he fauce served by exposed pipes keeping he hermosa se o a consisen emperaure Learn o recognize sympoms of hypohermia, including dizziness, exhausion and severe shivering; seek medical help when necessary. sympoms of frosbie, i.e. gray, whie or yellow skin discoloraion, numbness, waxy feeling skin; ge medical help. Source: and Holidays Depending on he holiday, businesses close early or close for he day. Before going o a place of business, check o see if he business is open. Chicago observes he following holidays: New Years Day January 1 Marin Luher King, Jr. Day hird Monday of January Abraham Lincoln s Birhday February 12 George Washingon s Birhday (Presidens Day) hird Monday in February Memorial Day las Monday in May Independence Day July 4 Labor Day firs Monday in Sepember Columbus Day second Monday in Ocober General Elecion Day firs Tuesday in November Veeran s Day November 11 Thanksgiving Day fourh Thursday in November Chrismas December 25 Wha o wear Miens and a ha Layers of clohing Waerproof boos CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 47 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 48

25 Healh By many sandards, he U.S. healh care sysem is an emblem of he medical wonders of our imes. The high-level knowledge of medical professionals and echnological advancemen is a source of grea comfor and confidence in he medical sysem. However, for many newcomers, is size and sophisicaion, coupled wih language and culural barriers, may pose challenges in accessing necessary care. This secion of he Guide aims o alleviae his poenial hindrance by providing basic informaion abou he healhcare sysem. There are hree basic pars o his secion on Healh: Medical Delivery Sysem, Using he Sysem, and Menal Healh. Medical Delivery Sysem describes a variey of healh care faciliies. Using he Sysem covers areas of concern wih regard o he use of he sysem. I provides helpful informaion abou finding a docor, making appoinmens, medical insurance, and prevenive healh. Menal Healh provides informaion and advice abou physical and emoional well-being. Medical Delivery Sysem In he U.S., here are boh public and privae healh faciliies. Public healh faciliies are provided hrough axes we pay. Some privae healh faciliies are run by individuals and corporaions for profi, while ohers are organized as no-for-profi. Public healh faciliies proec he healh of he enire communiy (for example, he conrol of conagious diseases o preven epidemics) and promoe he healh and welfare of he general public (for example, family planning and prenaal care programs). The Ciy of Chicago has many public healh faciliies ha deliver public healh care. Privae healh faciliies include individual privae pracices, docors offices, privae clinics of docors who are in group pracice, and privae hospials. Privae docors are ofen specialiss in one specific area of medicine or of he body (for example: hear, fee). This high degree of specializaion in he medical field has led o he formaion of group pracices by some docors who wan o combine heir areas of experise in order o coordinae he reamen of one person s ailmens. Check your local Yellow Pages phonebook for more informaion. Privae and public hospials have more advanced echnological capabiliies han smaller medical ceners. They can accommodae more serious healh problems and large populaions. Pharmacies or drugsores, which dispense prescripion and over-he-couner medicines, are also an imporan par of he healh care delivery sysem. Using he Sysem If you need medical aenion, i is always imporan o ask uesions. Whenever a siuaion or explanaion is unclear, ask ha i be clarified or explained again in non-echnical language. Also, i is imporan ha he healh professional know as much abou he paien s medical hisory as possible. Always answer heir uesions wih as much informaion as you can. In addiion, if language is a barrier, i is a good idea o bring a rused friend or relaive o ac as an inerpreer. If his is no possible, ask he hospial or medical cener o provide you wih an inerpreer. Hospials and healhcare faciliies are reuired by law (Tile VI of he Civil Righs Ac of 1964) o provide an inerpreer. Increased communicaion beween he individual and he healh professional is essenial for good healh care service. Choosing/Visiing a Docor Choose a docor well known by friends or family. You can also reues he name of a docor hrough coworkers or neighbors. Make an appoinmen before visiing a docor. If you need o change or cancel an appoinmen, conac he docor s office in advance. Many docor s offices will charge you for he visi if you do no cancel ahead CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 49 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 50

26 of ime. Ask your docor s office abou heir cancellaion policy before making an appoinmen. Be prepared o give he new docor your medical hisory during he visi. Medical hisories are paricularly imporan during emergencies so docors will have an idea of how your body reacs o reamen. Knowledge of allergic reacions o aneshesia, anibioics, and oher drugs is criical o emergency personnel. If immediae medical assisance is ever needed, call he emergency number 911. Ambulances and paramedics (individuals wih limied medical raining) are dispached fairly uickly. Be sure o say immediaely where he person who needs emergency assisance is locaed and describe as bes you can wha you see. (For example, he person needing medical assisance is bleeding, has loss of consciousness, or pain in he ches). Menal Healh Anoher imporan facor o be aware of is one s psychological or emoional sae of being. In addiion o he raumaic condiions of deparure from one s naive counry and he shock and readusmen of reseling in he U.S., everyday sresses and srains of living in anoher counry can cause emoional dislocaion and an unhealhy sae of mind. If you experience ension or nervousness because of conflics o which you are or have been exposed, alk o a friend or relaive abou i and ogeher you should find an appropriae menal healh professional who can help you. Conflics beween spouses or parners, parens and children, or ohers can be alleviaed by he guidance and suppor of a counselor/ menal healh professional. You have access o culurally sensiive menal healh resources (see he Healh symbol e in he Resource Lisings). CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 51 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 52

27 Educaion The American educaional sysem consiss of public schools and privae schools. Public schools are suppored by axes and are herefore uiionfree, wih he excepion of some uiion-based pre-school programs. Privae schools, which are suppored by privae money, have uiion fees ha vary depending on he school. American schools are organized by grade level: pre-school and kindergaren (before age 6); elemenary school (age 6 o 12); middle school/unior high school (12-14); high school or secondary school (age 14 o 18); college or pos-secondary school (age 18 and above); and graduae or professional school (specialized sudies pas college level for all ages). There are public and privae schools for all grade levels of educaion. School aendance is compulsory for children beginning a age six hrough high school. Compleion of high school is necessary for admission o college and obs. However, many immigrans and refugees ofen leave heir counries of origin before compleing high school educaion or arrive in he U.S. wihou school records, for reasons beyond heir conrol. While public educaion is guaraneed hrough high school by he U.S. governmen for everyone up o 18 years of age, hose 18 years of age and older sill have he opporuniy o fulfill heir high school compleion reuiremen by obaining a General Euivalency Diploma (GED). Pre-K hrough 12 h Grade Public Schools Chicago public schools are run by he Chicago Board of Educaion, which is a separae axing body from he ciy iself. I has a board of seven members and a Chief Execuive Officer (CEO) as is op execuive. The ciy is divided ino weny-four school regions from norh o souh. Each region conains elemenary and high schools, and each school has a school principal. I is a good idea o inroduce yourself o he school principal and your children s eachers. They can answer any uesions you may have abou your children s educaion. You can also paricipae in a Paren-Teacher Associaion (PTA) or Local School Council (LSC), boh of which will enable you o bring up concerns and/or problems you may have wih regard o your children s educaion. I is also he bes way o mee oher parens wih similar issues wih whom you can work owards common soluions. Mos public schools in Chicago have special programs for sudens wih limied English language skills. These programs vary from school o school depending on he culural and linguisic backgrounds of he sudens reuiring hese programs. Conac your school principal for informaion abou bilingual, ESL (English as a Second language) or TESOL (Teaching English o Speakers of Oher Languages) programs available in your school disric. While i is generally he rule ha your child aends he school ha serves your area of residence, excepions are made under cerain condiions. If your child is academically gifed, he or she may also be eligible o apply o aend a magne school. Magne schools offer more rigorous, college-preparaory programs and draw gifed sudens from disrics hroughou Chicago. Noe: To deermine which disric you live in and which school wihin ha disric your child(ren) should aend, call he Chicago Board of Educaion a The Chicago Board of Educaion saff will refer you o he appropriae school based on your sree address. The local school will deermine he need or eligibiliy of he suden for special programs. Privae School Privae schools in America hisorically grew ou of he concerns of some Americans who believed ha hey had he righ o educae heir own CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 53 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 54

28 children in specific ways. The idea was o ransmi heir own religious and culural values, or o use specific educaional heories and mehods which hey considered mos effecive. Thus, privae schools are organized and regisered wih he governmen as no-for-profi corporaions engaged in educaional, culural, and/or religious insrucion. As privaely run insiuions, hey deermine heir own curriculum and sandards, and are regulaed by he governmen hrough an accrediaion process. They generally charge uiion for heir educaional programs, alhough scholarships and financial aid may be available. Privae schools can be idenified hrough churches, communiy groups, organizaions, and by word-of-mouh. Colleges and Universiies A college degree is highly desirable for many reasons, including beer career opporuniies. However, aending college has become increasingly cosly. The high cos of a college educaion oday has hampered many families, including middle-income families, from being able o provide for heir children s educaion. The cos of books, ransporaion, living on campus, and incidenal lifesyle expenses are a big financial burden o mos American families. However, he uiion a publicly funded colleges and universiies is generally lower han in privaely funded schools. There are also opporuniies for financial aid, scholarships, and suden loans o cover all or par of uiion and fees for colleges and universiies. As you hink hrough his imporan decision wih your children, high school eachers and counselors can be helpful sources of informaion and guidance. Some of he organizaions lised in he resource lisings of his Guide may have financial services of ineres o you. Resources for colleges and universiies ouside Illinois can be obained by conacing he college or universiy of your choice or hrough high school counselors. Adul/Coninuing Educaion Programs Adul educaion programs offer coninuing educaion opporuniies o non-college-degree-seeking aduls. Classes are generally held in he evenings or on weekends in order for working aduls o aend class. Programs are usually run a local elemenary and high schools, colleges and universiies, or communiy ceners. Classes are available in diverse subec areas including English as a Second Language (ESL), General Euivalence Degree (GED), and oher fields including business and echnology. In addiion o he programs lised, you can call he Chicago Board of Educaion a for more informaion and general assisance. Vocaional Educaion/Training Vocaional educaion deals wih a specific career or rade, excluding he professions. I focuses on pracical applicaions of skills learned and is generally unconcerned wih heory or radiional academic skills. Vocaional educaion is hands-on raining, and provides a link beween educaion and he working world. Typically, vocaional raining programs prepare sudens for he consrucion and manufacuring indusries (radiional specialies of vocaional educaion), as well as for obs in agriculural siences, business, and healh and human services. In order o paricipae in a vocaional educaion program i is necessary o be a leas a a 12 h grade reading level. Some high-skilled vocaional raining programs reuire high scores in mah or oher echnical subecs such as hose offered a Washburne and Lane Technical High School. Ofen, sudens who sudy in a vocaional educaion program gain echnical rade skills in fields such as heaing and cooling sysems, elevision producion, compuer graphics, cosmeology, business and compuer echnology, auo mechanics, carpenry, masonry, small engine echnology, pracical nursing, floral design, adverising, ar and design, and urban foresry. CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 55 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 56

29 Housing Access o adeuae sheler is a human righ. Everyone has he righ o purchase or ren a home or aparmen regardless of his or her personal characerisics such as race, sex, religion, naional origin, or sexual orienaion. Several Ciy of Chicago agencies as well as oher governmenal and non-governmenal organizaions are lised in his Guide as resources or advocaes for dealing wih problems and uesions abou housing. Types of housing Renal Aparmens are he mos common form of renal housing. In Chicago, here are many aparmen buildings conaining wo or more unis (flas) per building. Refrigeraors and soves are normally provided. Some aparmens come furnished for a higher renal cos. There are some municipal codes limiing he number of people who can occupy an aparmen. The real esae agen or landlord showing he aparmen will provide he necessary informaion. A signed lease and securiy deposi are usually given o he landlord before he aparmen can be occupied. While rooming houses are no very common oday, some neighborhoods have rooms for ren o singles a a low-cos. Single family houses are also available for ren. Tenans have he responsibiliy of paying ren on ime, mainaining he landlord s propery hrough proper use and cleaning, and reporing any problems o he landlord. The righs and responsibiliies of landlords and enans are wrien in a lease, and each pary should have a copy for documenaion purposes. There are sandard forms of leases ha are easily available for general use. The sandard one-year lease is mos common, alhough some people choose o have a monh-o-monh lease. I is imporan o read and undersand every senence of he lease (a single word may be criical) before signing i. Home Purchasing a home is a complex process and a maor invesmen hrough which many Americans have achieved he American Dream of building a angible asse. However, i is an underaking ha reuires careful planning and preparaion, and he involvemen of various professionals such as lawyers, real esae brokers, banks/morgage brokers, real esae appraisers, and inspecors. Esablishing a sound credi hisory and sable income are among he key prereuisies for home ownership. Banks and Savings & Loans radiionally lend money o eligible individuals who are looking o purchase homes. In exchange for a morgage (a claim agains he propery), banks lend money o home buyers for he difference in amouns beween he purchase price of he house and he down paymen. The Ciy of Chicago offers a variey of assisance for ualified home buyers. To learn more abou home purchase opporuniies available wih he Ciy of Chicago, conac he Deparmen of Communiy Developmen by calling 311 or visi When planning o purchase a home, i is imporan o be aware of your responsibiliies as a homeowner. Under he morgage agreemen, he homeowner mus make monhly paymens o cover he principal amoun of he loan and he agreed-upon amoun of ineres. Failure o make he monhly paymens o he bank endangers he credi sanding of he homeowner, in general, and increases he possibiliy of losing ownership of he propery. If here is danger of missing a monhly paymen, alking wih he bank is helpful. If he homeowner is no able o coninue his/her monhly paymens for a morgage, he bank can sar a legal proceeding CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 57 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 58

30 called foreclosure. The resul of he foreclosure is for he homeowner o vacae he home and for he bank o pu he house up for sale. Condominiums and cooperaives are wo oher ways of becoming a homeowner. In he case of condominiums, he housing is a uni in a building and is owned by he individual. The condo owner is subec o he rules and regulaions of a condominium associaion made up of individual owners in he building. The common areas of he building (basemen, hallways, and parking garage) are owned by he condominium associaion. In he case of a housing cooperaive, he enan owns shares in a corporaion and he corporaion owns he building. As a co-op member, he individual has he righ o use a specific uni. The imporan financing differences beween hese wo forms of ownership should be carefully invesigaed before purchase. home safe. The Chicago Alernaive Policing Sraegy (CAPS) works wih groups and individuals offering many resources available o assis you. For more informaion please call or 311. Your righs You have he righ o proecion from discriminaion under he Chicago Human Righs and Fair Housing Ordinances (CHRFHOs) regardless of your immigraion or ciizenship saus. For deails abou civil righs proecions provided by he CHRFHOs, please call he Commission on Human Relaions a (voice), (TTY). You may also visi In addiion o he Ciy of Chicago, here are federal, sae, and couny civil righs agencies wih whom you may file discriminaion complains. You are eniled o accommodaions ha are clean, warm, safe, and have appropriae plumbing faciliies. The relaionship beween landlords (propery owners) and enans (reners of propery) is prescribed by laws covering day-o-day issues (such as hea during cold weaher). Some of hese laws are federal and sae saues, while ohers are municipal ordinances such he Chicago Tenan/Landlord Ordinance. Keeping Your Home Safe The Chicago Police Deparmen conducs programs o help you undersand he general principles involved in making and keeping your CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 59 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 60

31 Employmen This secion has wo caegories, Finding a Job and Your Employmen Righs. The Finding a Job secion explains differen ways o look for a ob, employmen offices and employmen agencies. The Your Employmen Righs secion explains your righs as an employee and resources available if your righs have been violaed. Finding a Job Begin your ob search by doing a personal assessmen of your skills, experience, raining, and educaion. Then, organize hese in a wrien resume. Organizing informaion in his manner will help you, and a resume is reuired in many places when you apply for a ob. Though he obs available in he U.S. may be differen from hose in your naive land, he way you presen your pas experiences and your personal asses is very imporan o successfully gain employmen. Be asserive, disribue your resume, and spread he word around ha you are looking for a ob. There are several ways ha a person can ge help finding a ob. Convenien sources of informaion abou employmen are family and friends, organizaions ha serve immigrans and refugees, newspapers, and he Inerne. Occasionally, employmen is found by walking in places of business. There are many agencies ha provide ob counseling, vocaional raining, and ob placemen services. They also assis in preparing resumes and filling ou ob applicaion forms. Many such organizaions are lised in his Guide. Almos every communiy area has sae and local employmen offices ha offer ob counseling, raining in specific skills, and ob inerview referrals. These offices have files or posings of ob openings and reuiremens for skilled and unskilled posiions, and heir services are free-of-charge. In Illinois, many employers lis obs wih ob service offices. The Classified Ads secion in newspapers is a valuable source of informaion for available obs. Eniled Help Waned or Employmen Opporuniies, each ob opening conains he ob ile or ype, reuired ualificaions, pay, and person o conac wih mailing address or phone number. Neighborhood papers such as he Chicago Reader also conain ads and have he advanage of lising obs in he neighborhood where you live. Occasionally, employers pos Help Waned signs in fron of he business. Do no hesiae o inuire inside he building and ge as much informaion as you can. Job openings are also posed in union halls, school placemen offices, sores, and on office building bullein boards. There are also privae employmen agencies available o you, bu hey reuire paymen for heir assisance in your ob hun. If you are looking for a paricular ype of company, you can find names and addresses of such companies in a elephone direcory such as he Yellow Pages or an indusrial direcory. Businesses found in his manner can be conaced by elephone or by sending a leer of applicaion for employmen. Even if a business does no have a ob opening a ha paricular ime, you can sill have your applicaion on file for fuure ob openings. Job applicaion forms vary slighly from business o business. Always read he applicaion carefully, prin nealy in ink, and answer all uesions. You may be asked o come in for a personal inerview o be considered for a ob. I is usually a sign of serious ineres in you and he resuls of such an inerview ofen deermine wheher you are offered he ob or no. There are many ips and poiners abou how o do well in an inerview. Obain advice from ob counselors, alk o hose you hink have considerable experience and udgmen, and read wha you can abou he company and indusry. Your Employmen Righs The righs of a person who is seeking employmen or who is currenly CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 61 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 62

32 working are proeced by federal, sae, couny, and municipal civil righs laws. These laws are designed o ensure ha people are hired o fill obs based on heir ualificaions. Promoions and firings mus be made according o esablished procedures wihou regard o he person s characerisics such as age, race, sex, religion or naional origin. If you believe ha you have been discriminaed agains, you should conac he Chicago Commission on Human Relaions a (voice) or (TTY), or oher civil righs agencies such as he American Civil Liberies Union or Naional Associaion for he Advancemen of Colored People. Under cerain circumsances people who have been fired or laid off can apply for a governmen insurance program esablished o provide financial assisance unil a new ob is found. This is called unemploymen insurance. There are eligibiliy reuiremens for unemploymen insurance; you mus have been fired or laid off from your las ob for reasons ou of your conrol, you mus no have lef your las ob of your own accord, you mus no be working presenly, and you mus be able o work. If you have been fired from your place of employmen and you are no sure if you ualify o apply for assisance, or if you wish o apply for unemploymen insurance, conac Illinois Deparmen of Employmen Securiy a or visi SAMPLE RESUME FORMAT Name Address Ciy, Sae Zip code Phone Sae your obecive or goal. Work Experience Tile/Posiion, Monh/Year Sared Monh/Year Ended Job Name of Employer Ciy, Sae Describe ob duies Describe ob duies Describe ob duies Describe ob duies. Tile/Posiion, Monh/Year Sared Monh/Year Ended Job Name of Employer Ciy, Sae Describe ob duies Describe ob duies Describe ob duies Describe ob duies. Educaion Name of School/Universiy, Ciy, Sae Type of Diploma/Degree, Monh Year (received diploma/degree) Skills Lis oher skills (for example, yping or knowledge of compuer sofware). CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 63 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 64

33 Chicago Neighborhood map 1 Rogers Park 2 Wes Ridge 3 Upown 4 Lincoln Suare 5 Norh Cener 6 Lake View 7 Lincoln Park 8 Near Norh Side 9 Edison Park 10 Norwood Park 11 Jefferson Park 12 Fores Glen 13 Norh Park 14 Albany Park 15 Porage Park 16 Irving Park 17 Dunning 18 Monclare 19 Belmon Cragin 20 Hermosa 21 Avondale 22 Logan Suare 23 Humbold Park 24 Wes Town 25 Ausin 26 Wes Garfield Park 27 Eas Garfield Park 28 Near Wes Side 29 Norh Lawndale 30 Souh Lawndale 31 Lower Wes Side 32 Loop 33 Near Souh Side 34 Armour Suare 35 Douglas 36 Oakland 37 Fuller Park 38 Grand Boulevard 39 Kenwood 40 Washingon Park 41 Hyde Park 42 Woodlawn 43 Souh Shore 44 Chahan 45 Avalon Park 46 Souh Chicago 47 Burnside 48 Calume Heighs 49 Roseland 50 Pullman 51 Souh Deering 52 Eas Side 53 Wes Pullman 54 Riverdale 55 Hegewisch 56 Garfield Ridge 57 Archer Heighs 58 Brighon Park 59 McKinley Park 60 Bridgepor 61 New Ciy 62 Wes Eldson 63 Gage Park 64 Clearing 65 Wes Lawn 66 Chicago Lawn 67 Wes Englewood 68 Englewood 69 Greaer Grand Crossing 70 Ashburn 71 Auburn Gresham 72 Beverly 73 Washingon Heighs 74 Moun Greenwood 75 Morgan Park 76 O Hare 77 Edgewaer CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 65 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 66

34 CTA Map CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 67 CITY OF CHICAGO NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE 68