

Fast Track for IT Careers
Stepping into the world of IT work is a good choice at any level. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) growth in IT-related occupations is projected to grow 15 percent throughout the next decade, resulting in around 700,000 new jobs during the next decade with about 420,000 job openings per year from growth and replacement needs. With an average annual wage of around $100,000 per year, it is perhaps the fastest growing field with the highest entry level wages. It is a great field to consider if you enjoy solving problems, designing things that serve a purpose, and helping people.

Why Paid Internships?
Why seek a paid internship? A paid internship is a great way for job seekers with barriers to employment to gain work experiences with room for growth. There are multiple reasons why a job seeker might be challenged to secure work, including low income, lack of experience, lack of education, transportation challenges, or an incarceration record. We believe that all people have a right to dignified work enabling them to be financially stable and free from economic challenges such as poverty and all that surrounds that issue.
Colors by Ari B.Cerja
April is National Poetry Month. In celebration of this important craft we ran a Black History Month Poetry Contest in February. Here is one of our favorites: Colors He walks through the streets with a smile on his face But inside he's feeling the weight of the race....

How We Help Youth to Succeed
We at the African American Christian Foundation (AACF) are here to help our low income youth neighbors succeed in all areas of their lives. Many of our program participants have grown up in neighboring West Side Chicago as well as the South Side areas with a higher rate of gun violence than other areas in Chicagoland.

Breaking Down Barriers to Mental Healthcare at Work
We have come a long way in the realm of mental healthcare at work, with huge leaps being made due to a mental health crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Spikes in stress, burnout, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and substance abuse issues have occurred in the past years compounded by economic insecurity and social unrest brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic since 2020.