News

Since 2012, Giving Tuesday has evolved into an international awareness day, encouraging people to give to their favorite nonprofit organizations during the holiday season. 

Here are some ways you can support Haymarket Center this year:

This year, you can help us celebrate with our patients by making a gift to Haymarket, or by making a purchase off of our Amazon Wishlist. It’s as easy as adding a few items to your cart while you do your holiday shopping! Each item purchased by our supporters will brighten the lives of our patients as they go through their recovery journey.

With you, we can save lives. Your donation will help the more than 12,000 men and women who come to change their lives, reunite with their families, and make our communities stronger and safer. Visit our donation form to make your gift today.

Looking for more ways you can support Haymarket in addition to making a gift? Be sure to check out our Fundraising Toolkit where you can find the different opportunities for sharing your support of Haymarket Center.

Haymarket prides itself on supporting the vulnerable and the marginalized. 

• 68% of Haymarket clients have a history of mental illness
• 74% have a history of homelessness
• 95% have incomes below the poverty line

Learn more about the impact of your gift here.

At Haymarket Center, we are so grateful to our supporters for helping us aid people with substance use disorders in their recovery by providing comprehensive behavioral health solutions.

Ten years.

That’s how long it had been since Dominick had used drugs. But this summer, he resumed use after a decade of sobriety.

Upon release from an eight-year prison sentence, Dominick returned to his Rockford, Illinois, home in early 2020, just as COVID-19 hit. For Dominick, as for all of us, navigating through a pandemic brought unprecedented challenges.

But Dominick also faced the complexities of adjusting to life post-incarceration, all while maintaining his recovery. He found himself at home around the clock, helping his two young daughters manage remote learning. He lost several relatives to the coronavirus. More than a year into the pandemic, and with depression taking hold, he experienced a relapse of his substance use disorder for six days while visiting Chicago.

He knew he would not make it out on the streets.

Dominick asked his father to rush him to Haymarket Center—the only place he knew might be able to help. And from the moment he walked in the door on July 1, Dominick realized that Haymarket Center would provide all he needed and more.

“You’d never know this much life-saving was going on,” he said of the comprehensive treatment available at Haymarket’s 6-story building in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood.

Because of the generosity of our donors, Dominick received—and continues to receive—the otherwise inaccessible services he needed to reclaim his life. For many of the 12,000 clients we serve annually, like Dominick, Haymarket Center is their only option.

Haymarket is one of a few organizations in Chicago that is providing substance use disorder and mental health treatment to our most vulnerable and underserved individuals and their families. We are open 24/7/365 and deliver a continuum of services that focus on the whole person – from detox through job readiness training.

Dominick completed Family-Centered Treatment for Fathers (FTF), one of Haymarket’s residential treatment programs, which provides care for fathers with substance use disorder, including medication-assisted treatment and an evidence-based fatherhood curriculum specifically designed to foster parenting skills.

“When you have an addiction,” Dominick now knows, “the entire family suffers.”

He is now making strides in the Community Integration Program (CIP), where he is learning to adopt skills and regaining his health prior to transitioning to an independent community setting. He credits the staff members, especially Timothy Hairston from CIP, with teaching him to identify his history of co-dependency, become self-sufficient, and mature as a father. “They saved my life. They saved my children’s lives,” he said.

“One hundred percent, my kids notice a change in me,” he said of their improving relationship. “Kids always still love you, but they understand even at a young age that I need to get better for them.”

He has also developed more effective communication skills, allowing him to better co-parent with his children’s mother: “Old aggressions are gone. We have a job to do for our kids, and we do it with balance and integrity,” he explained.

Dominick is so changed by the vibrant programs that donor support helps fund that he wants to stay on after treatment—as an employee. “That’s what’s so special about the place—the staff have walked in your shoes and know your struggles. I can do the same for others.”

Already serving as a motivational speaker to current patients in FTF, he is taking online classes to earn his certificate as a recovery coach, which will enable him to work directly with clients. Ultimately, he wants to become a Haymarket counselor.

It is only with the support of our generous donors that Haymarket can continue to provide critical behavioral health services to individuals like Dominick.

Please consider a meaningful gift, to ensure that any individual who is struggling with a substance use disorder has access to life-saving resources.

“I have my spiritual pulse back,” Dominick said. “Once an individual is secure and has their pulse back, they can reach out and save their family.”

With your partnership, we will continue to help individuals save themselves and their families.

Dominick is living proof of the power of your support. Please make your gift today by completing the form below:

Dear Haymarket DuPage Friends and Supporters,

Last week, the Itasca Village Board issued its final vote, unanimously deciding, after minimal deliberation, to reject our zoning application to open a comprehensive substance use disorder and mental health treatment center. It was an outcome we expected and yet it speaks volumes about the stigma associated with this disease.

As the media coverage (Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald, WGN-9, NBC-5 and WBBM-780) details, Itasca Mayor Jeff Pruyn claimed our request was “unreasonable,” citing the size of the community and a worst case scenario that might result in increased demand on their EMS services. It’s a refrain we have heard for two years, often repeated by those who have ignored the evidence.

Case in point: we are a medical facility with trained doctors, nurses and staff; the majority of beds would be for recovery home patients, who are stable and do not generate 911 calls; Itasca currently has the capacity to handle additional calls; and we offered conditions of approval including contracting with not, one but two private ambulance companies.

Because Haymarket satisfied the zoning code standards, addressed the concerns of the Village and other taxing bodies and even offered a set of conditions to further alleviate those concerns, there is no legitimate reason under the Village’s zoning code to reject our application. Even more, there is no legitimate reason under the Fair Housing Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act — all of which prohibit discrimination against those in recovery — for the Village Board to reject our application.

A decision of this magnitude may warrant a review by the courts. In the coming days, we will be considering all of our options. We will keep you informed as that plan takes shape.

Finally, we cannot thank our supporters enough for the incredible outpouring of support before and after this decision. We stand in solidarity with you as we continue this fight because we all know what is at stake.

Stay tuned, friends and supporters. Our mission to expand access to care is not over yet.

Sincerely,

Dr. Dan Lustig, Psy.D., CODP II, CAADC
President & CEO of Haymarket Center

Karen L. Kissel
Senior Executive Vice President

This Saturday, September 25^th, the Coalition for Recovery is hosting a Community Hope Walk in recognition of National Recovery Month, presented by Congressman Danny K. Davis, Outside the Walls Ministries, the Coalition for Recovery, Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities.

Haymarket Center is a part of the Coalition for Recovery, a group comprised of 75 agencies and individuals committed to community health and wellness; the Coalition supports empowering adults and families by providing a comprehensive behavioral health continuum of care through integrated services.

The September 25 walk will begin at 10:00 A.M. at the Golden Dome in Garfield Park, 100 N. Central Park Ave, and will proceed to Douglass Park, 1400 S. California Avenue, Grove 4. There, participants may join a celebration of hope and recovery beginning at 1 :00 P.M.

If you’d like to join Haymarket Center at this event, please contact Aesha Muhammad El-Amin at amuhammad@hcenter.org or call (312) 226-7984 ext. 489.

For more information about the coalition and Community Hope Walk, call New Age Services Corporation at 773-542-1150, the Office of Congressman Danny K. Davis at 773-533-7520, Outside the Walls Ministries at 773-454-6981, or Ashunti Residential at 773-379-6981.

Dear Haymarket DuPage Friends and Supporters,

As you may have learned by now, the Itasca Plan Commission last week unanimously voted to recommend denial of our zoning application to convert the former Holiday Inn into a comprehensive substance use and behavioral health treatment center. The matter will now go before the Itasca Village Board, which will hold two more public comment hearings before making its final vote.

Let us be clear: we believe we demonstrated compliance with every standard required for zoning approval through extensive testimony and evidence during this two-year process. We provided extensive 911 analysis by independent experts that proved Itasca has capacity. We entered our private ambulance contract into evidence. We offered to purchase an ambulance and we identified additional state funding for two years.

As Dr. Lustig told the Chicago Tribune, we strongly believe stigma impacted this decision.  “Everyone believes there’s a need for treatment, just not in my backyard,” he said.

This ruling is a disappointment, but it was not a surprise for Haymarket or any other treatment center in this state or around the country who have faced similar struggles when attempting to open a new facility. We will not stop fighting for everyone who desperately needs the health care services we provide. We will share details of the next steps in the process when they become available.

On a personal note, we would like to thank the inspiring individuals who attended last Wednesday’s hearing, who showed up to give personal testimony, and who have reached out following this unfortunate decision. Your support is lifting us up and inspiring us to keep moving forward.

Sincerely,

Dr. Dan Lustig, Psy.D., CODP II, CAADC
President & CEO of Haymarket Center

Karen L. Kissel
Senior Executive Vice President

The Haymarket Center Youth Prevention Services (YPS) team kicked off a new school year, partnering with James R. Doolittle Elementary, Wendell Phillips Academy, Irvin C. Mollison Elementary, the Beasley Academic Center, Chicago Military Academy at Bronzeville, Ludwig Van Beethoven Elementary, and Carter G. Woodson Elementary to provide in-school services and education.

In 2005, Haymarket Center introduced its Youth Prevention team, funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services, to reduce the impact of mental and substance use disorders in the South Side Chicago communities. YPS’ prevention approaches focus on helping people develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need to make good choices or change harmful behaviors.

In addition to providing educational resources to Illinois Youth, you can find our Youth Prevention team out in the community! Our YPS team hosts many fun and exciting events to encourage participation among 6th through 12th grade students, including talent showcases, poetry nights, and most recently, a softball game to celebrate the beginning of the 2021 school year!

“We’re thrilled to have the ability to host events like these for our neighborhood youth,” states Spencer Jones, Youth Prevention Specialist at Haymarket Center, “We get to have fun and get to know our community members while raising awareness for a much larger cause.” Along with providing water and snacks for the teams, YPS distributed school supplies among players and park attendees.

You can learn more about our Youth Prevention Services and the team’s upcoming events by following them on Instagram or visiting their website, hcenteryps.org.

This program is funded in part by the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Service Administration.

Haymarket Center is excited to celebrate National Recovery Month with activities to raise awareness and resources and celebrate our employees. National Recovery Month is held each September to bring substance use disorder and mental health awareness to light and to celebrate those in recovery. For 32 years, National Recovery Month has raised awareness of substance use treatment and mental health services and shared stories of success that help people struggling with substance use disorders live healthy and rewarding lives. This year’s theme is “Recovery is For Everyone: Every Person, Every Family, Every Community,” centered around how togetherness and community support make recovery possible for everyone.

We kicked off National Recovery Month with a celebration among staff on Sept. 1st, with various games for staff to enjoy on their breaks, including a dunk tank where all tried their luck at sinking senior administration and their colleagues for a small donation to the organization. We have a few other exciting events in our store for our staff this month – be sure to follow us on social to see what we have planned!

Here are some ways you can join us in celebrating National Recovery Month:

Give us a ‘Like’
Are you following us on social media? You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin!

Peer to Peer Fundraisers on Facebook
Facebook allows you to set up a quick and easy fundraiser for the nonprofit organization of your choice. You can use this link to set your own goal and deadline as well as customize your page to your liking. Download the toolkit or start your fundraiser today!

Word of Mouth
You can support Haymarket simply by talking to people about what we do and sharing your own story of recovery. By meeting new people in our community and talking to them about Haymarket, you’re raising awareness of our services and helping to remove the stigma around substance use disorder, which can ultimately help save someone’s life.

Sign up to receive our emails
Join our mailing list to receive our supporter Newsletter, client testimonials, and other news and events you may not have seen!

With your help, we can continue to serve the greater Chicago area and Illinois and help those struggling with substance use disorder on their own path to recovery. If you are interested in becoming further involved with Haymarket Center, please contact Sarah English at (312) 226-7984 ext. 485.

After successfully completing treatment at Haymarket Center more than 20 years ago, Loretta Young has dedicated her career to helping others along their own recovery journey as a peer recovery coach.

“My favorite part of what I do is inspiring people,” Loretta says, “With the right encouragement and motivation, you can help clients see something within that they don’t see in themselves.”

On May 14, 1998, Loretta Young entered our detox program. She spent her time at Haymarket learning fulfilling ways to live a sober lifestyle, while also helping our staff and the unit in any way that she could. Eighteen months later in July 2000, a clean and sober Loretta graduated from our program and completed her treatment. After experiencing Loretta’s hard work and personality shining through during her recovery, Haymarket Center hired her to join the women’s treatment team, kickstarting her career in the field of substance use disorder treatment. Loretta completed the CADC program in 2009 stating that the knowledge she gained while working at Haymarket set the foundation for her education as she worked and attended school.

Through her work, Loretta helps clients find their strengths and identify their positive attributes to shift their focus on hope and encourage recovery. Loretta, who has been in the field for over 20 years, works as part of our Care Coordination team and visits local hospitals that partner with Haymarket to assess patients for their needs and refer them to a level of care. Doctors visiting with patients struggling with substance use disorder will recommend Recovery Coaches to encourage the patient to enter treatment.

“My drive and my passion [as a Recovery Coach] comes from my empathy,” Loretta says, “If you can see the spark in a client’s eyes, you can catch it and ignite it, and that is when you’ll see positive change from someone ready for recovery.”

Today, Loretta works among some of the same clinical staff that helped her when she first arrived at Haymarket as a patient. She credits her own recovery and her career achievements to her experience at Haymarket Center.

With a message to our supporters, she states, “I am the byproduct of what you are supporting.” Each gift to Haymarket Center helps us reach individuals like Loretta who are ready to begin their recovery journey. You can learn more by visiting our Donate page.

On behalf of all Haymarket Center staff and our Board of Directors, we would like to thank all of you that have spoken in support of Haymarket or submitted your support online during our Itasca Plan Commission hearings. Your words spoke volumes. Because of you, compelling reasons were provided as to why this treatment center is needed, meets zoning requirements, and will not cause an undue burden on the Village of Itasca.

For anyone who was unable to attend or watch the August 11 or August 25 hearings, we’d like to share a quote from each of the supporters who gave a comment:

“This is an opportunity to help educate our youth by real experts in the field who have decades of experience on substance abuse (and it) should be your number one priority…Haymarket’s right to come here is not about a personal feeling that anyone may have; it is about doing what is right for Itasca and the communities around you that will save lives.” – Rena Humbert, Path to Recovery

“Addiction is not a socioeconomic issue 30 miles away in Chicago. Addiction is blind. It’s an equal opportunity destroyer. It’s like a tornado; it may only kill two or three people, like in my family, but it takes down half the town with it and the community’s resources to rebuild it.”- Lisa Danna-Brennan

“Access to evidence-based treatment is an essential part of good health and recovery from substance use disorder that is plaguing our residents…Experts say that programs like Haymarket, which allow children to stay with their moms during substance use and mental health treatment, are the kind of full-spectrum rehab needed to reduce the number of babies born to mothers who, like other Americans, are increasingly struggling with drug use disorder.”
– Dr. Lanny Wilson, Vice President, DuPage County Board of Health and Co-Chair of HOPE Task Force

“2020 saw 93,000 people die in this country from overdose, the highest number in recorded history. We don’t need to be taking resources away, we need to be adding them. And I really would like to challenge the Village of Itasca to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. If not us, who? And if not now, when? 100,000 dead, is that when we take notice? 125,000 dead, is that enough? When is it enough?”- Laura Fry, Live4Lalie

“For the last 28 years, I’ve helped people get out of their addiction. I’ve helped them understand what the problem is and I’m going to have to tell you all this: We’re all in recovery. We’re all recovering from something…What if the small town of Itasca, with all that it has, actually surrounded some people who were hurting and made a decision to love them and redeem them?”- Itasca Pastor Bob Butler

“Our team currently receives more than 600 calls a month for outpatient behavioral health and substance use services. These calls come from children, adults, and families who live in and around this community. What Haymarket can offer through this facility will change lives. It is time to evolve our community’s response to recognize that mental health and substance use services provide critical health care that keeps our neighborhoods thriving.”- Lisa Hendrickson, Kenneth Young Center in Elk Grove Village

“Many people harbor unfound fears and assumptions about people with disabilities, and in particular people in recovery. These fears and assumptions prevent full integration. One common thread is that people in recovery are prone to violence, or other criminal activity. And although this is untrue, this sentiment often sparks community opposition or efforts to assist and treat this population, including efforts to operate a recovery center.”
– Emily Ronan, AIM Center for Independent Living

“When we look at this quadrant specifically of DuPage County, we do have a very high concentration of overdose, and it’s getting worse. We definitely have enough people that have a problem to justify there being a facility of this size in our county.”- Roger & Stephen Stefani, Hope for Healing Foundation

“Addiction is no longer that street corner junkie. It’s your child who injured themselves in football… it’s the wife that has one glass of wine and accidentally finishes the bottle…the husband who has the work hard, play hard attitude…Addiction is me standing in front of you today. This is a disease who does not care who you are, where you come from or how strong you think you are. It’s progressive and lifelong and denying a treatment center for us is no different than denying chemo to a cancer patient.”- Frank Lotta of Wood Dale 

“There’s so many barriers to healthcare that people already face…if we can make it just a little easier, people will be much more willing and able to get the treatment they want and deserve.”- Nikita Dulin of Itasca 

“Let’s get through all this red tape and save some lives. All this is doing is delaying saving lives. Please, I beg of you, to get through this red tape as soon as you can and start saving lives.” – Joe Portillo

“We must take action to curtail opioid misuse and help those who are struggling with substance use disorders to get the treatment they need to live their fullest lives.” – National Safety Council, based in Itasca 

For those interested in learning more, you can read the Daily Herald story recapping the last hearing. Our next meeting will occur Wednesday, September 8th at 7 p.m. when the attorneys will make their closing statements. To learn more about Haymarket Center of DuPage, visit haymarketdupage.org.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently granted Haymarket Center funding to support our efforts to reduce opioid-related overdoses by expanding outreach and offering direct treatment services. Haymarket is one of only two organizations nationwide to receive this transformational award.

The grant will allow Haymarket to strengthen our partnerships with hospitals, drug courts, and homeless encampments in opioid “hot spots” in Cook and DuPage Counties. Through partnerships with medical centers like Edward-Elmhurst Hospital, Haymarket’s outreach team works onsite in Emergency Departments to support individuals with recent overdose, providing guidance and support to transition to treatment at Haymarket Center. This project allows us to reach more individuals struggling with opioid use disorder (OUD), expand our treatment, and make our facilities even more accessible to those who need treatment.

We are proud to offer accessible treatment to individuals Cook and DuPage counties who may not have previously had the opportunity. You can learn more about our treatment and services at haymarketcenter.org.