Silver Cross Healthy Community Commission provides scholarship grant to Joliet’s National Hook-Up of Black Women

The Silver Cross Healthy Community Commission announced it has allocated $4,000 worth of scholarships to the Joliet Area, National Hook-Up of Black Women (NHBW) organization. Four $1,000 scholarships were given to the four individuals on August 3: Brittney Holman, Eastern Illinois University - Psychology; Crystal Malone, Northern Illinois University - College of Law; Aerionna Martin, University of Notre Dame; Tracy Theard, Governors State University – Masters in Health; and Shante Trotter, University of St. Francis – Nursing; Melody Woods, University of St. Francis – Masters: Training & Development Program.

“The National Hook-Up of Black Women is thankful to the Silver Cross Healthy Community Commission,” said Lou Ann Johnson, President of Joliet’s National Hook-Up of Black Women. “By providing scholarships to local students to further their education, we are helping these children from our community improve the quality of their life.”

The National Hook-Up of Black Women awards scholarships to students who demonstrate good grades and community service. With the help of Silver Cross’ Healthy Community Commission, they grant new scholarships to six deserving individuals. Scholarship recipients must live within the zip codes 60432, 60433 and 60436.

The purpose of Silver Cross’s Healthy Community Commission (HCC) is essentially to coordinate and enhance existing programs for workforce development, education and business growth with a focus on health care and construction. One of the not-for-profit organization’s main goals is to create a stronger, healthier future for Joliet. 

More Education Available for Residents through Reading for Life Literacy Program

The Joliet chapter of NHBW has partnered with Silver Cross Hospital to increase literacy through the Reading for Life Literacy Program. Since 2009, Silver Cross Hospital has donated funds, books, furniture and computers to help establish the NHBW & Silver Cross Reading Rooms which now has four locations that are located at the Unity CDC - Center for Working Families, 1 Doris Avenue, Joliet; Fairview Homes Community Center at 1426 Englewood Street, Joliet; Salvation Army Joliet and Will County Corp Community Center at 300 Third Avenue, Joliet, and Forest Park Community Center at 1017 Woodruff Road, Joliet. At the Reading Room, children and parents are able to swap, borrow or take a book to keep in their own personal libraries. During the past three years, the Reading for Life Literacy Program provided more than 10,000 books to over 3,000 children and adults in the community. For more information about the NHBW & Silver Cross Reading Rooms, call either (815) 364-2740 or (815) 727-9079.