Lawrence Hall is a community-based organization committed to helping Chicago’s youth, families, and communities heal from the adverse effects of childhood trauma in three ways:
- Facilitate Inner Healing - After a traumatic experience, a child must heal emotionally, mentally, and socially to learn and grow. Lawrence Hall treats some of the most serious consequences of childhood trauma through therapies and positive youth development strategies.
- Promote Stability - Childhood trauma can cause complete distrust in family and home as safe spaces. We focus on providing nurturing, healthy living environments to promote and ensure stability in our children’s and older adolescents’ lives.
- Support Growth - The effects of trauma ripple through communities, resulting in mistrust, separation, and oftentimes violence. Lawrence Hall supports rebuilding trust and connection in Chicago’s communities through a variety of programs and resources.
Annually serving over 1,500 youth and families, our core programs help peel back the different, difficult layers of childhood trauma and foster long-term healing, stability, and connection. Our core programs include:
- Child and Family Treatment Center: Provides treatment intervention for youth experiencing extreme emotional challenges and includes residential services as well as behavioral and creative therapies.
- Therapeutic Day School: Creates individualized educational programs for every student and fosters autonomy, skill mastery, and experiential learning.
- Creative Therapies: Encourage healing and self-discovery through guided fine art and recreational activities.
- Foster Care: Provides safe, nurturing homes for children who have been removed from their birth families due to neglect and/or abuse.
- Transitional and Independent Living: Teaches older adolescents ages 17-21 how to successfully live on their own.
- Workforce Development: Serves Chicago’s South Shore youth and families through job training and placement and fosters hiring partnerships with local employers.
- Community Wellness: Offers mentoring, restorative justice, violence prevention, COVID-19 awareness, and community events to both individuals and the greater South Shore community.
