My phone was leading back toward downtown Chicago, and I realized quickly that the GPS was heading toward my office and condo. Well, at least I would be familiar with the area. There weren't many people out with it being Sunday, so I quickly found street parking a couple of blocks from my destination. Deciding to leave my purse in the car so I wouldn't have to keep up with it, I pocketed my phone, keys, and an ID wallet. I locked my purse in the trunk and followed my phone the rest of the way to the building.
A huge sign with a sun logo and the words Ignite greeted me as I approached. It was a nice building with shrubs, new paint, and a clean walkway. My apprehension eased a little, and then immediately, I felt bad for assuming the worst about this place because my mother was attached to it. When I entered, I headed to the counter, hoping they could point me in the right direction to Mitzi and I could get this over with. I had some hardcore Netflix binging to do tonight.
"Can I help you, ma'am?" the teenager at the desk asked. Trying not to cringe at the use of ma'am, I smiled politely. Why was that word the absolute worst? It made my skin crawl every time someone referred to me with it. While I assumed she was being polite, unlike the Barbie wannabe at Windy City, it only made me feel old.
"Hello, I'm here to see Mrs. Hildebrand."
"I'll let her know you're here." She picked up the handset, and I walked away from the desk while she made the call. People hovering over me while I tried to do something was a pet peeve of mine, so I tried never to do it to others.
Looking around at the walls, I noticed photos of the center's various activities and was thoroughly surprised. The center appeared to work with homeless youths and kids in adverse living situations by helping them have a safe place. They offered numerous activities and support for teens, both educational and therapeutic. What drew my attention the most was the focus on STEM.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics programs had become very popular, and I was excited to see them here. Girls and inner-city kids had the least amount of opportunities in these fields, so their focus on providing various fields of study was impressive. Whoever had designed their program had made it well balanced and advantageous for kids who might not always have those opportunities. While it was just a display wall, it seemed the center was doing well with several smiling and happy kids on it. I was kind of amazed.
"Loren, so good to see you again. Thank you for taking time to stop by. I'm so happy to have you."
Her voice caught me off guard, and I turned and took in the petite woman. She was a few years younger than my mother, had a kind smile, and dressed more casually than my mother would ever dare to with jeans and a sweater. Mitzi's hair was blonde and hit her shoulders, and as I stared at her, I recalled meeting her before at some function.
"Mitzi, so good to see you again. And I'm looking forward to learning more about this place. I have to admit, though, my mother didn't give me too many details, just that there was a fundraiser today and to stop by?"
"Ah, I see you got the Jacqueline hoodwinked approach," she laughed, and I admittedly liked her. Anyone who could see through my mother's manipulation was a winner in my book. "I talked with your mother over lunch last week about needing some new volunteers, and Jacqueline mentioned you would be interested. I have to confess myself, I thought she was committing you to something you wouldn't have the time for." She smiled, and I knew right then that this woman wasn't like the other ladies my mother socialized with. I was surprised they were in the same circles, quite frankly.
"Well, regardless of how you're here, I'm so happy that you are. Come, let's chat about the program and see if it's something you're interested in. No pressure just because of your mother, though, promise."
Despite the fact my mother conned me into this, I found myself liking Mitzi. She wasn't pretentious or elitist like most of the women in my mother's circle, and I remembered now that she had married into the ‘neighborhood'. Jacqueline made it sound as if living in the North Shore zip code was as prestigious as getting into Harvard. I imagined it irritated my mother to no end that Mitzi lived in Kenilworth, which was the more impressive neighborhood of the area.
I imagined if Mitzi's husband wasn't as important as he was in their circles, no one would bother with her. She made them all feel inferior with her easy-going personality, younger looks, and the fact she worked. Her association with the non-profit suddenly made more sense with how I'd ended up here.
Jacqueline was using me to make herself look better in the eyes of her friends. I didn't know why it surprised me, but something about it stung a little more today.
Mitzi led me down a hallway to an office, and we took a seat at a small side table. I liked that she was making an effort to be open and not sitting behind a desk to talk with me. Her body language was inviting and accepting and helped relax me even more. Perhaps this wouldn't be so horrible.
"Can I get you anything to drink?
"I'm good. Thanks, though."
"Of course. So, let me ask if you've ever heard of our program before?"
"No, I haven't. Today is the first time I've heard of it, actually."
"Don't feel bad about that." She laughed, patting my hand playfully. "We changed our name last year and have been doing a whole rebranding thing. One of those reasons was a new benefactor, but the other was that our previous name wasn't very inclusive or empowering. Does the name Privilege ring any bells?"
"Oh," I answered, having heard that one before.
"Yeah. It was meant to be, 'it's a privilege to be part of your life'. But it didn't come across that way, and then after the incident, it was agreed to separate ourselves from that name and brand."
I remembered this now. It was all over the news how a board member was found to be manipulating teens to do things for him that were of a criminal nature. Then would give them extra "privileges" in exchange for certain things at the center. Yeah, it had been a wise decision to change that, not to mention the negative connotation the name had for anyone of a different race.
"Ignite works to help kids ignite their passions and strive for a future. We offer shelter, food, clothing, tutoring, counseling, and a safe place for kids to explore who they are. The STEM project has been very successful, as well as the arts and athletics. We get more referrals for teens every day, which means we are always in need of more volunteers. I was hoping we could persuade you to join us and maybe come on as a mentor for the teens? I know you're highly credentialed as a trauma therapist with an emphasis in sexual abuse, and well, I think you would make a huge impact helping these kids ignite their lives on a new course."
I was stunned. I stared at Mitzi for a second as everything processed through my mind. I had assumed they wanted me to donate or collect canned goods. Clearly, I needed to update my perception of what a not-for-profit did. My mother wasn't the most reliable resource either. Mitzi waited for me patiently as I worked through it and offered me a comforting nod when I looked up to ask a question.
"What would that entail? I'm not saying no. I just want to have an idea what I'd be signing up for."
"Understandable and a good question to ask. In this situation, though, I think seeing for yourself would be a better option. The kids are hosting a fundraiser for their upcoming robotics competition and art fair. It's down in the courtyard. Come and join, meet some of the kids and other volunteers, and it might help give you a better picture of what we do here."
"Sure, that sounds fair."
I followed her out of the office and down a different hallway than the front reception area. I could hear music playing as we got closer and the sounds of laughter as it filtered through. Stepping through the door Mitzi held open for me, I found myself standing in the middle of an enclosed courtyard. She waved me off as she headed back into the center. The area was filled with teens and several adults. Various booths were lined up against a wall, and a huge cluster of people were in the middle section. A few booths held baked goods, handmade crafts, and a few games.