Trellus

Workforce development is ultimately about one thing: employment. Through our strategic partnership with Tereo Group, Trellus's Accounting Certification program not only provides participants with the skills and certification to succeed—it matches them directly with real job opportunities.

Here is how your monthly donation turns numbers into networks:
• $25/month (Look the part, feel the part): Helps cover professional clothing, transportation, and costs of showing up interview-ready.
• $50/month (Put credentials behind talent): Supports industry certifications, technical accounting training, and career preparation.
• $100/month (Get them in the room): Supports employer experiences, mentors, paid internships, and professional networking that can't be taught in a textbook.

Help us expand this talent pipeline—become a monthly sustainer today!

The technology sector offers incredible career mobility, but breaking into the field requires practical skills and recognized credentials. Trellus equips learners across every stage of life with essential technical tools, software proficiencies, and valuable social networking capital to leverage skills into a career.

Through our Adult Education program, community members build foundational to advanced computer skills. For young adults (ages 16–24) in our Illinois Youth Investment Program (IYIP), we provide direct pathways to earn in-demand credentials like the Google IT Support Professional Certification.

Your monthly sustaining gift directly equips future tech professionals and digitally empowered learners:
• $25/month: Helps provide hands-on digital learning so software and workplace technology become tools instead of barriers.
• $50/month: Supports computer literacy courses for adult learners and Google IT certification prep for youth.
• $100/month: Connects learners with direct mentor pairings, professional networks, and career pathways in tech.

Invest in local talent—sign up as a monthly sustainer at the link in our bio!

Over the past four decades, we've built our adult education programs upon the belief that "One size fits one," and that all learning styles are unique. We build workforce pathways that are flexible, culturally sensitive, and supported by direct mentorship from start to finish. As demand and enrollment in our adult education and workforce development programs grow, predictable monthly giving is what keeps our doors open and our tuition free.

Small monthly gifts add up to crucial long-term impact:

• $25/month clears immediate barriers like transportation, background checks, and licensing fees.
• $50/month funds hands-on practical training, CPR/First Aid certification, and tech equipment.
• $100/month bridges classroom learning to employment through paid internships and employer introductions.

Join our growing community of sustaining donors today and help power local workforce transformation! www.mytrellus.org/donate

Language skills are the foundation of workplace opportunity. At Trellus, our ESL & Digital Literacy courses go beyond basic conversation—we provide contextualized language instruction and hands-on digital training so adults can confidently navigate job applications, interview processes, and workplace technology.

When you support our ESL programs as a monthly donor, your monthly contribution breaks down barriers:
• $25/month (Click with confidence): Provides hands-on digital learning so email, Zoom, and online applications become tools for success.
• $50/month (English that works): Supports specialized English instruction tailored to real-world work environments and interview prep.
• $100/month (Turn learning into possibility): Connects language and tech skills with individualized career coaching and job placement steps.

Help us turn learning into sustainable careers. Become a monthly sustainer today!

September is National Workforce Development Month! For nearly 50 years, Trellus has been committed to building programs that equip immigrant and refugee communities with the skills, proficiencies, and certifications that empower hard-working individuals to build stable, meaningful careers.

All month long, we'll be highlighting these programs and the powerful success stories of our graduates. As the workforce continues to evolve, so must our programs—and we can't do that alone.

That's why we're asking for your help: This September, consider becoming a Trellus Sustaining Supporter by committing to a small monthly donation:

• $25/month helps get a student there with bus passes, interview attire, or licensure fees.
• $50/month turns skills into paychecks with targeted coaching and credentials.
• $100/month gets them in the room with mentors, employers, and life-changing network introductions.

Your gift will support the momentum of Trellus's workforce development programs, ensuring families in our community have the resources to build sustainable lives. Click the link mytrellus.org/donate to join as a monthly sustainer today!

On August 8th, clients from Trellus's Year Round Youth Employment (YRE) Program joined the Bud Billiken Parade, one of Chicago's largest and most celebrated back-to-school events, where we ran into Mayor Brandon Johnson.

YRE helps Chicago youth ages 16 to 24 gain real work experience and build skills for their futures. Beyond their job placements, our participants have access to events across the city that help them connect with their community and this parade is just one example of that engagement--a proud, memorable experience for everyone involved!

Did you know our Adult Education students are growing 21 different varieties of vegetables, fruits, and flowers in the Trellus Garden?

During our Spring Adult Education term, Trellus English language learners met once a week after class for Garden Club. Throughout the term, they planted seeds indoors, learned garden vocabulary, cared for seedlings, and shared gardening tips and knowledge with one another.

In June, ten students committed to planting and caring for the outdoor Trellus Garden throughout the growing season. In return, they get to take home whatever their garden box produces! 🌻🥕🍅

We’re proud to see our garden grow alongside our students.

你喜欢学语言吗？ Да, нам нравится учить языки!

Learning a new language can feel intimidating. Many of us spent years in language classes, only to remember a few phrases. One reason? We spent more time on worksheets than actually speaking.

At Trellus, our English language program focuses on meaningful communication from day one. Students listen, respond, practice, make mistakes, and keep communicating. This builds language skills and confidence.

Last week, our English language instructors became beginners themselves. Literacy Intervention Instructor Leona Leighton led an hour of Mandarin, followed by ESL Level 2 Instructor Julie Gesin leading an hour of Russian. No English allowed.

With unfamiliar sounds and writing systems, our instructors experienced what many beginning English learners face every day.

In just two hours, they saw firsthand how meaningful practice can build vocabulary, accuracy, and confidence.

Sometimes, the best way to become a better teacher is to become a beginner again.

你喜欢学语言吗？ Do you like learning languages?
Да, нам нравится учить языки! Yes, we like learning languages!