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Center for Conflict Resolution | |
Letter from Interim Executive Director, Whitney Trumble
Happy New Year! As you enjoy cozy fires and frozen outdoor adventures, take a moment to catch up on all things CCR.
Thank you to all who participated in our end of year fundraising campaign, “Honor our History, Support our Future.” We raised around $15,000, all of which goes directly to fund CCR programs.
I am excited to announce that this year’s annual event, Swing into Spring, will be held on May 7 at Kaiser Tiger. Check on the links below to become a sponsor or purchase tickets.
We recently released our 2024-2025 Annual Report – click HERE to learn all about CCR programs, volunteers, partners and initiatives.
Our Training and Programs departments have been as busy as ever – in 2025 alone, the Training Team trained 1,046 people, Mediation Services received 1,067 referrals for mediation and the Early Resolution Program handled just under 20,000 referrals. Thank you to CCR staff, volunteers and funders for your dedication and passion for mediation and conflict resolution!
Best, Whitney
| | Congratulations to CCR Auxiliary Board Member, Tynisha Singletary, on the birth of Samara Bailey Singletary! | | Congratulations to Karoline von Tschurtschenthaler, MMP participant, on the birth of Georgina Heidi von Tschurtschenthaler! | | CCR's Annual Holiday Party was a filled with good people, good food, good drinks, and overall warmth. Thank you to the staff, volunteers, Auxiliary Board, and Board members who were able to attend and celebrate together! | Whitney, Cassie, and Jack joined the festivities! | Volunteers of all kinds and staff gathered in the festive Training Room. | Auxiliary Board Sailing Evening | Auxiliary Board members spent a beautiful (and a slightly chilly) evening in October out on Co-Chair Jeff Herbert's sailboat. They had a great night! | | In November over 70 CCR fans packed into George Street Pub to play trivia and raise money for CCR. Thank you to everyone who attended, and thank you to George Street Pub for hosting us and donating a portion of proceeds from the night to CCR! It was a blast and we raised over $1,400! Special thanks to Auxiliary Board members Jeff Herbert, Reed Silverman, and Owen Kartheiser for organizing and planning! | | Training Department Coaches’ Social November 18, 2025 | | Nothing like November's Sim Coach Social to remind us how grateful we are for the CCR coaching community that shows up year-round to help train skilled, compassionate mediators. | | CCR Coaches Larni, Nicky, Ethan, and Colette enjoy the time together. | | CCR Coaches Jennifer, Kim, and Yehemy are all smiles at the social. | | CCR's annual End of Year campaign raised over $15,000! We're so grateful to all our volunteers and staff who helped spread awareness and shared the information. | | GlobalGiving Giving Tuesday results: | Giving Tuesday was a great success! Over $13,000 was donated to CCR via GlobalGiving, meaning CCR received an additional $2,148 in matching funds from GlobalGiving! Thank you to everyone who was able to donate and share the information! | | Don't miss CCR's Annual Event: Swing into Spring! | Join the Center for Conflict Resolution’s annual fundraising event, Swing into Spring! The rip roarin’ good time takes place on May 7 from 5:30 to 8:00PM at the vibrant Kaiser Tiger, located at 1415 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL. Guests can shake off the winter remnants and jitterbug into a springy atmosphere with exquisite food and a cocktails. Mingle with a sensational community dedicated to making a difference through mediation, foster connections and inspiring hope while raising funds for our vital programs. Attendees can look forward to an exciting silent auction (also available to online participants) featuring exclusive items and experiences, as well as a raffle with fantastic prizes. We can’t wait to celebrate with you and create lasting memories for a worthy cause! Early Bird tickets (and regular tickets) are now on sale! | | |
The Training Team would like to recognize Sandra Chu for Commitment to Serving the Community. In her first year as a simulation coach, Sandra has coached in nearly every Mediation Skills Training CCR has offered. Each time she coaches, Sandra takes the time to craft thorough and thoughtful feedback for trainees that makes their time in training more impactful. CCR trainees and CCR staff appreciate you, Sandra!
The Mediation Services Team would like to recognize Jeannette Zissis for Commitment to Serving the Community and Collaborative Spirit. Jeannette recently became certified as a Child-Focused Mediator, expanding her ability to serve parties and bring her educational and work experience into mediation through parenting cases. In one of her first parenting cases involving significant life challenges, Jeannette’s skills helped clarify options, refocus the discussion on the child’s best interests, and support productive dialogue, even when the parties were not yet ready to reach a settlement. Through her guided questions and skillful facilitation, Jeannette consistently helps parties move forward with intention. CCR staff and community members appreciate you, Jeannette!
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Core Values Nominations
Have you seen a member of the CCR Community doing a great job demonstrating one of our Core Values? Nominate them to be featured in Caucus!
Do you have general thoughts/comments/ideas related to our Core Values initiative? Let us know!
Share your thoughts HERE.
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There are so many ways to donate to CCR! Visit the CCR website HERE to find information about making donations via:
- Qualified Charitable Distributions
- Donor Advised Funds
- Matching Gifts
- Beneficiary Designations
- Bequests through Wills or Revocable (Living) Trusts
| | Join the Volunteers-Only Website Section | Are you a volunteer mediator? Don’t forget to sign up for our password-protect Volunteer Mediator Resource page on our website! Go to www.ccrchicago.org and click “Volunteer Log In” in the top right corner to access Continuing Education videos, handbooks, instructionals, and more! Questions about this? Contact Katey Baker-Smith at kbakersmith@ccrchicago.org | | Join us for Reflective Practice Group! | |
Every first Wednesday of the month at noon via Zoom. Discuss a recent mediation, trends in ADR, or anything mediation-related with CCR staff and your fellow volunteers.
Join the fun via the Zoom link here.
Password: Magic
| | Help us plan an upcoming Continuing Education program! | |
Do you have a great idea for
a speaker or topic for an upcoming Continuing Ed Program? If so, we would love to hear your thoughts.
Please email Israel to connect about your ideas.
| | Unique Opportunity for Artists! | | Are you an artist? Do you have a peace-themed work of art you would like displayed? CCR’s office was recently repainted (come on down and check it out!), and we are looking for art from our community to display in both the mediation rooms and throughout the office. We are also looking for a muralist! Please feel free to reach out to Whitney (wtrumble@ccrchicago.org) if any of these apply to you! | | | | |
