A Trio of Creations Gourmet Shake Bar in Matteson has a menu of 22 shakes, among them its peach cobbler shake, a banana pudding shake that includes vanilla wafers, the lemonade shake that features Lemonhead candy and the strawberry shortcake that includes a strawberry short-cake ice cream bar.

The enterprise is among Black, women-owned businesses featured in the vendor guide directory for the Democratic National Convention taking place in Chicago in August.

Tramaine Hampton-Brown and her first cousins, sisters Truddie Woodard and Crystal Jackson, are partners in the business, which marked its one-year anniversary in April.

The trio’s goal was to bring something unique to the south suburbs.

“We’ve always been extra anyway,” said Jackson. “ A gourmet shake bar, that’s something different outside of regular restaurants,” said Jackson.

But necessity also was the mother of invention for the shake enterprise as their event planning services business, called A Trio of Creations, evolved, they explained.

Monee resident Hampton-Brown said the three decided to launch the event planning business after producing a birthday party event for a close friend that drew rave reviews from attendees.

“Everybody said it was above and beyond, it was beautiful and we should do this for a living,” said Hampton-Brown.

She holds a master’s degree in accounting and a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and previously worked as an auditor for Panera Bread and in accounting at Park Grill restaurant at Millennium Park, she said.

The event planning business, which does the arrangements for a variety of events including weddings, baby showers, proms, and birthday, anniversary and graduation parties, launched in 2019, said Hampton-Brown. Initially it was based out of her home. Business took off, said Hampton-Brown. Then the pandemic hit.

“People started calling saying we need our money back because the event space is closed so we can’t have this now,” she said. “We started giving people their money back.”

Then they pivoted — when people called to cancel, the entrepreneurs started asking if clients would be open to having the events at their own homes.

“A lot of people said we think that’s a really good idea, so we started going to everybody’s houses,” Hampton-Brown said.  “We were doing balloon arches in front of houses for proms.

They also did Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduation and surprise events.

“We got more clients because we were going to peoples’ houses,” she said. “We probably did over 200 events in 2020.”

In 2022, they secured their own venue space for events in Matteson. But they were told due to village regulations they couldn’t exclusively offer event planning from the site; they had to provide an additional service, which led them to offer their gourmet shakes last year, said Hampton-Brown.

“We brainstormed and started coming up with different ingredients and different types of shakes,” said Woodard, a South Side Chicago resident who also works part-time in customer service for the Chicago Transit Authority.

Besides shakes, they also sell smoothies, sundaes, banana splits and doughnuts. It is located at 4451B Lincoln Hwy in Matteson and operates from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 2-6 p.m. on Sundays. It will soon expand to summer hours, said Jackson.

The trio love that their businesses are family enterprises run with various family members helping, said Jackson, who lives on the Southeast Side of Chicago.

“Doing it with family makes it fun,” Woodard said. “We have fun doing this for people, and they can tell that it’s done with love.”

“We come from a close-knit  family,” said Jackson, who also works in medical claims. “Our grandmother had nine kids, and we all grew up like siblings.”

They fantasized about living in the same neighborhood as adults.

“We don’t live next to each other, but we work next to each other,” Jackson said.

A key focus of the business is giving back, the entrepreneurs said. Toward that end, they’ve worked with schools on events.

Ina Jones, family and community engagement coordinator with Elementary School District 159 in Matteson, said the business donated 125 gourmet ice cream treats for a Unity in the Community Back to School Fair last August.

There were long lines of children and adults waiting for their tasty treats, said Jones, who noted the entrepreneurs have sought out partnerships with the schools to offer ice cream events on site or at their business.

Theresa Kelsey, who runs the Ecology Club at Hillcrest High School in Country Club Hills, has partnered with the business the past two years to raise funds for the school’s arboretum. The business has come out and sold its shakes at a discount with 10% of the proceeds going to the arboretum.

“They helped us raise money to get supplies,” she said,

The children couldn’t believe their eyes when they first saw the shakes, she said.

“I think that their shakes are amazing,” Kelsey said. “It’s really nice we can have something like that in south suburbs.”

Woodard and Jackson said what they enjoy about the two business ventures is seeing the surprise on people’s faces.

“I like the wow factor, the shock value from customers,” Jackson said. “I get joy out of seeing peoples’ reactions.”

The company does a lot of theme parties, and Jackson said clients can’t believe it when they see their themed parties brought to life.

One of the more unusual recent themed events was a 48th birthday party for Twanita Burnett. Her theme was the first 48, said Burnett, and included a murder mystery involving a murdered rapper in his dressing room. Part of the venue was transformed to resemble a crime scene.

“When I came in my mouth dropped,” said Burnett. “Everything was absolutely phenomenal.”

The entrepreneurs said their long-term goals are to expand the client base of both enterprises. They also hope to one day sell their gourmet shakes at Soldier Field and Chicago airports.

Hampton-Brown said mottos that help guide their business are “Don’t quit, do it” and “Humble Hustle.”

“’Don’t quit, do it’ reflects our perseverance in the face of adversity, while ‘Humble Hustle’ embodies our humble yet relentless pursuit of success,” she said.

Francine Knowles is a freelance columnist for the Daily Southtown.

The outplacement and business and executive coaching firm forecasts teens will gain 1.3 million jobs across the country in May, June and July 2024 due to consumer demand and teens’ desire to work this summer.

This would be the highest number of summer jobs added since 2020, when teens took 2.19 million new positions in the summer months, according to the Chicago-based firm. It also exceeds the 1.03 million jobs employers actually added for teens during the summer months of 2023 and the 1.1 million job estimate the firm issued last year, Andrew Challenger said.

“Coming into the summer, there are already a lot of teens employed right now,” he said. “They are working throughout the year at a higher rate than we’ve seen in more than a decade. Inflation has something to do with it. Families and teens need those extra work hours to have pocket money to do things teens want to do.”

In April, there were 5.59 million workers aged 16 to 19 employed. That’s down a bit from March, according to non-seasonally adjusted data from the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. But it was the highest March total since 2007, the firm noted.

While inflation has eased, it continues. Food prices are 26% higher than in January 2020, and rent prices are up 22%, Conference Board economists Dana Peterson and Erik Lundh shared with CNN in March.

The average basket of goods and services most Americans buy in any given month is 17% more expensive, they noted. Consumer prices rose 0.3% in April edging down from the 0.4% rise reported in both March and February, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said earlier this month, but over the past 12 months, prices rose 3.4%.

While affecting family budgets, inflation also is driving up employers’ labor costs. That’s causing some employers to be slower to hire, but the need and demand for teen workers remains, Challenger said.

“Some industries like food and restaurants have been consistently understaffed for a while, so those industries are happy to get extra workers during the summer as teens look for work,” said Challenger.

Other industries that surge employment during the summer months and present traditional opportunities for teen job seekers include amusement parks, retail stores, summer camps, movie theaters and recreational sites such as public pools.

Wage increases have made jobs more attractive to teens, and depending on the position, teens can expect wages to average between $16 and $20 an hour, Challenger said.

South Suburban Special Recreation Association is among employers seeking to fill summer openings. The Tinley Park-based association provides recreational programs for children and adults with special needs and is seeking to fill camp supervisor and internship positions that pay between $15.50 and $16.25 an hour, said spokesperson Anna Broccolo.

“We provide all the training,” she said. “They don’t need any previous experience, although it’s wonderful if they have experience.”

She said they are looking for teens who are patient, kind, compassionate and personable.

Mentoring Youth Through Technology, which works to enhance opportunities for youth to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math, also is looking for teen summer staff to work as program assistants, said Community Engagement Manager Millicent Walker. The organization is based in South Holland and has a STEM Center in Matteson.

Teen summer job applicants don’t need to be tech savvy, Walker said. The organization also provides training. An ideal candidate would be someone who is “responsible, good with younger students, open to learning, engaging, self-motivated and a good team player,” she said.

The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership has summer job opportunities for teens, said Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, who advises teens to consider summer employment.

“Take advantage of opportunities that are out there,” said Miller. “They should try to find something they think they might be interested in because that’s a good way to learn. If they’re still in high school, these types of jobs will help them maybe decide what their major will be in college.”

For teens interested in finding summer work, if you haven’t started looking yet, get going, said Challenger.

“June is traditionally the most popular month for teen hiring,” he said.

He advises teen job seekers to create and connect to their networks. You may not think you have one. You do. Reach out to friends, parents, parents of friends, current and past teachers and coaches, and managers of places you frequent who may be aware of job opportunities, he said.

Teens should create a resume, cover letter and email template to send to prospective employers. It should include extra-curricular activities, volunteer experiences and any other information to show a prospective employer you are a self-starter and can be a team player, he advised.

Challenger also recommends teens investigate summer paid internships in industries they find appealing to gain real work experience.

And think outside the box. While summer camps, retail businesses, theme parks and movie theaters come to mind for teens, many offices need administrative staff who can organize files, take calls or manage social media profiles, Challenger said.

Here are some helpful links and contacts for teens seeking summer jobs:

Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership: chicookworks.org/initiatives/opportunityworks/

Office of the Illinois Secretary of State: ilsos.applytojob.com and click on summer jobs.

Illinois Department of Employment Security: ides.illinois.gov and search summer jobs, or go to portal.il.cis360.org/

Cook County government: www.cookcountyil.gov/service/cook-county-connects

Calumet City: calumetcity.org/summer-youth-employment-program/

South Suburban Special Recreation Association: Visit sssra.org

Mentoring Youth Through Technology: Visit myttil.com or email jobs@myttil.com

Francine Knowles is a freelance columnist for the Daily Southtown.

Older adults reported losing more than $1.6 billion to fraud in 2022, according to the Federal Trade Commission report, “Protecting Older Consumers, 2022-2023, A Report of the Federal Trade Commission.” But the FTC estimates the overall cost to be as high as $48 billion because the vast majority of frauds are not reported.

The report also noted in 2022, older adults reported significantly higher losses to these scams than they did in 2021:

• $404 million due to investment scams, up 175% from 2021

• $271 million due to business impersonation scams, up 78% from 2021

• $159 million due to tech support scams, up 117% from 2021.

“The problem is not getting better; it’s getting worse,” said Kelly. “It’s horrible.”

If seniors are living alone, they may not have family or friends they can discuss things with to help them avoid becoming victims, which makes it even more difficult, Kelly said. Meanwhile, many of the scams often harm entire families, she noted.

The Protecting Seniors from Emergency Scams Act, introduced by Kelly and U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson, an Ohio Republican, in April, would require the Federal Trade Commission to update its web portal with information about scams targeting seniors to allow consumers to search for scams by region and access contact information for law enforcement and adult protective service agencies.

The legislation also would also direct the FTC to work with media outlets and law enforcement agencies to distribute the information to seniors and their caregivers. It directs the FTC to issue a report on the types of scams seniors face and the frequency of the scams.

“We have a moral obligation to stop these con artists by empowering seniors with facts and information and empowering the FTC to understand how these criminal operations start and prevent them from continuing,” Kelly said.

The legislation has been endorsed by AARP, the Elder Justice Coalition and the American Society on Aging, according to Kelly’s office.

Increasing awareness is key, said Elaine Grande, executive director of Palos Heights-based eldercare services provider Pathlights.

“If this act can do that, I think it’s a good step because these scammers are smart and sophisticated and they are smooth,” she said. “They can get to any of us. It’s really hard when (seniors) are such a vulnerable population that they are targeting.”

Grande shared the story of two victims, one defrauded of roughly $100,000 and the other of roughly $80,000 through tech support scams in which they allowed the perpetrators to access their computers. Neither victim has recovered the funds. When money is exchanged it’s typically impossible to recover it, advocates say.

According to the FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Databook 2023, the top 10 reported fraud categories were:

• imposter scams

• online shopping and negative reviews

• prizes, sweepstakes and lotteries

• investment related

• business and job opportunities

• internet services

• telephone and mobile services

• health care

• travel, vacations and timeshare plans

• foreign money offers and fake check scams

Grande worries the emergence of artificial intelligence will only increase the number of victims and losses.

Adults are particularly vulnerable to scams, in part due to loneliness and social isolation, said Diane Slezak, president and chief executive officer of AgeOptions, the Area Agency on Aging for suburban Cook County.

“I think that’s a driver behind romance scams,” she said.

Romance scams topped the list of the most costly scams for older Americans in 2020, according to the FTC, and they remain a major problem, advocates note.

“I have heard anecdotally of people contacted through local social groups …someone new that shows up in a church group, befriends them, gets connected and scams them,” Slezak said.

For many seniors on the dementia spectrum, judgment can be among the first abilities to become impaired, she said, and that can make seniors easier targets.

AgeOptions has focused on financial scams at recent meetings of its Advocacy Task Force group, which is comprised of organizations that assist seniors. A representative from Kelly’s office is scheduled to discuss Kelly’s proposed legislation at a meeting of the task force group this week.

“Trying to do something on the prevention side is very important,” Slezak said. “How do you make sure you’re going to catch it.”

Slezak and Grande noted seniors often don’t report being exploited because they are embarrassed. But when they do report, they reveal losing substantially more than younger adults. Median losses were $1,450 for adults ages 80 and older and $803 for adults ages 70 to 79, compared to $450 for adults ages 20 to 29, according to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network Databook 2023.

Pathlights has held workshops at community banks in the south suburbs to help educate and protect seniors and partners with the Cook County sheriff’s office, said Grande.

Among her advice to seniors, “If you’re suspicious or not certain it’s a credible person on the other end of the phone, just hang up, or say send me the information via mail or I will take your number and call you back.”

Grande also warns it’s a red flag if anyone asks for access to your computer.

“They may be really skilled and quite convincing,” she said. “It’s best to say I will call back, or I will check with my son or daughter, whoever it may be.”

To become informed and to report financial abuse, there are government resources.

Visit www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/fraud/,  consumerfinance.gov/olderamericans, consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb or consumerfinance.gov/complaint/

Residents may also email olderAmericans@cfpb.gov or call 855-411-2372.

Francine Knowles is a freelance columnist for the Daily Southtown. She is also a grants specialist at Chicago-based CJE SeniorLife, which receives funding from AgeOptions, and is a member of AgeOptions Advocacy Task Force.

That was my world, but for many children then and now in the south suburbs and around the country, summer is a time when they go hungry.

To combat food insecurity, a federally funded permanent government benefits program will give families a benefit of $120 per eligible child for the summer to buy food at grocery stores, farmers markets or other authorized retailers, similar to how SNAP benefits are used, the U.S. Department of Agriculture stated.

The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program benefits will be distributed through an electronic benefit transfer card.

It will provide nearly $2.5 billion in grocery benefits and serve close to 21 million children nationally, according to the agency, which noted Illinois is among 35 states planning to participate. More than 1.15 million children in Illinois are estimated to be eligible for roughly $137 million in benefits, said Man-Yee Lee, a spokesperson for the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

“We are seeing still today one in four households with children in the Chicago metropolitan area are currently facing food insecurity,” said Lee. “That’s around 26% of households with children.

“Many families really rely on the free and reduced-price school meals they get throughout the school year, however they lose access to this important source of nutrition during the summer when schools close. It’s a hardship for many families already struggling to make ends meet to put food on table.”

Many children consume up to 50% of their total daily calories at school, she said, noting those who don’t get enough nutrition over the summer are more likely to experience long-term health conditions and a slide in academics.

“That’s why programs like this are really important to make sure that kids still receive the nutrition they need during summer, so they are ready to learn when schools open again,” she stressed.

Illinois has submitted a proposed implementation plan to the Agriculture Department for consideration and is awaiting approval, according to the Illinois Department of Human Services.

Benefits are expected to be available in late summer this year and distributed in one lump sum instead of increments because the goal is to get assistance to families and children as quickly as possible, said Lee. Distribution of benefits may look different in 2025 once systems are set up, she said.

To be eligible for the program families must have household income at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. There is no citizenship requirement. Present income limits are as follows:

• Family of one: $26,973

• Family of two: $36,482

• Family of three: $45,991

• Family of four: $55,500

• Family of five: $65,009

• Family of six: $74,518

• Family of seven: $84,027

• Family of eight: $93,536

Parents uncertain about eligibility are advised to inquire at their children’s schools to see if they’re eligible for the program.

“Some will already be enrolled in it, but it’s best to check,” Lee said.

Debit cards will be mailed to families, so it’s important that they also check to make sure their addresses are up to date, she said.

Children will be automatically enrolled in Summer EBT program if they are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Medicaid, the state’s Youth In Care program or if they are in foster care, Lee said. But these families should also verify their addresses on file are up-to-date, Lee said.

The food depository is working with the Illinois State Board of Education and Illinois Department of Human Services to mobilize food pantries and community organizations and other partners across the state to reach out to families about the benefit program.

The food depository has about 160 meal programs across Cook County that provide free and healthy meals during the summer to organizations operating summer youth programs, including at day camps, libraries and other community sites.

“But not every community has these programs, which is another reason why the summer EBT program is really vital,” Lee said. “It’s giving new support for parents and children so that kids can get the nutrition they need to thrive.”

The Chicago Heights Public Library, a partner in the food depository summer meals program this year that will provide free breakfasts and lunches, is working to get the word out on the EBT program.

“There’s such a need here for it,” Carmen Moorer, youth services manager, said.

It will help provide relief to many families, and they are looking forward to it, she said.

Evaluations of a multiyear demonstration project for the program showed it reduced child hunger and improved diet quality. Summer grocery benefits cut the number of children with very low food security by about one-third and supported healthier diets featuring more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, according to the Agriculture Department. The program is the first new permanent federal nutrition program in 50 years, said Lee.

For more information on the program and how to apply, go to wegotyouillinois.org.

Francine Knowles is a freelance columnist for the Daily Southtown.

At a kickoff event last week in Springfield for Black Maternal Health Week, she and other physicians put the spotlight on what’s needed to prevent these avoidable deaths and improve Black maternal health.

“From statistics to solutions, that was the whole goal,” Green said in an interview last week.

Among those solutions is the need for a complete ecosystem of care for women, said Green. That includes providing at-risk women with access to an integrated care system that includes obstetricians, maternal fetal medicine specialists, nurses, midwives and doulas, who are trained to provide physical, emotional and educational support to pregnant women before, during and after childbirth, she and other physicians said.

Dr. Jamie Horn, an obstetrician and gynecologist, chair of obstetrics at UChicago Medicine and attending obstetrician at Family Christian Health Center, says preconception counseling is also needed.

“I want to make sure women are in the best health possible before they get pregnant,” she said.

That means if they have high blood pressure or diabetes, making sure those conditions are under control, and if they are obese, getting them in better shape before they get pregnant. The healthier women are before pregnancy, the healthier they can be during pregnancy and postpartum, she said.

Flossmoor resident Dr. Shelley Amuh, an obstetrician-gynecologist and founder of The Puddle Project, a mentorship program for pregnant teens, stresses the importance of providing increased access to diagnostics for pregnant women including Level 2 ultrasounds, which provide much more detailed information.

Access to ultrasound testing varies depending on what hospital accepts what Medicaid health plans, said Dr. Cheryl Rucker-Whitaker, president of CINQCare Illinois, who also spoke at the event.

“Women should be able to go the nearest facility with an available appointment,” she said. “Additionally, we need to invest in mobile facilities that can get to maternity deserts and provide these higher-level diagnostics.”

Transportation is also a barrier to access to care, physicians said. They suggested the establishment of Uber waivers for women during their pregnancies and postpartum.

Women on the South Side of Chicago and in the south suburbs are at a particular disadvantage in accessing care given the closure of hospital obstetrics units in recent years, including at Advocate South Suburban Hospital in Hazel Crest and Holy Cross Hospital on the South Side, they said.

Concerns about maternal death rates among Black women and the barriers to quality care at-risk pregnant Black women and their babies face in the south suburbs led Family Christian Health Center to open the Family Christian Health Center Maternal and Child Health Center in Harvey three years ago. Green expected the center to serve 1,200 patients annually.

Last year, the center served 3,210 patients, her office shared. The center recently acquired Level 2 ultrasound diagnostic equipment thanks to funding secured by U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, who has long focused on maternal health disparities, and expects to begin providing those services in the next month, Green said.

Black Maternal Health Week, which runs through April 17, is an opportunity to raise awareness and discuss solutions, Kelly and other maternal health care advocates said.

“We always want to educate people, who so ever is listening, about the issue of Black maternal health. People are still discovering that it’s still an issue,” Kelly said, noting the overwhelming majority of pregnancy related deaths are preventable.

Kelly has introduced legislation, the Community Access, Resources and Empowerment for Moms Act, that among other actions would:

• establish a state-based perinatal quality collaborative grant program

•  establish regional centers of excellence to tackle implicit bias and promote cultural competence among health professionals

•  establish grants for rural obstetric mobile units

•  support federal efforts to grow and diversify the workforce of doulas

•  extend Medicaid coverage for postpartum mothers in all 50 states.

Kelly noted Illinois became the first state in the nation to extend full Medicaid benefits from 60 days to 12 months postpartum. Since that occurred in 2021, 45 states and Washington, D.C. have extended the Medicaid postpartum coverage period to a full year.

She applauded Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposal earlier this year to include a $23 million investment in the state’s fiscal 2025 budget to advance maternal health and address disparities.

The plan includes a proposed $4.4 million allocation for the Illinois Department of Public Health to create a statewide strategic plan and distribute birth equity resource building grants to support the needs of community-based reproductive health care providers. It also includes a $5 million increase in funding for the Department of Human Services Home Visiting Program.

“Illinois is emerging as a leader in this space,” Kelly said. “Funding is critical.”

Illinois state Sen. Lakesia Collins, D-Chicago, who joined Pritzker at the Chicago South Side Birth Center when he unveiled the budget initiatives in February, said such investments are needed to help eliminate disparities. She said in her district it’s a tale of two cities, depending on where one lives as to how easy or difficult it is to access services.

“Gov. Pritzker has expressed to our leadership this is a top priority for him,” Collins said. “Now it’s a matter of making sure we get the money appropriated. It’s really doing what we have to do as a legislature to make sure it goes through.”

Horn welcomes Pritzker’s proposed investment in community based reproductive health care providers.

Other actions needed to reduce disparities, physicians said, include providing access to mental health counseling and culturally matched therapists as well as access to telehealth mental health services. Substance abuse services and 12-weeks paid maternity leave are also needed, advocates say.

Francine Knowles is a freelance columnist for the Daily Southtown.

They say buyers should be getting their financing in order and sellers should be readying their homes to make the best impression.

“I have pretty positive expectations,” said Carol Moore, real estate broker and instructor at Keller Williams Preferred Realty in Orland Park.

“I’ve seen more buyers get back into the market. They were a little discouraged over interest rates last year, but now that rates have come down a little locally and nationally, there’s been some pent up demand.”

The 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 6.79% as of March 28, 2024, down from last week when it averaged 6.87% percent, according to Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey. But that’s still well above the 4.67% rate during the same period in 2022.

“They will never go back to those interest rates,” said Andretta Robinson, a broker and team lead of the Titan Group at Re/Max 10 in Oak Lawn. “Those rates were impacted by COVID. These are normal interest rates now. I think buyers have settled into the fact that interest rates will be hovering somewhere in the 6s.”

As for sellers, there remain fewer of them. Many homeowners, who refinanced at lower interest rates a few years ago, are still holding onto their homes, which continues to create an inventory shortage, real estate agents and other industry experts said. Besides traditional buyers, investors also are having a harder time finding properties to invest in and rehab, said Robinson.

“We’re seeing more buyers than sellers; it’s definitely a sellers’ market,” she said.

She expects to see some bidding wars, and noted, “It’s already happening.”

Moore has also been seeing more multiple offers.

Shirley Wilkins , 74, closed on the sale of her three-bedroom, two-bathroom South Holland home in January. The home was under contract nine days after being listed on the Standard Multiple Listing Service. She said she put the home she’d owned for nearly 30 years up for sale after deciding to retire and move to Washington state to be closer to family.

“I was informed it was a good time to sell,” Wilkins said, noting it sold at the list price.

Jeffrey Hodges, 68, who moved into a home in Olympia Fields this past weekend after selling his South Side Chicago home, wasn’t sure what to expect when he decided to put his home up for sale about two months ago and began the search for another home.

His four-bedroom, four-bath house sold for $10,000 less than the list price, he said. He thinks he could have sold it at a higher price had he opted to renovate the kitchen. But after having already invested in remodeling the bathroom and the family room, he said he decided not to make the additional investment.

Hodges purchased his new home at about $20,000 below the list price, after an appraisal came in valuing the home at less than his initial offer, he said. Finding a new home that met the needs of him and his wife wasn’t easy.

“There wasn’t a lot in the price range that I wanted,” he said. “That was challenging and also the process. I went through a lot of making offers and not getting the house. I probably went through five of those or more.”

The University of Illinois at Chicago Stuart Handler Department of Real Estate is forecasting a 2.9% to 3.9% pick up in sales in the Chicago metropolitan area from March through May, compared to the same period a year ago. That is according to forecast data it presented to Illinois Realtors in March that also predicts the median price in the metropolitan area will rise by 9.6% in March, 10.1% in April, and 8.0% in May from the year-earlier periods.

“We expect the recent trends toward lower inflation rates, interest rates and unemployment rates to lead to a rebound in the housing market beginning in April,” Daniel McMillen, professor of real estate and associate dean for faculty affairs in the UIC College of Business Administration,” stated in the forecast.

Geoff Smith, executive director of the Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University, isn’t expecting any dramatic increases in home prices in the south suburbs.

“As far as the general conditions compared to 2023, it seems like a lot of those conditions are very similar,” he said. “I expect the market to remain fairly stable.”

In the south suburbs since the pandemic, prices went up substantially between 2020 and the first half of 2022, with some regions outpacing Cook County, and then prices plateaued, Smith said.

The latest quarterly data released from DePaul, which tracks south suburban submarkets, shows these increases in median prices as of June 2023, compared to when the pandemic began:

• Chicago Heights/Park Forest submarket, up 64.8%

• Calumet City/Harvey, up 61.5%

• Oak Forest/Country Club Hills, up 48.3%

• Oak Lawn/Blue Island, up 34.8%

• Orland Park/Lemont, up 27.5%

The DePaul data shows these year-over-year price changes as June 2023, compared to the prior period:

• Chicago Heights/Park Forest submarket, up 5.3%

• Calumet City/Harvey, up 1.5%

• Oak Forest/Country Club Hills, up 4.6%

• Oak Lawn/Blue Island, down 0.9%

• Orland Park/Lemont, down 0.1%

Realtors say some sellers need to temper their expectations when pricing their homes.

“Some have higher expectations for property values than what is the reality because we’re past that rush of 2020 and 2021,” said Moore. “That market is gone.”

To attract potential buyers and get the best price, she and other real estate agents say sellers should start by making sure their homes are ready to go on the market. Declutter and organize each room, Moore advises.

“First impressions matter, and if your house is a mess that can easily turn off potential buyers,” she said.

Moore recommends deep cleaning kitchens and bathrooms, including scrubbing grout lines, polishing fixtures and decluttering countertops, and make sure your landscaping provides curb appeal, she said.

Be smart about home improvements, Moore cautions.

“Sometimes people overinvest in improvements,” she said. “You have to know your area. What are the average prices? What is your house worth now? If you make a $20,000, $30,000 investment, will that exceed what the market values are in your area? You don’t want to over improve. Ask a professional, someone in real estate sales what are the trends, what are the key items that add value.”

Robinson recommends sellers get pre-inspections done so there won’t be any surprises. She adds home improvements that can have the biggest payoffs include the kitchen and master bedroom.

As for buyers, she said some naively expect to find high quality, move-in properties at a low price.

“They don’t exist,” she said. “I sit down with buyers. I counsel them through the inventory, show them what affordability looks like for their budget.”

Realtors advise buyers to get preapproved for a price range and a monthly payment with which they feel comfortable before they start looking at homes, to make sure they are looking in the right price range.

Moore adds buyers should prioritize their needs and wants and recognize it’s hard to get 100% of their needs and wants in the same house. They should focus on finding the house that meets all their needs and the majority of their wants, she said.

Francine Knowles is a freelance columnist for the Daily Southtown.

Amuh, an obstetrician and gynecologist, is providing that help via her nonprofit The Puddle Project, a mentorship program for pregnant teens and teen parents founded by the Flossmoor resident.

Amuh received the Cook County 2024 Peggy A. Montes Unsung Heroine Award for the Sixth District. The award is presented each March to 18 women, one from each district in the county and one countywide, in observance of Women’s History Month. It was established to tell the story of and honor women who make positive contributions in their communities, families and professional endeavors, but who are seldom recognized.

Amuh, 62, previously was in private practice, is a hospitalist on staff at Advocate Trinity Hospital and Advocate South Suburban Hospital. She has mentored teens in some capacity since she started her medical career, she said.

She launched The Puddle Project in 2015 and said it has three goals for its mentees: that they graduate with a high school diploma; develop healthy lifestyles for themselves and their children; and become responsible parents and working adults.

Services the nonprofit provides include pregnancy education, childbirth classes, risk counseling and information on good nutrition, appropriate exercise, breast feeding, postpartum health and financial literacy. It also helps connect mentees to career development and employment assistance and provides emotional and social support, said Amuh.

Mentees, who must complete an application, are required to work hard to get good grades, participate in program seminars and to have a library card, said Amuh.

“Part of their agreement with us is they have to read to their baby every night, so we expect them to go to the library,” she said.

She said research has shown reading to children on a regular basis helps better position them for success in school.

Mentors, who must also apply to the program and successfully complete a background check, touch base at least once or twice by telephone with their mentees and are required to meet with them in person once a month, but often are in contact three to four times a month, Amuh said.

At in-person meetings, mentees are given $100 Walmart or Target gift cards and a child board book. Meetings typically take place at mentees schools, at the Thornton Township High School District 205 Infant Care Center or at a public library, Amuh said.

As the teens prepare to graduate from high school, “we encourage them to go to college or some kind of training program that will give them the opportunity for great employment,” she said.

The Puddle Project, which is funded with personal donations and grants, has worked one-on-one with more than two dozen girls since its inception. It has six students in college, three students at Thornton Township High School District 205 and 10 students at Simpson Academy for Young Women, which is the only fully accredited Chicago Public School devoted to educating pregnant and parenting teens, said Amuh.

The Puddle Project also does lectures and parenting sessions to help support students at Simpson Academy, she said.

Homewood-Flossmoor High School graduate Jhamese Willis was Amuh’s first mentee in the program. Willis met Amuh when she was a junior in high school and pregnant with her son Jonah Richards. After graduating from high school, Willis said she received training as a certified nursing assistant and as an aesthetician. Today, at age 27 and the mother of two sons, she runs her own skin care business and sells a vegan skin care line she developed.

“I’m also going to go back to school for nursing to advance my aesthetic career,” Willis shared.

Having Amuh as a mentor “has definitely helped me a lot navigating motherhood and becoming the woman I am now,” said Willis. “Whether helping with financial resources, helping with my boys, providing books for the boys, she continues to be an inspiration for me and with my business. I can reach out for different things, for encouragement.

“Becoming a mom at a younger age was not easy but having her there made it seem less impossible for me, having her push me and guide me through the way.”

Xiomaria Williams, 19, echoed similar sentiments. She became a mentee in the program after the birth of her daughter Meh’Lani Mitchell and while attending Simpson Academy. Today, she is enrolled in a nursing program at Malcolm X College, has a long-term goal of becoming a registered nurse and works as a rehab aide in Rush University Medical Center’s physical therapy department, she said.

Asked what key lessons she has learned through the mentorship program, she said, “Just keep going no matter what. Some kids, depending on their outside support system, wonder how they are going to do it,” she said. “This program comes in and supports in a way they can.”

Amuh is a true reflection of what the unsung heroine award is all about, said Cook County 6th District Commissioner Donna Miller. Amuh saw a need and took action that is helping teens stay in school, stay healthy, deliver healthy babies and preparing them to live successful lives, Miller said.

First-time parenthood isn’t easy for anyone, particularly for teens juggling trying to stay in school, manage new financial situations, provide a steady income, and access crucial health care services, Miller noted.

“Teenagers navigating parenthood can face so much stigma at a time when they’re often very vulnerable, and that’s why Dr. Amuh’s work as founder of The Puddle Project is so important,” Miller said.

The heroine awards are named in honor of Peggy Montes, an educator, founder of the Bronzeville Children’s Museum and champion of women’s issues and rights. Montes is a former chairperson of the Cook County Commission on Women’s Issues and was the driving force behind the very first Unsung Heroine Award for the women of Cook County.

Amuh was honored to have received an award. The mother of five said she met Montes about 25 years ago when she first started taking her children to the Bronzeville Children’s Museum. She never imagined decades later she would receive an award named in Montes’ honor.

Amuh said her goals going forward are to double the number of teens The Puddle Project assists. For more information on the program and the application process for teens and mentors, contact Amuh at Samuh@thepuddleproject.org and go to ThePuddleProject.org.

Francine Knowles is a freelance columnist for the Daily Southtown.

Thanks to South Suburban College’s Highway Construction Careers Training Program, a free program that seeks to increase representation of minorities, women and disadvantaged individuals in Illinois highway construction, he has been accepted into an electricians apprenticeship and starts Tuesday.

South Suburban College’s intensive short-term, pre-apprenticeship training program positioned him with knowledge and certifications to better compete, which helped him land the apprenticeship, Medina said.

The program, which is recruiting for classes that begin in March, covers a rigorous 450-hour curriculum, and students earn while they learn, said program manager Rebecca Garcia. If students were required to pay for the program, the cost would be on average $10,000 per student, she said.

“The goal of the program is to introduce them to what the trades are. They learn about the different entrance requirements,” said Garcia.

Students are introduced to 24 trades and get training in mathematics for the trades, job site readiness, concrete flatwork, blueprint reading orientation, first aid/AED/CPR, introduction to tools and forklift operation, said Garcia. They receive between seven and 10 certificates including Occupational Safety and Health Administration and National Safety Council certification and certificates in introductory welding. They also attend classes on time management, resume building and participate in mock interviews, Garcia said.

Students are paid a stipend of $10 per hour for each full hour of training completed and supplied with personal protection equipment, including hard hats and vouchers to purchase boots. They also receive basic hand tools, she said.

The program is supported through a collaboration with the Illinois Department of Transportation. It is much needed given statistics from a May 2023 U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission report that show in 2022:

• Black workers made up only 6.7% of the construction industry workforce even though they were 12.6% of the U.S. labor force.

• Asians were just 2.1% of the construction industry although they make up 6.7% of the overall labor force.

• Women make up less than 11% of the construction workforce compared to 47% of the total workforce.

In addition, Hispanics, who are overrepresented in the industry compared to their share of the labor force, are underrepresented in higher paid trades. In 2022, Hispanic workers comprised more than a third of the construction workforce, but nearly half were in lower-paying helpers positions, according to the commission report. Hispanic workers made up less than a quarter of electricians, which are among the highest paying jobs in the industry, the report noted.

The South Suburban College program marks its 10th year this year and has graduated 387 participants, said Garcia, who has been with the program since its inception. More than 200 have been placed in internships. Among the last six classes, three have achieved 100% placement into union apprenticeship programs with various trades including IBEW Local 134, Pipefitters Local 597, laborers and carpenters, she said.

There is a competitive application process. Applicants are required to pre-register, be at least 18, have a high school diploma or GED and a valid driver’s license and demonstrate an interest in trade work. They’re also required to attend mandatory orientation followed by an assessment test, go through an interview, and pass physical agility and drug screening tests, Garcia said.

Medina, who previously worked in retail, has been accepted in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 134 Communications Apprenticeship, he said.

“I did a lot of retail work,” he said. “I worked at a shoe store in River Oaks mall. I was looking for a career change. I feel I work better with my hands. There’s job security in the trades.”

He learned about the construction training program through friends in the industry.

“I thought it would help further my opportunity into the trades,” he said.

Lynwood resident Donald Elmore III, 38, completed the program last October and expects to start an apprenticeship this spring. He previously worked at Amazon.

“I just wanted a better future for my kids and myself, so my thing was if I get this training, I’ve got an opportunity to make a lot more money,” he said. “That was really my motivation right there.

“This program is very important. It prepares you. You can come in and not have any knowledge of any trade. You will leave with so much knowledge.”

There are 12 such programs at community colleges throughout the state, and South Suburban College offers the only one in the south suburbs, Garcia said. The college offers the program three to four times during the year. It aligns with the college’s mission, which is “to serve our students and our community through lifelong learning,” Garcia said.

“Community colleges aren’t just for your typical students that are taking credit courses to transfer to a four-year university,” she said. “They’re designed to help people with short-term career goals and construction is one of those, getting into an apprenticeship, that’s one of those goals.”

She said the program has had big benefits for students.

“This is life changing, getting into an apprenticeship,” she said. “These are careers with high earnings potential. I’ve seen students come in that were working three jobs and now they are able to work one because they’re making $50 an hour, union wages, plus benefits, pensions.”

She said students have come back and shared how they’ve been able to put their kids through school or seen their children go into the trades. Some have completed the program and their siblings and cousins have followed in their footsteps.

“We’ve had several parents that have come through the program, and now their kids have come through and vice versa,” Garcia said.

Registration for the next training is open. Orientation and testing for the next class is at 9 a.m. on Feb. 27-29 at the Oak Forest Center of South Suburban College, 16333 S. Kilbourn, Oak Forest. Classes begin March 25 and will be held 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For more information, contact Garcia at 708-225-6004 or email hcctp@ssc.edu. To register, go to www.ssc.edu/hcctp, or visit the Oak Forest Center.

Francine Knowles is a freelance columnist for the Daily Southtown.

As preparations are underway for the annual national read-in event, Muhammad, a professor of English and secondary education who is working on creating a minor in Black studies at Governors State, worries about the book bans. She has taught courses on American, African American, Native American and women literatures; and Black studies and studies in race, class and gender. But she fears Black history is being sanitized and watered down in parts of the U.S. to the detriment of students and society.

Illinois has largely bucked the trend. But the American Library Association said there were 67 attempts to ban books in Illinois in 2022, according to media reports. There were attempts to restrict access to 22 books and 98 challenges in those attempts from Jan. 1 through Aug. 31, 2023, according to the association’s website.

Last June, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation making Illinois the first state in the country to prohibit book bans. Under the law, which took effect in January, public libraries could be barred from state grants if they remove books from their shelves or restrict them for “partisan or personal” reasons.

Looking at what’s happening across the country, Muhammad said, “I’m very concerned because they are erasing history and erasing the voices of lived experiences,” that tell the collective story.

“You need to have all sides of everything. These are our experiences. Black history is American history. There is no American history without Black history.”

There were 3,362 recorded instances of book bans in U.S. public school classrooms and libraries from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, and students lost access to 1,557 book titles, according to free speech advocacy group PEN America’s website.

“Amid a growing climate of censorship, school book bans continue to spread through coordinated campaigns by a vocal minority of groups and individual actors and, increasingly, as a result of pressure from state legislation,” the site notes.

These steps backward mean “we have to double our efforts” to ensure voices aren’t silenced, said Muhammad, who has a doctorate in English.

Efforts are underway to do just that. Muhammad cited action by the National Council of Teachers of English. The group has on its website “Freedom to Teach: Statement Against Banning Books.” It notes school districts are “the most active battlefield in the American culture wars today.”

The website states book bans “and legislation redlining teaching about racism in American history” combined with “false claims about ‘obscenity’ invading classrooms, the elimination of teaching about evolution and climate change, challenges to the need for making sense of and critiquing our world in mathematics classrooms … are putting excessive and undue pressure on teachers. They are caught in the crossfire of larger political conflict, motivated by cultural shifts and stoked for political gain.”

Teachers must be free to exercise their professional judgment, decide what materials best suit their students in meeting curriculum demands, discuss disturbing parts of American history and, if and when they judge students are ready, to determine how to help them navigate the psychological and social challenges of growing up, the statement notes. They “need the freedom to prepare students to become future members of a democratic society who can engage in making responsible and informed contributions and decisions about our world.”

The council’s website has an Intellectual Freedom Center with resources to help teachers dealing with book bans. The site includes a Rationale Database that teachers and librarians across the country can use as a resource in choosing and defending books and text. The database is searchable by title, author and grade level. The site also includes a place to report censorship.

Teaching true Black history is critical, said Muhammad, citing the late author, poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou, who said, “You can’t really know where you are going until you know where you have been.”

The National African American Read-In at Governors State takes place from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Feb. 26  at Engbretson Hall. The event, among read-ins being held across the country, will feature poems, short stories, memoirs, novels and other literary works written by Black authors.

The national program is the nation’s first and oldest event dedicated to diversity in literature, according to the National Council of Teachers of English. It was launched in 1990 by the Black Caucus of the council with the goal of making literacy a key part of Black History Month and to encourage communities to read together. Since then, the event has reached more than six million participants globally, according to the council. Schools, churches, libraries, bookstores, community and professional organizations have participated and continue to do so.

Students, deans, faculty, staff and south suburban residents have been among past participants at Governors State’s read-ins, which are open to the public.

“We’ve had people ages 6 to 83 participate,” Muhammad said.

In the past, the event has featured poetry by June Jordan, Nikki Giovanni, Gwendolyn Brooks, Sonia Sanchez and Maya Angelou; speeches by former President Barack Obama; and passages from books by Toni Morrison and other Black authors, among other literature.

To register for this year’s read-in, email RMuhammad@govst.edu or go to www.eventbrite.com/e/34th-annual-african-american-read-in-tickets-788310888087.

Among Black History Month events that took place at Governors State Saturday were performances by Chicago-based dance companies Muntu Dance Theatre and Deeply Rooted Dance Theater. They performed authentic and progressive interpretations of contemporary and ancient African and African American dance, music and storytelling.

Black History Month events later this month at Governors State include Black Excellence: A Celebration of Black Inventions, from 1-3 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Hall of Governors, and Power of the Vote: Get Out the Vote Text Banking, a virtual event at 7 p.m. on Feb. 27. Participants will text message potential voters in areas with historically low turnout. For more information on these and other Black History Month events at the university, email civicengagement@govst.edu.

Francine Knowles is a freelance columnist for the Daily Southtown.

Inflation adjustments could push some filers into a lower tax bracket with a lower tax rate, even as tax rates remain the same. As an example, a single filer with taxable income of $42,000 in tax year 2022 was in the 22% tax bracket, which at the time was the rate for taxable incomes over $41,775 up to $89,075, according to the IRS. That filer now falls into the 12% tax bracket due to inflation adjustments. A married couple filing jointly with taxable income of $180,000 in tax year 2022 was in the 24% tax bracket. They now fall into the 22% tax bracket for tax year 2023.

The rates released by the IRS for single filers for tax year 2023 are:

* 10% for incomes of $11,000 or less

* 12% for incomes over $11,000 ($22,000 for married couples filing jointly)

* 22% for incomes over $44,725 ($89,450 for married couples filing jointly)

* 24% for incomes over $95,375 ($190,750 for married couples filing jointly)

* 32% for incomes over $182,100 ($364,200 for married couples filing jointly)

* 35% for incomes over $231,250 ($462,500 for married couples filing jointly)

The IRS adjusts tax brackets and standard deductions every year for inflation, said Lily Bartkoske, a certified public accountant and partner with Tinley Park-based Ringold Financial Management Services.

The standard deduction for married couples filing jointly for tax year 2023 is $27,700, up $1,800 from the prior year, according to the IRS. For single taxpayers and married individuals filing separately, the standard deduction is $13,850, up $900, and for heads of households it is $20,800, up $1,400.

Who should take the standard deduction and who should itemize? If your itemized deductions exceed the standard deduction amount, it would be beneficial to itemize, Bartkoske said. If you don’t have a lot of deductions, you’re likely a good candidate for standard deductions, such as someone who doesn’t have a house, mortgage interest, property taxes or a lot of medical expenses, she said.

Itemized deductions remained pretty much the same this year. The deduction for state and local taxes limit is $10,000, and medical expenses in excess of 7.5% of adjusted gross income can be deducted in 2023, she said. Homeowners can deduct home mortgage interest on the first $750,000 of indebtedness. However, a limit of $1 million applies for homeowners deducting mortgage interest from indebtedness incurred before Dec. 16, 2017, the IRS website states.

Bartkoske advises tax filers not to overlook important tax credits including new tax credits for new and used electric vehicle and fuel cell vehicle purchases. New vehicles that meet requirements may qualify for credits up to $7,500, and used vehicles may qualify for credits up to $4,000, according to the IRS.

Homeowners who made improvements on their homes may also be eligible for the energy efficient home improvement credit, Bartkoske said. A credit of up to $3,200 may be claimed for qualified improvements made through 2032, according to the IRS website. The credit is 30% of certain qualified expenses and includes such investments as energy efficient doors, windows, insulation and air sealing materials and systems, heat pumps, biomass stoves and biomass boilers that meet certain requirements. The credit has no lifetime dollar limit and can be claimed every year eligible improvements are made until 2033.

Taxpayers sometimes overlook the child and dependent care credit and the Earned Income Tax credit, Bartkoske said. The child and dependent care credit, which has certain requirements, is available for individuals who paid expenses for the care of a child or adult that enabled the taxpayer to work or look for work.

“If you qualify, you can claim expenses up to $3,000 for one person and $6,000 for two or more people,” she said.

The tax year 2023 maximum Earned Income Tax Credit amount is $7,430 for qualifying taxpayers who have three or more qualifying children, up from $6,935 for tax year 2022, the IRS states.

Bartkoske says taxpayers should proofread their returns. Among common mistakes she sees that can delay taxpayers getting their refunds are their listing incorrect Social Security numbers, misspelling names and inadvertently filling in the wrong bank information.

To avoid paying too little or too much in taxes this year, now is a good time to review the tax withholding on your paycheck, she said.

“A lot of people either have too much taken out where they end up getting a lot back during the tax season, but that’s giving the government a tax-free loan,” she said. “Some people don’t have enough taken out and at the end of the year end up owing quite a bit and have a hard time coming up with several thousand dollars to pay to the government because they didn’t have enough taken out.”

The IRS expects more than 128.7 million individual tax returns to be filed by the April 15, 2024 tax deadline. The agency says tax filers can make the process easier on themselves by taking steps now to prepare including creating or accessing their account information at IRS.gov/account, gathering and organizing tax records and checking their individual tax identification number.

The IRS says it will have these new and expanded tools and resources available to help including:

Extended hours and expanded in-person service at Taxpayer Assistance Centers. To find a center near you, visit https://apps.irs.gov/app/office-locator/

Improvements to the Where’s My Refund? Tool. Visit https://www.irs.gov/wheres-my-refund

Enhanced paperless processing that will enable taxpayers to submit all correspondence, nontax forms and responses to notices digitally and e-File 20 additional tax forms

A new, pilot tax filing service called Direct File that gives eligible taxpayers a new choice to file their 2023 federal tax returns online, for free, directly with the IRS. It will be rolled out in phases and is expected to be widely available in mid-March. Go to www.irs.gov/about-irs/strategic-plan/direct-file.

Francine Knowles is a freelance columnist for the Daily Southtown.