ABOUT US
Who Are We?
We change lives and transform communities
Our Mission
To provide the expertise and navigational support for immigrants and citizens to become knowledgeable, empowered members of society.
Our Vision
HACES is the community leader in services to immigrants dedicated to building a just and prosperous society where equal opportunity and representation are accessible to all.
PBS features HACES on their ‘Chicago Tonight’ in your Neighborhood: Waukegan segment
1:48-2:44
Our Values
Integrity
At HACES we promise to handle our clients' cases with care. We guide our clients following a lawful code of ethics.
Trust & Respect
HACES believes in a culture of trust and respect among collegues, clients, and volunteers.
Leadership
HACES is a community leader that specializes in immigration services.
Participation
HACES is an active participant in the community and in the lives of clients. Programs at HACES help people with their personal, private, and professional life.
Our Achievements
Please swipe right to view our achievements.
In 2011 HACES received Department of Justice Accreditation.
HACES is honored to be recognized by the Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County (HFNLC) with the Excellence in Service Award. In celebration of HFNLC’s 15th anniversary, the foundation awarded 15 grants to organizations that expanded, added, or creatively adjusted programming to address healthcare access needs or health equity issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
HFNLC supports efforts that improve access to health services for underserved Lake County, Illinois, residents. In 2021 HACES was awarded grant funding to implement a COVID-19 vaccine education campaign in the community we serve. We received additional funding late last year to expand our Immigrant Family Resource Program (IFRP). Funding received from the HFNLC has allowed us to add a health education component to our existing programming.
On Friday, June 24 the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) hosted its year end celebration and awards ceremony; at the ceremony HACES was presented with the Civic Empowerment Award for its New Americans Initiative (NAI) program. Through NAI, we provide legal screenings, application processing, and citizenship test preparation services; services also include assisting clients with DACA renewal applications.
Last fiscal year ICIRR received $1 MIL to cover the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) fee for DACA applicants who couldn’t afford the $495 renewal fee. Scholarships are granted to those who met income eligibility guidelines. We are proud to partner with ICIRR to be able to help those who need us the most.
HACES received the Civic Empowerment Award because we helped 200 immigrants secure scholarships and because of the recognized excellence of HACES's immigration services.
