Healthy Community Commission

In January 2008, the Silver Cross Hospital Board of Trustees and local community leaders launched a new not-for-profit organization called the Silver Cross Healthy Community Commission. The Commission is chaired by Derrick Brown with presently 14 members that represent the interests of constituencies on Joliet’s east side.

Our Mission

The Silver Cross Healthy Community Commission is a community-based organization that is committed to creating a stronger, healthier future by providing support for education, workforce development training, and enrichment activities for youth, to improve the quality of life for the community we serve.

Our Accomplishments

Through the work of the Commission Silver Cross Healthy Community Commission has led the Veteran’s Administration to open a mega-outpatient clinic for area Veterans in the former Silver Cross Emergency Department. This facility opened on March 11, 2013. 

Silver Cross fulfilled its promise to the community that convenient medical services would continue to be available in the neighborhood by bringing in Aunt Martha’s to open a federally qualified healthcare center on the old hospital campus.  Called the Joliet Community Health Center, this 20,000 square foot facility opened in the spring of 2013 providing medical, dental, and behavioral health services to the area’s poor and underinsured. 

The Commission also heard the cry of the veterans.  Through a partnership with Volunteers of America, Hope Manor Joliet was built.  Hope Manor Joliet is a three-story, 67- unit multi-family housing development strategically located on eight acres of land donated by Silver Cross Hospital.  The housing is within walking distance of the Veterans Clinic.  The complex offers housing targeting veterans with disabilities, who are homeless or at high risk of homelessness. The development opened in August 2017.   Volunteers of America recently opened Hope Manor Joliet,  67 units of permanent supportive housing for our veterans.

Grants & Scholarships

Since 2008,  the Commission has awarded over $2.4 million in educational scholarships, workforce development, and quality of life grants to numerous east-side Joliet residents and organizations such as:

• Alpha Kappa Alpha – Tealight Foundation
• Coalition of Black Trade Unionists
• Community Services Council of Will County
• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
• Forest Park Community Center
• Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana
• Harvey Brooks Foundation
• Lebanon Baptist District Association
• NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People)
• National Hook-up For Black Women
• Play for Rings, Inc.
• Redeemed Connection
• Senior Services of Will County
• Spanish Community Center
• University of St. Francis

The Commission has truly been a vibrant connection between the Hospital and the residents of Joliet’s east side by making great strides in improving the quality of life for area residents by awarding grants to not for profit organizations that support directly and indirectly individuals residing in zip codes within the zip codes of 60432, 60433, 60436, 60441 (Fairmont) areas. 

The organization must have a non for profit status as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is classified as a publicly supported organization within the meaning of Sections 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)[vi] of the Code.

The grant must align with our main initiatives

• Healthy Eating and Active Living (H.E.A.L.)
• Educational Scholarship Program. 

All grant proposals are due by Jan. 15, 2021.  To submit, please send to:

Silver Cross Healthy Community Commission

Attn: Leslie Newbon – Manager of Community Outreach

1900 Silver Cross Blvd.

New Lenox, IL  60451

Or email to: SCHHCC@silvercross.org 

Promoting Healthcare-Related Careers

The Commission also awards individual scholarships for healthcare-related careers such as:

• Registered nursing
• Certified nurse assistants
• Phlebotomists
• Medical assistants

To obtain an application, please submit a request to SCHHCC@silvercross.org

Our Board of Directors

The Healthy Community Commission's Board of Directors is comprised of community and hospital leaders. 

Derrick Brown, Chairman

Betty Washington, Secretary/Treasurer

Mary Bakken, Silver Cross Hospital Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Manuela Botello

Herbert Brooks, Jr.

Cesar Cardenas

Ruth Colby, Silver Cross Hospital President and Chief Executive Officer

Mark Jepson, Silver Cross Hospital Vice President of Business Transformation

Hugo Manzo

Rev. Edward Martin, Jr.

Theresa Rodriguez

Mike Trafton

Debra Upshaw

Rev. Bennie Yarbough

Tracy Ardis, Silver Cross Hospital Vice President of Human Resources (alternate)

Richard Brandolino (Emeritus)

Leslie Newbon, Silver Cross Hospital Manager of Community Outreach