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    Breaking Ground: The Inside Story of Chicago's Greek Nursing Home Movement: Hellenism in the Heartland, #2
    Working to Preserve Our Heritage: The Incredible Legacy of Greek-American Community Services: Hellenism in the Heartland, #1
    Ebook series2 titles

    Hellenism in the Heartland Series

    By John P. Psiharis and John Psiharis

    ()

    About this series

    In December, 1982, a handful of Greek Americans gathered for coffee in the back room of the Elysion Restaurant, located in Chicago's Budlong Woods neighborhood, to discuss unmet community needs and what they could do to help. This eclectic but determined group included a doctor, restaurant owner, journalist, teacher, community elder, and college student.

     

    By the end of this meeting, the seeds of what grew into Chicago's Greek American Nursing Home were born. This unprecedented community undertaking, which some thought would never come to fruition, built widespread community support that spanned the generations and involved all facets of the community ranging from school children to seniors, housewives to millionaires, professionals to business owners, and virtually every community organization, society, and church in the area.

     

    More than 40 years after that first meeting, and two decades after the opening of the Greek American Rehabilitation and Care Centre, John Psiharis, with substantial involvement from Dr. Elaine Thomopoulos, recounts the history of this monumental undertaking through their unique perspectives as co-founders of Greek-American Community Services and the Greek-American Nursing Home Committee, where they served as board members from inception through 2006.

    From that first meeting through construction and opening, this book, the second entry in the Hellenism in the Heartland Series, details the struggles and successes in achieving this monumental goal. The early years, rallying the community behind this effort, site selection, obtaining zoning and approvals, raising funds, arranging financing, groundbreaking, construction, and opening festivities are all covered. There were setbacks as well, ranging from Chicago politicians who offered an environmentally contaminated property in place of a promised location, to internal disagreements, opening pains, and crushing debt that needed to be urgently fixed.

     

    Through good times and bad, progress and setbacks, this diligent group persevered and navigated these challenges to accomplish the dream that many thought impossible. Of the nursing home, a newspaper of the day proclaimed: "The creation of this center united the Chicagoland Greek Americans as no other project or cause has in these times." Today, the Greek American Rehabilitation and Care Centre is consistently rated as one of the best in the state of Illinois and regularly maintains a waiting list.

     

    This book, in intimate detail, tells the story of how this monumental project came to life. John and Elaine's involvement throughout this time provide a unique vantage point for this narrative. The story is enhanced by photos and ephemera, an extensive who's who listing, and a detailed chronological history.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherGreek American Press
    Release dateDec 2, 2023
    Breaking Ground: The Inside Story of Chicago's Greek Nursing Home Movement: Hellenism in the Heartland, #2
    Working to Preserve Our Heritage: The Incredible Legacy of Greek-American Community Services: Hellenism in the Heartland, #1

    Titles in the series (2)

    • 1

      Working to Preserve Our Heritage: The Incredible Legacy of Greek-American Community Services: Hellenism in the Heartland, #1
      Working to Preserve Our Heritage: The Incredible Legacy of Greek-American Community Services: Hellenism in the Heartland, #1

      Working to Preserve Our Heritage: The Incredible Legacy of Greek-American Community Services: Hellenism in the Heartland, #1

      John P. Psiharis
      0 ratings
      0 ratings

      On a cold and snowy evening in December 1982, motivated by the lofty Hellenic ideals of philotimo and philoxenia, a diverse and dynamic group of Greek Americans launched a groundbreaking movement that forever changed the landscape of Chicago's Greek community. Forty years later, John Psiharis, with substantial involvement from Dr. Elaine Thomopoulos, the co-founders of Greek-American Community Services (GACS), recounts how this eclectic cadre of Hellenes helped ignite a renaissance in Chicago's Greek Community and heighten Greek participation within the broader community. This book, the first in the "Hellenism in the Heartland" series, meticulously details the incredible legacy of GACS, which in its day, celebrated, promoted, and preserved Greek American cultural heritage through far-ranging public programs in the arts and humanities, touched the lives of thousands through its social services, introduced adult day care as a viable care option for the community, helped build better interethnic understanding and cooperation, and gave birth to the committee that established Chicago's Greek-American Nursing Home. The early years of the Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly (CLESE), an organization GACS played a key role in launching, are also described. Extensive research and insider accounts offer a unique glimpse into the inner workings of this trailblazing organization then lauded as "a leading example of the very best our community has to offer." Enhanced with photos and ephemera, the book includes a comprehensive who's who and chronological history of GACS. The hardcover book includes a comprehensive index for easy reference.

      On a cold and snowy evening in December 1982, motivated by the lofty Hellenic ideals of philotimo and philoxenia, a diverse and dynamic group of Greek Americans launched a groundbreaking movement that forever changed the landscape of Chicago's Greek community. Forty years later, John Psiharis, with substantial involvement from Dr. Elaine Thomopoulos, the co-founders of Greek-American Community Services (GACS), recounts how this eclectic cadre of Hellenes helped ignite a renaissance in Chicago's Greek Community and heighten Greek participation within the broader community. This book, the first in the "Hellenism in the Heartland" series, meticulously details the incredible legacy of GACS, which in its day, celebrated, promoted, and preserved Greek American cultural heritage through far-ranging public programs in the arts and humanities, touched the lives of thousands through its social services, introduced adult day care as a viable care option for the community, helped build better interethnic understanding and cooperation, and gave birth to the committee that established Chicago's Greek-American Nursing Home. The early years of the Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly (CLESE), an organization GACS played a key role in launching, are also described. Extensive research and insider accounts offer a unique glimpse into the inner workings of this trailblazing organization then lauded as "a leading example of the very best our community has to offer." Enhanced with photos and ephemera, the book includes a comprehensive who's who and chronological history of GACS. The hardcover book includes a comprehensive index for easy reference.

    • 2

      Breaking Ground: The Inside Story of Chicago's Greek Nursing Home Movement: Hellenism in the Heartland, #2
      Breaking Ground: The Inside Story of Chicago's Greek Nursing Home Movement: Hellenism in the Heartland, #2

      Breaking Ground: The Inside Story of Chicago's Greek Nursing Home Movement: Hellenism in the Heartland, #2

      John Psiharis
      0 ratings
      0 ratings

      In December, 1982, a handful of Greek Americans gathered for coffee in the back room of the Elysion Restaurant, located in Chicago's Budlong Woods neighborhood, to discuss unmet community needs and what they could do to help. This eclectic but determined group included a doctor, restaurant owner, journalist, teacher, community elder, and college student.   By the end of this meeting, the seeds of what grew into Chicago's Greek American Nursing Home were born. This unprecedented community undertaking, which some thought would never come to fruition, built widespread community support that spanned the generations and involved all facets of the community ranging from school children to seniors, housewives to millionaires, professionals to business owners, and virtually every community organization, society, and church in the area.   More than 40 years after that first meeting, and two decades after the opening of the Greek American Rehabilitation and Care Centre, John Psiharis, with substantial involvement from Dr. Elaine Thomopoulos, recounts the history of this monumental undertaking through their unique perspectives as co-founders of Greek-American Community Services and the Greek-American Nursing Home Committee, where they served as board members from inception through 2006. From that first meeting through construction and opening, this book, the second entry in the Hellenism in the Heartland Series, details the struggles and successes in achieving this monumental goal. The early years, rallying the community behind this effort, site selection, obtaining zoning and approvals, raising funds, arranging financing, groundbreaking, construction, and opening festivities are all covered. There were setbacks as well, ranging from Chicago politicians who offered an environmentally contaminated property in place of a promised location, to internal disagreements, opening pains, and crushing debt that needed to be urgently fixed.   Through good times and bad, progress and setbacks, this diligent group persevered and navigated these challenges to accomplish the dream that many thought impossible. Of the nursing home, a newspaper of the day proclaimed: "The creation of this center united the Chicagoland Greek Americans as no other project or cause has in these times." Today, the Greek American Rehabilitation and Care Centre is consistently rated as one of the best in the state of Illinois and regularly maintains a waiting list.   This book, in intimate detail, tells the story of how this monumental project came to life. John and Elaine's involvement throughout this time provide a unique vantage point for this narrative. The story is enhanced by photos and ephemera, an extensive who's who listing, and a detailed chronological history.

      In December, 1982, a handful of Greek Americans gathered for coffee in the back room of the Elysion Restaurant, located in Chicago's Budlong Woods neighborhood, to discuss unmet community needs and what they could do to help. This eclectic but determined group included a doctor, restaurant owner, journalist, teacher, community elder, and college student.   By the end of this meeting, the seeds of what grew into Chicago's Greek American Nursing Home were born. This unprecedented community undertaking, which some thought would never come to fruition, built widespread community support that spanned the generations and involved all facets of the community ranging from school children to seniors, housewives to millionaires, professionals to business owners, and virtually every community organization, society, and church in the area.   More than 40 years after that first meeting, and two decades after the opening of the Greek American Rehabilitation and Care Centre, John Psiharis, with substantial involvement from Dr. Elaine Thomopoulos, recounts the history of this monumental undertaking through their unique perspectives as co-founders of Greek-American Community Services and the Greek-American Nursing Home Committee, where they served as board members from inception through 2006. From that first meeting through construction and opening, this book, the second entry in the Hellenism in the Heartland Series, details the struggles and successes in achieving this monumental goal. The early years, rallying the community behind this effort, site selection, obtaining zoning and approvals, raising funds, arranging financing, groundbreaking, construction, and opening festivities are all covered. There were setbacks as well, ranging from Chicago politicians who offered an environmentally contaminated property in place of a promised location, to internal disagreements, opening pains, and crushing debt that needed to be urgently fixed.   Through good times and bad, progress and setbacks, this diligent group persevered and navigated these challenges to accomplish the dream that many thought impossible. Of the nursing home, a newspaper of the day proclaimed: "The creation of this center united the Chicagoland Greek Americans as no other project or cause has in these times." Today, the Greek American Rehabilitation and Care Centre is consistently rated as one of the best in the state of Illinois and regularly maintains a waiting list.   This book, in intimate detail, tells the story of how this monumental project came to life. John and Elaine's involvement throughout this time provide a unique vantage point for this narrative. The story is enhanced by photos and ephemera, an extensive who's who listing, and a detailed chronological history.

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