Cookie Decorating at TFD

For our last workshop of the semester, we closed things out with a winter-themed cookie decorating workshop led by pastry chef Bianca Huerta, who runs her own business making custom cakes and desserts.

Each participant got a box with four plain sugar cookies, icing tubes, and sprinkles. Bianca walked us through the basics of using the icing, sharing the tips and tricks along the way, while everyone followed along and added their own creativity. Near the end of the workshop, there were all different versions of cookies to see - snowflakes, trees, and different designs.

Huge thanks to Bianca for guiding us through such a fun, festive workshop, and to everyone who was a part of it!

Ornament Decorating at TFD

This workshop was facilitated by Yekseny Guerrero. The gathering began with introductions, creating a space for everyone to share a bit more about themselves. From there, Yekseny guided our neighbors into some intentional questions - inviting self-reflection and opening the door for deeper conversations.

The heart of the workshop was decorating ornaments, each becoming a canvas for expression. Colors were added to the ornament globes, speaking about the hardships that have been faced - each color representing a story. As the colors were being mixed together, each ornament was unique and created a new look for each one. Watching the colors merging reminded us that even when hardships overlap, there is always something positive in the outcome of all the negatives.

At the close of the workshop, we held space to appreciate the process and each other. We are grateful to Yekseny for leading this workshop with such care and intention as always.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.

Whistle Kits

Since November, we have been packing whistle kits for our community. These whistle kits are an accessible tool for safety and supporting our immigrant neighbors. Alongside the whistles, each kit includes resources and information. We want our community to be prepared, informed, and connected.

If you would like to request a whistle kit, please fill out this form: Whistle Kits Form

Circle Training Day 3 & 4

In our second weekend session for circle training, we shifted the focus toward individual leadership and how they wanted to lead their circle, and what that would look like. Keeping in mind what type of games would happen, and what centerpieces would be part of the healing circle. Also, going over what type of questions would be asked during these sessions. Helping prepare each person to feel confident in guiding their own circle!

Healing circles thrive when we lead with trust, intention, and care - and this training was a step forward to continuing to build spaces with trust and healing.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.

Triton College Area Planning Council Community Resource Fair

Triton College had a community resource fair and invited other organizations to be a part of it. The fair created a space for students and community members to learn more about the different organizations. At our table, TFD gave out resources and additional information about any upcoming programming happening at The Firehouse Dream. We also talked about what TFD is about and how others can get involved with volunteering or being part of the workshops, while giving away mental health kits and fidget toys. We had the chance to connect with other organizations and learn more.