Good News Sunday: Naperville family's new poutine restaurant to hire people with special needs

This is Good News Sunday, a compilation of some of the more upbeat and inspiring stories published recently by the Daily Herald:

The just-opened Chez Francois Poutinerie in Naperville offers something unique to the area.

Owner Thi Tram Nguyen's mission with the restaurant is twofold, and comes at the risk of about $300,000 her family invested. She aims to introduce poutine to the area, and she wants to provide as many employment opportunities as possible to people with special needs.

Nguyen was born in 1971 in the midst of America's involvement in the Vietnam War. Her family was forced to leave Vietnam when she was 8 and eventually found a new home in Canada. She moved to Naperville in 2013.

The restaurant is named after her son, 17-year-old Francois, who has autism and attends Naperville Central High School. Nguyen hopes the Poutinerie becomes the launching point for her son's career in the restaurant business as she helps others in similar situations.

“(Francois) grew up as a normal kid and was in the same classes with all the other kids,” Nguyen said. “But at 22, when he ages out of the school system, there's nothing for him. No one's going to hire him, so this was perfect.”

A large percentage of her crew will consist of 20 people with special needs she's trained to make poutine.

For the full story, click here.

Schaumburg police starts mobile response unit for mental health care

Schaumburg police are preparing to deploy what is believed to be the suburbs' first mobile response unit to serve as an alternative to traditional law enforcement for crisis situations and other calls involving mental health issues and substance misuse.

Police Chief Bill Wolf said the program, funded with $340,000 in federal money, represents the next step in the merging of social services and law enforcement responsibilities. The hope is that it will evolve into a multijurisdictional resource for other communities in the area.

“This is something unique,” Wolf said. “We're very lucky in Schaumburg to have three full-time social workers as is. This is a way for us to get out in the community. We're basically looking at people who are in crisis. Our goal is to have the social workers dealing directly with the people who are in crisis immediately.”

The program not only will provide greater outreach, but help cater to clients with transportation issues, including homeless people, Wolf added.

Among the police department's partners on the project is the Elk Grove Village Cares program, which provides assistance to those battling substance misuse; the Start Here Addiction Rehabilitation and Education (SHARE) program based in Hoffman Estates; the Kenneth Young Center in Elk Grove Village; and Live4Lali in Arlington Heights.

Funding for the vehicle and the added staffing needed to operate initially will come entirely from federal dollars secured by Democratic U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg.

For the full story, click here.

Elgin offers residents free 'Block Party in a Box'

Elgin is looking to bring the party to the people with a new initiative designed to help promote neighborhood gatherings and a stronger sense of community.

The city's new “Block Party in a Box” is a mobile trailer full of stuff that might have to be rented or scrounged up from multiple neighbors to hold a party - tents, folding tables, chairs, street barricades, games and more.

The trailer is free to reserve, and the city handles drop-off and pickup.

The idea came from Elgin City Council member Dustin Good, who proposed it during last year's budgeting process. Good had been hearing from residents that they wanted ways to improve their block parties without having to purchase multiple items they may never use again.

“My hope is that Elgin residents throw block parties, not just to celebrate good food, music and conversations, but to also use these events as a catalyst toward building stronger neighborhoods,” Good said in a news release.

For the full story, click here.

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