Dick Durbin: “I want to take a few minutes to thank Thomas Vanden Berk for his extraordinary service to the city of Chicago. Tom has…”

“I want to take a few minutes to thank Thomas Vanden Berk for his extraordinary service to the city of Chicago. Tom has spent 40 years devoted to one cause: improving the lives of Chicago's most vulnerable by working with children and families who have been abused, neglected, and traumatized. Earlier this year, Tom announced he would be retiring as chief executive officer of the Uhlich Children's Advantage network, UCAN. In 1987, when Tom joined UCAN, it was a small shelter housing 50 boys and girls, operating under a $1.7 million budget and on the verge of closing. Under Tom's direction, UCAN grew into a multifaceted and financially sound shelter focusing on child welfare programs, violence prevention, and strategies for combating gun violence. Today UCAN is a leading child welfare organization in Chicago with a new $41 million campus providing a full continuum of over 30 programs, servicing more than 10,000 people every year. Tom's been the recipient of numerous awards, including the ``Friend of Child'' award from the Illinois Council on Training; Peace Leader Award from the Illinois Council for the Prevention of Violence; and the Council for Health and Human Service Ministries Executive of the Year award. Through Tom's creative leadership and hard work, UCAN has become a vital sanctuary for young people, providing security and healing for those who have suffered trauma.…”