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The Inspiration Corporation is a nonprofit organization that provides social services, employment training and housing to homeless people in order to improve their quality of life and increase self sufficiency. Inspiration Corporation assists more than 3,000 people and families affected by homelessness each year. Many programs such as the Inspiration Café and Inspiration Kitchens provide food and employment opportunities to the homeless.

History
Inspiration Corporation originally started as a small operation called Inspiration Café. Inspiration Café was founded in 1989 by Lisa Nigro. She started by pulling a red wagon full of homemade sandwiches and coffee to the homeless throughout the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago. The operation grew to a point where she used a van and then a food truck. Eventually as word spread, she was offered a six month lease to a building on Wilson Avenue and turned it into Inspiration Café. The café became a place where homeless could eat in a restaurant setting at no cost. Another restaurant on Chicago’s South Side, The Living Room Cafe, was created by Jennifer Kihm, a former intern at Inspiration Café. Another organization, The Employment Project, founded by Luke Weisberg, provided homeless and low-income Chicagoans with employment training, career counseling and job placement. In 2003, The Living Room Café, Inspiration Cafe and The Employment Project joined together to become Inspiration Corporation, with the goal of providing meals and supportive services to people in need.

The Employment Project
The Employment Project offers employment preparation training, career services and job placement to homeless and low-income individuals throughout Chicago. Through partnerships with various organizations in the Chicago area the Employment Project also provides training to youth, people living with AIDS, ex-offenders, and other homeless and low-income job seekers.

Healthy Living
The Healthy Living program provides various support groups to men and women including Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings. It also provides referrals for healthcare services such as eye exams, dental exams, haircuts and general medical services. Wellness classes are also offered through the Healthy Living program and include anger and stress management classes as well as nutrition education.