History
Cara was founded in 1991 by Tom Owens. Tom was an entrepreneur and philanthropist who had retired early and, after being inspired by the good work of Mother Teresa, dedicated himself to empowering adults affected by homelessness and poverty to find quality employment. Our first office was Tom's car as he went from shelter to shelter, meeting people in need and introducing them to friends he had made in the business world in the hope of helping them find work. Tom chose the name Cara, which is Old Irish for friend, because it was his belief that when we're facing a challenge in life, we can always overcome it with the help of a friend. Today, Cara has evolved into a best-in-class job training and placement provider for people living in homelessness and poverty and a vehicle for true life transformation. We have placed more than 6,500 individuals into more than 10,000 quality jobs at one-year, same-company retention rates of 70% or better for permanent and long-term placements.
Specialties
Cara's mission is to unlock the power and purpose within our communities and ourselves to create real and lasting success. Through its personal and professional skills training and access to employment opportunities, Cara serves as a leader of poverty alleviation in Chicago and beyond. Since 1991, Cara has placed more than 6,500 individuals into 10,000 quality jobs.