Who Are We?
Comprehensive Community Solutions, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization founded in 1992 BY A PROBATION OFFICER NAMED KERRY KNODLE. Originally formed to provide community-based services to individuals in the criminal justice system, the agency has grown to include a diversied array of human service and affordable housing programs, giving life to its motto:
“Building Human Capital, Communities and Affordable Housing”
Our Mission
Comprehensive Community Solutions, Inc. is an organization that drives the fundamental transformation of neighborhoods, communities, and the circumstances of those who reside there through the facilitation of workforce development that leads to a sustainable wage, meaningful community engagement, and affordable housing.
Our VISION
At Comprehensive Community Solutions, we see a future where each person has the chance to make a positive impact in their community. Together, we form the heart of that community.
CORE Values
Partnership: Participating in the collective efforts of the entire community through communication, collaboration, and teamwork to drive fundamental transformation.
Respect: Showing value for our customers, partners, and each other by acknowledging the potential to achieve and maintaining an attitude of empathy.
Accountability: Owning our ability to determine our outcomes and accepting our responsibility to be impactful.
Intentional Growth: Being strategic about our choices, innovative in our efforts, and mission-driven in actions.
Curiosity: Driven by a desire to better understand our customers, partners, and each other so that we are open-minded in our service.
Leadership & Service: Taking an active role in developing, implementing, and sustaining a solution(s) to opportunities within our reach.
What We’ve Achieved
1992: Incorporated as Midwest Correctional Services.
1992-96: Operated first county Electronic Monitoring Program.
1992-96: Established offices in the former IBM Building, then to Short Elm and Avon.
1992-96: Pilot Youth Offender Program.
1992-96: First YouthBuild Grant.
1992-96: AmeriCorps affiliation.
1997-2001: Began Step Up and Youth Offender Programs.
1997-2001: Certified as a Community Housing Development Organization.
1997-2001: Began work on building a 26 unit subdivision called Lincoln Wood Estates.
1997-2001: State YouthBuild Coalition funds began.
1997-2001: Passed Illinois YouthBuild Act in General Assembly.
1997-2001: Changed company name to Comprehensive Community Solutions.
1997-2001: Merged with Project Welcome Home.
2002-2006: Moved into the South Main Street Campus (Previously the Motts Brothers Buildings).
2002-2006: Began International Exchange Program with Germany. Sent a delegation of Staff and Youth to Germany for a couple of weeks.
2002-2006: Opened the ReUse Store
2002-2006: Began work on second subdivision call Lincoln Wood Estates II.
2002-2006: Launched Rockford On Board Monopoly style board game.
2002-2006: Opened Neighborhood Tool Bank that allowed community members to check out garden tools like a library to tend to their own gardens.
YouthBuild Rockford was recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Promising and Effective Practices Network (PEPNet) as one of 14 programs nationally that demonstrated effectiveness in preparing youth for jobs and independent learning.
Recipient of a John J. Gunther Blue Ribbon Best Practices Award from the US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development. This award honors programs that show a significant positive impact on those they serve, are replicable, establish partnerships with the government, other nonprofits, and the private sector, and use creativity in addressing a problem.
With YouthBuild as Comprehensive Community Solutions flagship program, CCS has served out-of-school and at-risk youth since 1994 and has managed a total of eleven (11) HUD YouthBuild grants and seven (7) Department of Labor YouthBuild grants (2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019).
National City Children’s Champion Award. Recognized by both the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor as demonstrating exemplary practices in the teaching of workplace skills and competencies.
YouthBuild USA Affiliated Network (one of the first four nationally to become accredited).
CCS has built or rehabbed over 120 houses within the city of Rockford. This includes two subdivisions on the city’s westside called Lincoln Wood Estates I & II, 55 units of housing completed by our YouthBuild Rockford Trainees.
CCS has demonstrated the capacity to leverage and manage the following Federal and non-Federal grants that include: US Department of Labor (USDOL): Youth Offender Demonstration Project, Offender Reentry Program, Workforce Investment Act (WIA); US Housing & Urban Development (HUD): YouthBuild and HOME Investment Partnership; State Grants: Illinois Housing Development Authority, the Illinois Department of Human Services, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, AmeriCorps; Local Grants: the Winnebago County Criminal Justice System, United Way, and numerous private funders.
2007-2011: Urban Agriculture Program Starts and first steps are taken for a community garden on campus.
2007-2011: Began CCS’s Weatherization Training Program.
2012-2017: The RockForWork program was established at CCS by a DOL Face Forward grant.
2012-2017: Residential Weatherization program begins at CCS and is deemed one of the best in the state.
2012-2017: Became certified Deconstruction contractor.
2012-2017: Deconstruction Training program begins.
2012-2017: Blight Reduction Program begins.
2012-2017: Topped 1,000 applications for YouthBuild Rockford.
2018: Comprehensive Community Solutions Founder, Kerry Knodle retires.
2020: YouthBuild Rockford graduate of 2002, William Chatman, becomes Executive Director/CEO of Comprehensive Community Solutions.
2021: The RockForWork program was reestablished at CCS with funding from DCEO and IYIP grants.
2021: The Advance Learning Program for Higher Achievements (ALPHA) was created and funding was established through the R3 grant from ICJIA.
2021-2024: Main office building remodeled with grants from: Representative Maurice West II, Mayor Tom McNamara, and State Senator Steve Stadelman.
2022: Established CCS’s annual Back 2 School Bash providing free hair cuts, physicals, book bags, school supplies, food, and entertainment.
2022: YouthBuild Rockford Graduate of 2000, Antonio Ramirez II, becomes the first YouthBuild Rockford graduate to serve as Chair of the CCS Board of Directors.
2023: The Alive & Free trauma based therapy program was established with funding from IDHS.
2023: US Senator Tammy Duckworth and 2 charter buses of her staff visited CCS to partner with CCS staff and Winnebago County Housing Authority staff in community service projects and team building.
2024: Main office building painted according to the agency colors of Blue and Yellow.
2024: Main office building roof top converted to solar to power the campus.
2024: CCS joined the South Main Mercado Committee to help host the South Main Mercado event which closed down south main for the first time in 20 years and pulled over 5,000 community members to the south main corridor to celebrate the Latino Culture with food, entertainment, and vendors.
2025: CCS certified as a trainer for Solar Installation and establishes its first Solar Training Program.
