Who Are We?
Comprehensive Community Solutions, is 501(c)(3) a non-profit, tax-exempt agency 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.
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
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.
