Welcome to C.L.E.S.E.

 Advocacy, Leadership and Education…

CLESE is committed to a vision of equal access to services for all elderly, regardless of ethnicity or language. As a coalition, CLESE works to increase awareness of the needs, rights, and unique contributions of limited-English-speaking elderly and the community-based organizations that serve them.

 CLESE promotes understanding, sensitivity, and insight into culturally diverse communities. CLESE is a resource to ethnic agencies by providing assistance and information. Fifty one community-based ethnic organizations can be reached by contacting CLESE.

CLESE is advocating for equal access to services through contract agreements with the Illinois Dept on Aging for CLESE Community Care Program Providers. Twenty two CLESE member agencies provide In-Home and Adult Day Service Programs to seniors in their own native languages.

CLESE improves the English skills of elderly through the Bright Ideas project, a model of effective community-based English literacy instruction for low-literate elderly. The project produces written and video curriculum that focuses on the immigrants’ own lives.

CLESE builds strong connections between ethnic service providers and state and government agencies:

Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly (CLESE)
53 West Jackson, Suite 1301 – Chicago, IL 60604
312-461-0812  /  312-461-1466 (fax) / info@clese.org