Events & Activities Calendar

Join CIF staff to cook lunch and bake a dessert together! When the cooking is done we will share our wonderful meal, clean up and hang out together!

Location: HUB 930, 930 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL, 60202. Please enter through the gate on the side of the building.

$125 for 5 events

Please note that the event end time has changed to 1:00 pm.

Minimum Enrollment: 7. Maximum Enrollment: 10

Join Art Encounter teaching artist Val McCune at the Noyes Cultural Center, where she will coach you to channel your inner artist.  The activities will range from viewing and discussing art to engaging in hands-on, creative projects.

You will be presented with a theme of art exploration and will have the opportunity to display their interpretation of that theme followed by an explanation of their piece. All art materials will be provided by Art Encounter.

We will meet at the Noyes Cultural Center, 927 Noyes Street, Evanston, IL 60201. Sessions will be from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm. 

If you would like help planning your way to the Noyes Cultural Center at 927 Noyes Street in Evanston, please call Jeff at (224) 545-3925.

Comic Book Club, where the comics come alive! We will work with facilitators Jake and Joanna to choose which comics to explore. We will read the comics together at each gathering.

Please note that we will not meet in October.

Location: CIF office, 1015 Davis Street, Evanston, IL 60201. 

$20 for 2 events.

Minimum enrollment: 5

Walking Club walks or plays games – depending on the weather! The group will decide whether we walk or play games such as Uno or Yahtzee.

The activity is free and will meet on Fridays from 10:30 to 11:30 am.

Please note that we will not meet on November 29.

Location: 1015 Davis St, Evanston, IL 60201

This group will be led by professional live musical theater actor, Jacob Hoffman and a staff member. “Each class, we will spend time celebrating and learning more about America’s greatest invention: Musical Theater.

Participants will explore musicals and their connection to other forms of entertainment. How does the Wizard of Oz influence its modern sibling, The Wiz? How do modern movie musicals borrow from their live counterparts? We will travel from musical theater’s infancy in the 1940s all the way to today’s hits, with fun trivia, guest appearances, and scene study sprinkled in along the way.

Writing exercises, small group sharing, in-session viewings, and Zoom sing-a-longs will make for a time you won’t soon forget!”  Jacob

Fridays, 7:15 PM – 8:15 PM. 

The fee is $120 for 6 events.

Please note that we will not meet on November 20 and December 27.

If you were registered for the Summer session of Musical Theater Appreciation Group, you may attend a makeup event on October 11 that was rescheduled from September 27. For those enrolling in the Fall quarter who were not registered for the Summer session, the next Musical Theater Appreciation Group event is scheduled for November 3.

Minimum enrollment: 7

HeARTwords is a creative writing workshop facilitated by Joe Jackson and Paul Fields. HeARTwords is a safe space to express your emotions, thoughts, stories, etc. in a variety of formats. Be the ART. A playground for the mind, a sanctuary for the heart.

On December 14, heARTwords will have a holiday celebration.

The fee is $40 for 5 events.

Saturdays, 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM. 

Questions? Call Jeff at (224) 545-3925.

Join us for fun-filled Bingo with friends! You could be a lucky bingo winner! Everyone registered will be emailed a link to their bingo card at the beginning of each event.

The minimum enrollment for this activity is 5.

Please note that the start time has been changed from 12:00 pm to 11:00 am.

Should you have any questions, please call Jeff at (224) 545-3925.

We will share our favorite music with each other! This group is an excellent opportunity to find new music to love! All genres of music are welcome. Please join Jeff for these events. It will be a blast!!!

New Time!!! Sundays, 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM.

The minimum enrollment for this activity is 5.

Paul will host our yoga classes at Evanston Athletic Club and on Zoom at the same time. Evanston Athletic Club has generously provided us with a yoga studio to use. Please check in at the front desk if you attend class at the club.

Location: Zoom or the Evanston Athletic Club, 1723 Benson St, Evanston.

Mondays, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Walking Club walks or plays games – depending on the weather! The group will decide whether we walk or play games, such as Uno, Yahtzee, or Bingo!

Please note that we will not meet on December 25 and 31.

The location is 1015 Davis Street, Evanston, IL.

This activity is FREE.

Looking for a chance to relax and laugh with others? Come to Social Hour on Zoom, where good vibes and great conversations await.

This activity is FREE.

Please note that we will not meet on December 25.

Calling all writers! Do you like to write poetry? Do you like to learn about different types of poems? Do you sometimes sit down to write, but then find yourself wondering where to begin? Have you never written poetry before but would like to start?

Then join us at Poetry Plus! We meet on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. We alternate topics every week — one week we will focus on crafting a specific poetic form, and the next week we’ll have Freestyle Night where we get a list of different prompts and write whichever ones we’d like in whatever way we choose. We will share our newly written poems throughout the meeting. Can’t make every single meeting? No problem! Each week is different, so if you have to miss here and there, you can still join in and not feel like you’re behind on anything. At the end of each evening, we will take some time for anyone who wants to share something they have written outside of Poetry Plus with the group.

Please note that we will not meet on October and December 25.

Join us for fun-filled Bingo with friends! You could be a lucky bingo winner! Everyone registered will be emailed a link to their bingo card at the beginning of each event.

The minimum enrollment for this activity is 5.

Please note that the start time has been changed from 12:00 pm to 11:00 am.

Should you have any questions, please call Jeff at (224) 545-3925.

We will share our favorite music with each other! This group is an excellent opportunity to find new music to love! All genres of music are welcome. Please join Jeff for these events. It will be a blast!!!

New Time!!! Sundays, 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM.

The minimum enrollment for this activity is 5.

Paul will host our yoga classes at Evanston Athletic Club and on Zoom at the same time. Evanston Athletic Club has generously provided us with a yoga studio to use. Please check in at the front desk if you attend class at the club.

Location: Zoom or the Evanston Athletic Club, 1723 Benson St, Evanston.

Mondays, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

We are happy to be collaborating with Evanston Public Library to offer our Book Club. 

The Library staff will be facilitating the Book Club. Participants may volunteer to read aloud to the group. The group will discuss what they read each week. This quarter we’ll read “The Kingdom of Sweets” by Erika Johansen. Its a science fiction/dystopian retelling of “The Nutcracker”.

Please note that on December 23, the group will meet for an extra hour (5:00 to 7:30 pm). 

Also note that we will not meet on October 7 and November 25.

Walking Club walks or plays games – depending on the weather! The group will decide whether we walk or play games, such as Uno, Yahtzee, or Bingo!

Please note that we will not meet on December 25 and 31.

The location is 1015 Davis Street, Evanston, IL.

This activity is FREE.

Looking for a chance to relax and laugh with others? Come to Social Hour on Zoom, where good vibes and great conversations await.

This activity is FREE.

Please note that we will not meet on December 25.

Calling all writers! Do you like to write poetry? Do you like to learn about different types of poems? Do you sometimes sit down to write, but then find yourself wondering where to begin? Have you never written poetry before but would like to start?

Then join us at Poetry Plus! We meet on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. We alternate topics every week — one week we will focus on crafting a specific poetic form, and the next week we’ll have Freestyle Night where we get a list of different prompts and write whichever ones we’d like in whatever way we choose. We will share our newly written poems throughout the meeting. Can’t make every single meeting? No problem! Each week is different, so if you have to miss here and there, you can still join in and not feel like you’re behind on anything. At the end of each evening, we will take some time for anyone who wants to share something they have written outside of Poetry Plus with the group.

Please note that we will not meet on October and December 25.

Join CIF staff to cook lunch and bake a dessert together! When the cooking is done we will share our wonderful meal, clean up and hang out together!

Location: HUB 930, 930 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL, 60202. Please enter through the gate on the side of the building.

$125 for 5 events

Please note that the event end time has changed to 1:00 pm.

Minimum Enrollment: 7. Maximum Enrollment: 10

Join us in watching and discussing Japanese productions called Anime. Facilitator Sheila Serota supports the group in choosing which series to view together.

The fee is $30 for 3 events.

Thursdays: October 24, November 7 and December 5.

Minimum enrollment: 5, In-Person and Zoom

Location: Zoom or the CIF office at 1015 Davis St, Evanston, IL 60201

Should you have any questions, please call Jeff at (224) 545-3925.

Join Art Encounter teaching artist Val McCune at the Noyes Cultural Center, where she will coach you to channel your inner artist.  The activities will range from viewing and discussing art to engaging in hands-on, creative projects.

You will be presented with a theme of art exploration and will have the opportunity to display their interpretation of that theme followed by an explanation of their piece. All art materials will be provided by Art Encounter.

We will meet at the Noyes Cultural Center, 927 Noyes Street, Evanston, IL 60201. Sessions will be from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm. 

If you would like help planning your way to the Noyes Cultural Center at 927 Noyes Street in Evanston, please call Jeff at (224) 545-3925.

Walking Club walks or plays games – depending on the weather! The group will decide whether we walk or play games such as Uno or Yahtzee.

The activity is free and will meet on Fridays from 10:30 to 11:30 am.

Please note that we will not meet on November 29.

Location: 1015 Davis St, Evanston, IL 60201

This group will be led by professional live musical theater actor, Jacob Hoffman and a staff member. “Each class, we will spend time celebrating and learning more about America’s greatest invention: Musical Theater.

Participants will explore musicals and their connection to other forms of entertainment. How does the Wizard of Oz influence its modern sibling, The Wiz? How do modern movie musicals borrow from their live counterparts? We will travel from musical theater’s infancy in the 1940s all the way to today’s hits, with fun trivia, guest appearances, and scene study sprinkled in along the way.

Writing exercises, small group sharing, in-session viewings, and Zoom sing-a-longs will make for a time you won’t soon forget!”  Jacob

Fridays, 7:15 PM – 8:15 PM. 

The fee is $120 for 6 events.

Please note that we will not meet on November 20 and December 27.

If you were registered for the Summer session of Musical Theater Appreciation Group, you may attend a makeup event on October 11 that was rescheduled from September 27. For those enrolling in the Fall quarter who were not registered for the Summer session, the next Musical Theater Appreciation Group event is scheduled for November 3.

Minimum enrollment: 7

Join us for fun-filled Bingo with friends! You could be a lucky bingo winner! Everyone registered will be emailed a link to their bingo card at the beginning of each event.

The minimum enrollment for this activity is 5.

Please note that the start time has been changed from 12:00 pm to 11:00 am.

Should you have any questions, please call Jeff at (224) 545-3925.

We will share our favorite music with each other! This group is an excellent opportunity to find new music to love! All genres of music are welcome. Please join Jeff for these events. It will be a blast!!!

New Time!!! Sundays, 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM.

The minimum enrollment for this activity is 5.

Paul will host our yoga classes at Evanston Athletic Club and on Zoom at the same time. Evanston Athletic Club has generously provided us with a yoga studio to use. Please check in at the front desk if you attend class at the club.

Location: Zoom or the Evanston Athletic Club, 1723 Benson St, Evanston.

Mondays, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

We are happy to be collaborating with Evanston Public Library to offer our Book Club. 

The Library staff will be facilitating the Book Club. Participants may volunteer to read aloud to the group. The group will discuss what they read each week. This quarter we’ll read “The Kingdom of Sweets” by Erika Johansen. Its a science fiction/dystopian retelling of “The Nutcracker”.

Please note that on December 23, the group will meet for an extra hour (5:00 to 7:30 pm). 

Also note that we will not meet on October 7 and November 25.

NEW TIME! We will bowl from 7:00 to 8:00 pm. We hope that starting Bowling at 7:00 will give anyone who wants time to attend Book Club on Zoom and then get to Wilmette Bowling Center by 7:00. If you need assistance planning your transportation to and from the bowling alley, please call Jeff Morthorst at 224.545.3925.

The fee for 3 events is $75.

NEW TIME! The dates are Mondays 7:00 to 8:00 pm on October 21, November 11 and December 9.

Minimum enrollment is 12, and maximum enrollment is 20.

Location: Wilmette Bowling Center, 1903 Schiller Ave, Wilmette, IL 60091.

Walking Club walks or plays games – depending on the weather! The group will decide whether we walk or play games, such as Uno, Yahtzee, or Bingo!

Please note that we will not meet on December 25 and 31.

The location is 1015 Davis Street, Evanston, IL.

This activity is FREE.

Ignite the holiday spirit and celebrate by joining us to stroll through the Chicago Botanic Garden’s renowned musical, holiday light show! We will meet at the CIF office at 5:15. Please eat dinner before arriving. From the office, we will travel as a group using public transportation to the Chicago Botanic Garden. Please bring your transit card. When we’re done enjoying the displays, we will use public transportation together to return to the CIF office. We expect to arrive back at the office between 8:30 and 9:00 pm.

Tickets are $20 and are limited  and available on a first come first served basis.

Beginning and ending location: 1015 Davis St, Evanston, IL 60201 

Looking for a chance to relax and laugh with others? Come to Social Hour on Zoom, where good vibes and great conversations await.

This activity is FREE.

Please note that we will not meet on December 25.

Calling all writers! Do you like to write poetry? Do you like to learn about different types of poems? Do you sometimes sit down to write, but then find yourself wondering where to begin? Have you never written poetry before but would like to start?

Then join us at Poetry Plus! We meet on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. We alternate topics every week — one week we will focus on crafting a specific poetic form, and the next week we’ll have Freestyle Night where we get a list of different prompts and write whichever ones we’d like in whatever way we choose. We will share our newly written poems throughout the meeting. Can’t make every single meeting? No problem! Each week is different, so if you have to miss here and there, you can still join in and not feel like you’re behind on anything. At the end of each evening, we will take some time for anyone who wants to share something they have written outside of Poetry Plus with the group.

Please note that we will not meet on October and December 25.

Join CIF staff to cook lunch and bake a dessert together! When the cooking is done we will share our wonderful meal, clean up and hang out together!

Location: HUB 930, 930 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL, 60202. Please enter through the gate on the side of the building.

$125 for 5 events

Please note that the event end time has changed to 1:00 pm.

Minimum Enrollment: 7. Maximum Enrollment: 10

Comic Book Club, where the comics come alive! We will work with facilitators Jake and Joanna to choose which comics to explore. We will read the comics together at each gathering.

Please note that we will not meet in October.

Location: CIF office, 1015 Davis Street, Evanston, IL 60201. 

$20 for 2 events.

Minimum enrollment: 5

Walking Club walks or plays games – depending on the weather! The group will decide whether we walk or play games such as Uno or Yahtzee.

The activity is free and will meet on Fridays from 10:30 to 11:30 am.

Please note that we will not meet on November 29.

Location: 1015 Davis St, Evanston, IL 60201

This group will be led by professional live musical theater actor, Jacob Hoffman and a staff member. “Each class, we will spend time celebrating and learning more about America’s greatest invention: Musical Theater.

Participants will explore musicals and their connection to other forms of entertainment. How does the Wizard of Oz influence its modern sibling, The Wiz? How do modern movie musicals borrow from their live counterparts? We will travel from musical theater’s infancy in the 1940s all the way to today’s hits, with fun trivia, guest appearances, and scene study sprinkled in along the way.

Writing exercises, small group sharing, in-session viewings, and Zoom sing-a-longs will make for a time you won’t soon forget!”  Jacob

Fridays, 7:15 PM – 8:15 PM. 

The fee is $120 for 6 events.

Please note that we will not meet on November 20 and December 27.

If you were registered for the Summer session of Musical Theater Appreciation Group, you may attend a makeup event on October 11 that was rescheduled from September 27. For those enrolling in the Fall quarter who were not registered for the Summer session, the next Musical Theater Appreciation Group event is scheduled for November 3.

Minimum enrollment: 7

HeARTwords is a creative writing workshop facilitated by Joe Jackson and Paul Fields. HeARTwords is a safe space to express your emotions, thoughts, stories, etc. in a variety of formats. Be the ART. A playground for the mind, a sanctuary for the heart.

On December 14, heARTwords will have a holiday celebration.

The fee is $40 for 5 events.

Saturdays, 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM. 

Questions? Call Jeff at (224) 545-3925.

Join us for fun-filled Bingo with friends! You could be a lucky bingo winner! Everyone registered will be emailed a link to their bingo card at the beginning of each event.

The minimum enrollment for this activity is 5.

Please note that the start time has been changed from 12:00 pm to 11:00 am.

Should you have any questions, please call Jeff at (224) 545-3925.

We will share our favorite music with each other! This group is an excellent opportunity to find new music to love! All genres of music are welcome. Please join Jeff for these events. It will be a blast!!!

New Time!!! Sundays, 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM.

The minimum enrollment for this activity is 5.

Paul will host our yoga classes at Evanston Athletic Club and on Zoom at the same time. Evanston Athletic Club has generously provided us with a yoga studio to use. Please check in at the front desk if you attend class at the club.

Location: Zoom or the Evanston Athletic Club, 1723 Benson St, Evanston.

Mondays, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

We are happy to be collaborating with Evanston Public Library to offer our Book Club. 

The Library staff will be facilitating the Book Club. Participants may volunteer to read aloud to the group. The group will discuss what they read each week. This quarter we’ll read “The Kingdom of Sweets” by Erika Johansen. Its a science fiction/dystopian retelling of “The Nutcracker”.

Please note that on December 23, the group will meet for an extra hour (5:00 to 7:30 pm). 

Also note that we will not meet on October 7 and November 25.

Walking Club walks or plays games – depending on the weather! The group will decide whether we walk or play games, such as Uno, Yahtzee, or Bingo!

Please note that we will not meet on December 25 and 31.

The location is 1015 Davis Street, Evanston, IL.

This activity is FREE.

Looking for a chance to relax and laugh with others? Come to Social Hour on Zoom, where good vibes and great conversations await.

This activity is FREE.

Please note that we will not meet on December 25.

Calling all writers! Do you like to write poetry? Do you like to learn about different types of poems? Do you sometimes sit down to write, but then find yourself wondering where to begin? Have you never written poetry before but would like to start?

Then join us at Poetry Plus! We meet on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. We alternate topics every week — one week we will focus on crafting a specific poetic form, and the next week we’ll have Freestyle Night where we get a list of different prompts and write whichever ones we’d like in whatever way we choose. We will share our newly written poems throughout the meeting. Can’t make every single meeting? No problem! Each week is different, so if you have to miss here and there, you can still join in and not feel like you’re behind on anything. At the end of each evening, we will take some time for anyone who wants to share something they have written outside of Poetry Plus with the group.

Please note that we will not meet on October and December 25.

Looking for a chance to relax and laugh with othes? Come to our Social Hour, where good vibes and great conversations await.

Enrollment is limited to 30 people. Minimum: 7

Thursdays, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.

This activity is FREE.

Location: Center for Independent Futures office 1015 Davis St., Evanston

Join Art Encounter teaching artist Val McCune at the Noyes Cultural Center, where she will coach you to channel your inner artist.  The activities will range from viewing and discussing art to engaging in hands-on, creative projects.

You will be presented with a theme of art exploration and will have the opportunity to display their interpretation of that theme followed by an explanation of their piece. All art materials will be provided by Art Encounter.

We will meet at the Noyes Cultural Center, 927 Noyes Street, Evanston, IL 60201. Sessions will be from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm. 

If you would like help planning your way to the Noyes Cultural Center at 927 Noyes Street in Evanston, please call Jeff at (224) 545-3925.

Walking Club walks or plays games – depending on the weather! The group will decide whether we walk or play games such as Uno or Yahtzee.

The activity is free and will meet on Fridays from 10:30 to 11:30 am.

Please note that we will not meet on November 29.

Location: 1015 Davis St, Evanston, IL 60201

This group will be led by professional live musical theater actor, Jacob Hoffman and a staff member. “Each class, we will spend time celebrating and learning more about America’s greatest invention: Musical Theater.

Participants will explore musicals and their connection to other forms of entertainment. How does the Wizard of Oz influence its modern sibling, The Wiz? How do modern movie musicals borrow from their live counterparts? We will travel from musical theater’s infancy in the 1940s all the way to today’s hits, with fun trivia, guest appearances, and scene study sprinkled in along the way.

Writing exercises, small group sharing, in-session viewings, and Zoom sing-a-longs will make for a time you won’t soon forget!”  Jacob

Fridays, 7:15 PM – 8:15 PM. 

The fee is $120 for 6 events.

Please note that we will not meet on November 20 and December 27.

If you were registered for the Summer session of Musical Theater Appreciation Group, you may attend a makeup event on October 11 that was rescheduled from September 27. For those enrolling in the Fall quarter who were not registered for the Summer session, the next Musical Theater Appreciation Group event is scheduled for November 3.

Minimum enrollment: 7

Join us for fun-filled Bingo with friends! You could be a lucky bingo winner! Everyone registered will be emailed a link to their bingo card at the beginning of each event.

The minimum enrollment for this activity is 5.

Please note that the start time has been changed from 12:00 pm to 11:00 am.

Should you have any questions, please call Jeff at (224) 545-3925.

We will share our favorite music with each other! This group is an excellent opportunity to find new music to love! All genres of music are welcome. Please join Jeff for these events. It will be a blast!!!

New Time!!! Sundays, 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM.

The minimum enrollment for this activity is 5.

Paul will host our yoga classes at Evanston Athletic Club and on Zoom at the same time. Evanston Athletic Club has generously provided us with a yoga studio to use. Please check in at the front desk if you attend class at the club.

Location: Zoom or the Evanston Athletic Club, 1723 Benson St, Evanston.

Mondays, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

We are happy to be collaborating with Evanston Public Library to offer our Book Club. 

The Library staff will be facilitating the Book Club. Participants may volunteer to read aloud to the group. The group will discuss what they read each week. This quarter we’ll read “The Kingdom of Sweets” by Erika Johansen. Its a science fiction/dystopian retelling of “The Nutcracker”.

Please note that on December 23, the group will meet for an extra hour (5:00 to 7:30 pm). 

Also note that we will not meet on October 7 and November 25.

Walking Club walks or plays games – depending on the weather! The group will decide whether we walk or play games such as Uno or Yahtzee.

The activity is free and will meet on Fridays from 10:30 to 11:30 am.

Please note that we will not meet on November 29.

Location: 1015 Davis St, Evanston, IL 60201

Join us for fun-filled Bingo with friends! You could be a lucky bingo winner! Everyone registered will be emailed a link to their bingo card at the beginning of each event.

The minimum enrollment for this activity is 5.

Please note that the start time has been changed from 12:00 pm to 11:00 am.

Should you have any questions, please call Jeff at (224) 545-3925.

We will share our favorite music with each other! This group is an excellent opportunity to find new music to love! All genres of music are welcome. Please join Jeff for these events. It will be a blast!!!

New Time!!! Sundays, 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM.

The minimum enrollment for this activity is 5.

Paul will host our yoga classes at Evanston Athletic Club and on Zoom at the same time. Evanston Athletic Club has generously provided us with a yoga studio to use. Please check in at the front desk if you attend class at the club.

Location: Zoom or the Evanston Athletic Club, 1723 Benson St, Evanston.

Mondays, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

We are happy to be collaborating with Evanston Public Library to offer our Book Club. 

The Library staff will be facilitating the Book Club. Participants may volunteer to read aloud to the group. The group will discuss what they read each week. This quarter we’ll read “The Kingdom of Sweets” by Erika Johansen. Its a science fiction/dystopian retelling of “The Nutcracker”.

Please note that on December 23, the group will meet for an extra hour (5:00 to 7:30 pm). 

Also note that we will not meet on October 7 and November 25.