Chicago Philanthropic Focus Turns to Youth Initiatives
Chicago's philanthropic community is focusing on youth empowerment this month, with several high-profile initiatives underway. The Urban Initiatives Soccer Ball is raising funds to support 50,000 children, while organizations like Strides for Peace continue to draw support for gun violence reduction programs.
- The 20th annual Urban Initiatives Soccer Ball recently raised over $730,000 to support sports and play programs for Chicago's youth. This funding contributes to their work with over 100,000 young people across 80+ Chicago Public School communities, focusing on social-emotional learning. - Urban Initiatives' programming extends beyond soccer, offering a "Continuum of Programming" that includes leadership development for middle schoolers and a "Coach for Success" college and career readiness program for high school students. - Key supporters of Urban Initiatives include well-known Chicago families and foundations such as Crown Family Philanthropies, The Gallagher Family, and the Polk Bros Foundation, alongside corporate partners like Nike, Inc., and PwC. - Strides for Peace recently hosted its second annual Gun Violence Prevention Expo with the theme "Legacy of Leadership: Inspiring the Next Generation to Rise," bringing together community organizations, public officials, and youth leaders. - The annual Race Against Gun Violence organized by Strides for Peace supports nearly 80 community partner organizations working to make Chicago safer. - The broader landscape of youth philanthropy in Chicago includes organizations like Youth Guidance, whose Becoming A Man® (BAM) program focuses on social-emotional support for at-risk young men and has been supported by nearly $1.1 million in funding generated alongside Thrive Chicago. - Other notable initiatives include Project: VISION, which serves youth in the Greater Chinatown community with educational and civic development programs to help them overcome barriers to success. - The Children First Fund, the foundation for Chicago Public Schools, partners with entities like the Salesforce Foundation and Chance the Rapper's SocialWorks to support district-wide priorities including arts, computer science, and leadership development.
