Every year the 2024 Chicago Marathon is a celebration of joy, community, and the power of play, drawing thousands of people out for the fun. Yet, in the very neighborhoods that host this iconic event, many Chicago youth and families still lack access to sports and play opportunities. This year, our Charity team is lacing…
Urban Initiatives Program Director Brendan McAlpine shares his thoughts on National Mentoring Month National Mentoring Month, just celebrated in January, is a reminder to think about the significance of mentoring relationships and the many forms mentoring takes. At Urban Initiatives, mentoring plays a powerful role in everything we do. Many people might typically think of…
Urban Initiatives celebrated it best Soccer Ball to date – raising $480,000 in support of Urban Initiatives’ sports based youth development programming that serves over 16,500 boys and girls throughout 41 Chicago Public Schools. The West Loop’s newest event space Morgan Manufacturing saw host emcee Carmen DeFalco welcome over 1,000 guests as they arrived to…
Urban Initiatives coaches do more than just the core programs Work to Play, Take the Lead, and Play with Potential. In order to bring more of their knowledge to and build relationships with the kids they work with, some Urban Initiatives coaches take on extra roles as the coaches of interscholastic sports at partner elementary schools.…
In December, Archer Daniels Midland Company and ADM Cares granted Urban Initiatives $50,000 in support of the Work to Play program. The donation will help us both sustain our program at current partner schools as well as continue to expand into more school across Chicago. ADM Cares is a social investment program that strives to…
Having adequate and safe play space is critical for students to lead active and healthy lives. Play with Potential REC Coordinator Hassan Chaudhry shares his recess experience at Castellanos Elementary. At the beginning of the school year, students at Rosario Castellanos Elementary, in the city’s Little Village community were unfortunately restricted to enjoy Play with…
Take the Lead Team Captains participated in the first ever Captains Classic. Ninety-Seven Team Captains from all across Chicago traveled to Chicago Indoor Sports for an afternoon of soccer games. The Captains Classic is a special game day designed to reward the Team Captains for all of their hard work and leadership throughout the Fall…
Sherman School of Excellence Work to Play Assistant Coach Jamila Davey has been a part of the Urban Initiatives family since 2010! Coach Brandon recently sat down with Coach “J” to talk about her experience as an Assistant Coach these past 5 years. Coach Brandon: What’s your favorite UI memory? Coach J: Uhhmm I’d have…
UI Junior Board member Eric Sullivan shares the play by play of the JB Pizza Party! On Monday, November 24th the gracious folks over at Kirkland & Ellis invited the UI staff, a dozen Junior Board members, and nearly 90 Work to Play students from Gunsaulus Scholastic Academy and Providence Englewood Charter over for our…
On a very chilly November afternoon, a team of volunteers from October Three put on their coaching shoes and took the field with Urban Initiatives players from Jenner Academy, Ward Elementary, and Walsh Elementary. After a quick warmup with Ward’s players, the teams and October Three volunteers split up onto separate fields and kicked off…
The MAXIMUS Foundation continues its tradition of giving with a first-ever donation to Urban Initiatives in the amount of $2,000. The grant was made to support our flagship Work to Play program and will help us both sustain our high-quality programming at current partner schools as well as expand programming into more schools across Chicago.…
Buy your tickets now! Join us for Urban Initiatives’ 9th Annual Soccer Ball Benefit Friday, January 23, 2015 Morgan Manufacturing, 401 North Morgan Street 7:00 – 11:00 pm Enjoy food stations, drinks, dancing, and auction all to benefit Urban Initiatives’ sports-based youth development programs. Buy your tickets now!
