Category Archive

Urban Initiatives

  • 2019 Work to Play Cup

    Despite a week of rain leading up to the event, the 7th Annual Work to Play Cup held last weekend at the Midway Plaisance was a smashing success! Each June this event celebrates our continuum of programming participants’ hard work throughout the school year. The Work to Play Cup is a blend of the world’s…

  • Recess is Everyone’s Favorite Subject: Using Play as an Opportunity for Learning

    Urban Initiatives uses sport and play as a key strategy to positively impact our program participants’ social emotional learning (SEL). Play can have profound impacts on youths’ SEL, and Urban Initiatives has intentionally developed its recess curriculum and overall program approach to positively impact SEL outcomes through intentional, active games and SEL skill-building.

    Recess is Everyone’s Favorite Subject: Using Play as an Opportunity for Learning
  • Huddle Up!

    Although pop culture has led many to believe that leadership is a talent or a set of innate skills possessed by few, leadership skills are practicable. By breaking down what it means to be a leader and what specific skills and capacities it takes to lead, we can encourage leaders from all backgrounds, experiences, and…

    Huddle Up!
  • Fourth Annual Family & Coach Appreciation Party

    Our coaches and families are two of the most committed groups of stakeholders Urban Initiatives has and without their support our programs wouldn’t work. The Family & Coach Appreciation Party allows us to spend an evening with them, thank them, and share a meal.

    Fourth Annual Family & Coach Appreciation Party
  • UI Coaches Receive Spring Training

    all Urban Initiatives coaches receive regular training to ensure that our participants are receiving the highest quality programming possible. In March, Urban Initiatives hosted two spring training sessions on the south and west sides. These trainings kick off our spring seasons and provide an opportunity for our Work to Play soccer coaches to come together,…

    UI Coaches Receive Spring Training
  • UI Team Captains Take the Ice

    On Friday, February 1st, our Team Captains in our leadership development program — Take the Lead- participated in a leadership retreat at MB Ice Arena. MB Ice Arena is the Chicago Blackhawks’ official practice arena and we were so grateful for the Blackhawks partnership in executing an incredibly successful retreat.

    UI Team Captains Take the Ice
  • 2019 Soccer Ball is Huge Success at New Venue!

    Urban Initiatives and Allstate Insurance presented the 2019 Soccer Ball at Rockwell on The River on Friday, January 25, 2019. Featuring fundraising, dancing, cocktails and delicious appetizers, Soccer Ball 2019 was a complete success!

    2019 Soccer Ball is Huge Success at New Venue!
  • 2018 Associate Board Pizza Party

    Every year, we look forward to this event as a way for the UI staff, Associate Board and participants to genuinely connect and get to know each other through an evening of games, team building exercises, and, of course, pizza.

    2018 Associate Board Pizza Party
  • Thank You to Our Associate Board!

    The Urban Initiatives Associate Board is a group of approximately 150 young professionals who dedicate their time to volunteering with UI participants, helping to plan UI events, and raising funds to support our work. Our members come from all over the greater Chicago area to support the kids and families that we serve. Although their…

    Thank You to Our Associate Board!
  • Urban Initiatives 2017–2018 Research & Evaluation Results

    Urban Initiatives is excited to announce that our 2017-2018 data and evaluation results are complete and our programs have once again showed strong results in physical activity, academic success, and social emotional learning. Urban Initiatives is committed to being a proven organization that continually evaluates our programs to determine success and to make curriculum and…

    Urban Initiatives 2017–2018 Research & Evaluation Results