Category Archive

Urban Initiatives

  • To Support the Back of the Yards, UI Trades Soccer Cleats for Running Shoes

     Last weekend, two Urban Initiatives staff members took off their soccer cleats and put on their running shoes to take part in the 1st annual Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council Family Fun & Fitness 5k! Simba and April warmed up for the race with Southpaw, the White Sox mascot (what is he supposed to…

  • Work To Play Program: Jenner Academy’s Early-Season Highlights!

    At Jenner Academy’s first practice of the Fall, when Coach Simba shouted out, "Kiss the soccer ball!" without first saying "Coach says" a few kids dropped down to give their soccer ball a big smooch, while the players who were listening attentively watched on howling with laughter. Playing new games like Coach Says (similar to…

  • UI’s Fall Season Kicks Off!

     Eleven of the eighteen schools at which Urban Initiatives is running the Work to Play Program kicked off their Fall Season this week. Urban Initiatives is thrilled to welcome Lloyd and Pasteur Elementary Schools to the UI team!  UI would like to send a special thank you to the Chicago Fire Foundation for helping us…

  • More Than a Goal: FC Barcelona & Gates Foundation Partner to End Polio

    Urban Initiatives wishes to congratulate long-time supporter FC Barcelona on their historic partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to completely eradicate polio! Bill Gates wrote in a recent post announcing the partnership, We hope that together we can bring more global attention to the promise of lifesaving vaccines and the fight to end…

  • Chicago Fire vs. Manchester United – Game of a Lifetime for UI Kids

     On July 23rd, 150 Urban Initiatives participants attended an unforgettable match between the Chicago Fire and Manchester United at Soldier Field. These tickets were generously donated by the Chicago Fire Foundation and allowed teams from four UI schools to attend – those schools were Prieto Academy, Claremont Academy, Tarkington School and Daley Academy.

  • UI Soccer Teams Visit Community Gardens & Farmers’ Markets

      Urban Initiatives teams from four South Side schools ended their 2010-2011 soccer season by making fun educational trips to community gardens and farmers’ markets in their communities. The kids had a blast learning about, tasting, and purchasing healthy foods that were both locally grown and affordable. Many parents, grandparents, and siblings also came along…

  • UI Participants Pack the Stands at TOYOTA PARK

    The Chicago Fire Foundation recently donated 450 tickets to the Wednesday June 22nd Chicago Fire vs. Real Salt Lake game at 7:30pm at TOYOTA PARK to allow us to share the Chicago Fire experience with participants in our health and education soccer program.

  • Two UI All-Stars Win School-Wide Poetry Contest

    A big congratulations to Christian Gordon and Willie Mae Brooks, two Urban Initiatives soccer players at Sherman School of Excellence, who took 1st and 2nd place respectively at their school-wide poetry contest! The following is an excerpt from Christian’s poem, which speaks about economic struggle: Unemployment is like playing soccer and you just want to…