Category Archive

Urban Initiatives

  • Why Building Social Capital is Key to Student Success

    As we approach the start of a new school year, high school juniors and seniors are contemplating their future — whether headed towards the workforce or a college experience — and they are weighing their grades, extracurricular activities, and test scores to determine next steps to reach their goals. Regardless of their SAT scores, their…

  • School is OUT and Summer Camp is IN

    Our 4-week daily “camp” is staffed by Urban Initiatives coaches and enhanced by partnerships with Chicago Cubs, After School Matters, Common Threads, and others.

  • UI Commits to Unity and DEI Statements

    During the 2017–2018 school year, Urban Initiatives made a commitment to prioritize our efforts to foster unity, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). We believe these values are critical to our mission. Developing a plan and actions to be proactively an anti-oppressive and anti-racist institution is foundational in our work.

    UI Commits to Unity and DEI Statements
  • How the World Cup is Our Non-profit’s Best Advocate

    The World Cup is one of the clearest representations of the power of sport because of its international audience, its length and its worldwide appeal. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, and the World Cup is its greatest stage. The World Cup has pulled communities like our office together as millions of…

    How the World Cup is Our Non-profit’s Best Advocate
  • Sixth Annual Work to Play Cup Presented by Target

    This year on June 2nd, Urban Initiatives celebrated our 6th Annual Work to Play Cup presented by Target. The Work to Play Cup is our opportunity to celebrate the hardwork and commitment shown by our continuum of programming participants throughout the year. These students step up to the plate every day in their classrooms, on…

    Sixth Annual Work to Play Cup Presented by Target
  • Recapping Our Retreat #4 at Allstate

    On Friday, April 13th, 140 of our Take the Lead team captains traveled to Allstate headquarters in Northbrook, Illinois for their fourth retreat. The theme of the retreat was conflict transformation.

    Recapping Our Retreat #4 at Allstate
  • The Importance of Busing

    Over the last fifteen years, Urban Initiatives’ Work to Play program has grown from 12 students to 1,350 students in 44 Chicago Public Schools. Coinciding with this incredible growth is the increasing costs of transportation for our participants and their families. Busing remains a critical portion of our programming and mission. In order to continue…

    The Importance of Busing
  • Chicago Blackhawks Foundation Scores for UI!

    Urban Initiatives is thrilled to announce that the The Chicago Blackhawks Foundation has granted us $50,000 for the third year in a row. We are so thankful for their continued support and know that their funds will go to great use for the Work to Play Program at Beidler Elementary, Otis World Language Academy and…

    Chicago Blackhawks Foundation Scores for UI!