Category Archive

News

  • Neighborhood Violence Can’t Stop Recess at Cornell Square Park

    On September 20th, Cornell Square Park made national headlines because of a nighttime gang-related shootout that wounded 13 people, including a 3-year old boy. This news shocked the city, and contributed to the notion that Chicago’s South Side is unsafe and plagued with violence. Richard J. Daley Academy is right across the street from Cornell…

    Neighborhood Violence Can’t Stop Recess at Cornell Square Park
  • Crosstown Classic with the Wilmette Wings

    On Friday, October 4th soccer players and family members from the Hamlin Park, Austin and McKinley Park communities traveled up to Wilmette for the 13th Crosstown Classic with the Wilmette Wings. The Crosstown Classic gives Urban Initiatives soccer players the chance to travel outside their community so they may become familiar with all of the…

    Crosstown Classic with the Wilmette Wings
  • Multicultural Cup Brings the World to Urban Initiatives Kids

    On Saturday, September 21st over 90 Urban Initiatives boys and girls from three different Chicago communities came together for the Multicultural Cup at the Haas Park soccer field. The Urban Initiatives Multicultural Cup uses soccer as a tool to introduce Work to Play program participants to the abundance of cultures that exist around the world.…

    Multicultural Cup Brings the World to Urban Initiatives Kids
  • A Wild Ride as Board Chairman

    After almost four years of dedicated leadership, Ron Redd, Director at BMO Capital Markets and long time Chairman of Urban Initiatives’ Board of Directors, is passing the Chairman’s torch.

    A Wild Ride as Board Chairman
  • New Recess Partners for a New Year

    The CPS Full School Day is in its second year, and the means a second year for Play with Potential at Urban Initiatives. Conceived in the first year of mandated recess for all grades, Play with Potential began serving four schools with 2,900 total students. After a great rookie year, the word got out, and…

    New Recess Partners for a New Year
  • Urban Initiatives 10th Anniversary

    It started 10 years ago with 12 boys and girls at Byrd Academy in Cabrini-Green. Fast forward to today where Urban Initiatives now serves over 10,000 boys and girls throughout 21 Chicago communities. Coach D and Coach Ish never thought the Work to Play program would expand to 26 schools and Urban Initiatives would offer other programs like…

    Urban Initiatives 10th Anniversary
  • UI’s Executive Director Selected to Join Leadership Greater Chicago

    Jim Dower, Urban Initiatives’ Co-Founder and Executive Director, has been selected to join Leadership Greater Chicago’s 2014 Fellows Class. Congratulations to Jim on being recognized for his consistent dedication to empowering and inspiring children and for his tireless efforts to promote social change in Chicago. We are thrilled to have him as the leader of…

    UI’s Executive Director Selected to Join Leadership Greater Chicago
  • The First Ever Work to Play Cup

    We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate the 10th year of the Work to Play program than to bring over 700 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders together for a day of soccer, fun and friendship.

    The First Ever Work to Play Cup
  • LISTEN: CDC Interviews UI on School-based Health Education

    Listen to UI’s April Lillstrom discuss health education in Chicago Public Schools on this podcast from the Centers for Disease Control. April has two years of work under her belt with the CDC’s grantee Healthy Places program, and it’s great to see another UI expert sharing knowledge with the national community of educators and health…