Get Involved
Partners are critical to helping UI support brighter futures for kids in Chicago through sport and play. Learn how to volunteer your time, sign up to join one of our boards, or make a donation today.
UI Efforts
Join Our Mission for Chicago
We need your help to strengthen Chicago’s future by building an enduring team of youth, coaches, families, schools, and neighborhoods. Our work is anchored in a healing-centered approach guided by research that says youth who make meaningful connections with peers and adults and build social-emotional skills will be better positioned to excel in school and beyond.
Check out a section below to see how you can help.
Upcoming Events
We Bring Communities Together
Our events are a great opportunity for youth to make meaningful connections. Sign up today to join in on the fun.
If an event is highlighted in blue below, we need volunteers to help staff on that day. Reach out to Adrians Cleveland on the UI team to learn more about specific events, or sign up below to be contacted for future volunteer opportunities.
Volunteer Sign-up
We Need a Lot of People to Do This Important Work
Volunteer your time to see UI’s impact firsthand.
Drive Positive Change
Your gift will allow us to sustain our work and make an even greater impact on kids in need. 87% of every dollar donated goes directly to our programs. All donations to Urban Initiatives are tax-deductible.
Social-emotional learning (SEL) in action fuels healthy youth development
Play is the ideal vehicle for teaching SEL, which UI does all year long
We are growing to meet the demands of the moment and Chicago’s future
We foster school improvement, providing educators with SEL-focused strategies
Support Local Schools
Your donations empower Chicago’s youth to achieve academic success, develop social-emotional skills, and build social capital. Each gift will allow us to sustain our work and make an even greater impact on kids in need.
Accelerate Growth
When we watch young people play, we see social-emotional learning in action. Sport and play, however. are becoming the privilege of the wealthy few. UI’s Accelerator Campaign is helping us rally resources to move the needle on sports-based SEL like never before.
Give your time
What is Our Associate Board?
Urban Initiatives’ Associate Board is a group of 80+ young professionals who raise funds and awareness to support our work. Each board member takes on additional responsibilities, including:
- Participating in quarterly meetings
- Raising funds and social awareness
- Attending and promoting UI fundraising events
- Volunteering to support our mission
We recommend at least a year-long commitment for membership. If you would like to join our Associate Board, please click the link below. Once you’ve submitted the form, one of our team members will follow up.
Invest in quality coaches
Invest in quality coaches
Invest in quality coaches
Invest in quality coaches
Invest in quality coaches
Enlist support from diverse networks of families, schools, and community members
Enlist support from diverse networks of families, schools, and community members
Enlist support from diverse networks of families, schools, and community members
Develop social-emotional learning through play
Develop social-emotional learning through play
Develop social-emotional learning through play
Use our network to help students build social capital
Use our network to help students build social capital
Use our network to help students build social capital
Career Opportunities
Come Work at Urban Initiatives
Are you looking for a career at a mission-driven organization? We work hard to embrace diversity and inclusion and encourage everyone at Urban Initiatives to bring their whole selves to work every day. Come be part of a winning team.
Get in Touch
Want More Information?
Our team is happy to answer any questions you might have.