News

  • Join Team Urban Initiatives at the 2017 Bank of America Chicago Marathon!

    Make the most of your experience by joining Team Urban Initiatives. Team members will raise funds in support of Urban Initiatives’ programming and serve as positive role models for the children we work with by promoting the rewards of physical fitness, personal commitment, and hard work. Funds raised by Team Urban Initiatives will give children…

    Join Team Urban Initiatives at the 2017 Bank of America Chicago Marathon!
  • Field Trip to the Field Museum

    UI’s Student Board hosted a off-season field trip to Chicago’s Field Museum with WTP teams from Bateman and Nixon as a fun way to bond before spring season! UI Program Associate and Coach at Nixon, Camila Giraldo, shares some highlights and special moments from the day. Saturday, February 11th, UI’s High School Board came together…

    Field Trip to the Field Museum
  • Team Captains Explore Rowe Clark Math & Science Academy

    On Friday February 3rd 2017, Take The Lead celebrated its third retreat of the year at Rowe Clark Math and Science Academy. There were 115 team captains who attended, representing 35 schools throughout Chicago. The themes for this retreat were goal setting and self-esteem, two topics that help Team Captains prepare to finish out the…

  • Bullseye! Target Sets Their Eyes on UI

    Urban Initiatives is excited to announce our 2016-2017 partnership with Target! Target is the Champion Sponsor of our Play with Potential program, which serves over 11,200 students in 18 schools across Chicago! Play with Potential is a structured recess program which aims to maximize the health, academic, and social and emotional learning benefits of recess periods as…

    Bullseye! Target Sets Their Eyes on UI
  • 11th Annual Soccer Ball Presented by Allstate

    Urban Initiatives and Allstate Insurance hosted the 11th Annual Soccer Ball at Morgan Manufacturing, on Friday, January 27, 2017. The night of philanthropy, dancing, cocktails, heavy appetizers and an exquisite silent auction helped Urban Initiatives have its most successful Soccer Ball to date. Each year since its inception, the wildly popular Soccer Ball has sold…

    11th Annual Soccer Ball Presented by Allstate
  • ADM Continues to Make an Impact in Chicago

    Archer Daniels Midland Company recently donated $75,000 to Urban Initiatives. The donation will go toward funding our three flagship programs, Work to Play, Take the Lead, and Play with Potential, as well as Coach for Success, a program we are piloting this year designed to provide ongoing and developmentally-appropriate support for our Work to play…

    ADM Continues to Make an Impact in Chicago
  • Chicago Blackhawks Score a Goal with UI Students

    Urban Initiatives is excited to announce our continued partnership with The Chicago Blackhawks Charities! This year, the Blackhawks will be the Champion Sponsors of our Work to Play program at THREE UI partner schools: Otis Elementary, Beilder Elementary, and Faraday Elementary through their $50,000 grant. Chicago Blackhawks Charities are committed to creating a better tomorrow…

    Chicago Blackhawks Score a Goal with UI Students
  • Nike Helps UI Make an Impact

    Urban Initiatives is pleased to announce that we have been selected as a 2016 recipient of the Nike Community Impact Fund, a $5,000 grant that will help thousands of students across Chicago. The Nike Community Impact Fund (NCIF), in partnership with Charities Aid Foundation of America and the Oregon Community Foundation, is a collaborative approach to grant making…

    Nike Helps UI Make an Impact
  • Quest Foundation Grants $45k to UI

    The Quest Foundation has selected Urban Initiatives as a grant recipient for the 2016-2017 school year! For two years, the Quest Foundation has supported our Work to Play program, and this year we are excited to announce that the foundation will support an additional school with the $45,000 grant! The Quest Foundation will now be…

    Quest Foundation Grants $45k to UI
  • Meet Mr. Ferguson from Lorca

    Meet Will Ferguson, the On Site Program Director at Lorca Elementary in Chicago’s Avondale community. During the day Mr. Ferguson teaches Special Education Math and Science, as well as an Advisory and a Life Skills Course. But at 7 a.m. on Mondays and  Wednesdays he helps over 30 students start their schools days with some…

    Meet Mr. Ferguson from Lorca