Each month we will share with you two dynamic Team Captains that embody the Take the Lead team spirit and go above and beyond in their communities throughout Chicago. This year 151 Take the Lead Team Captains from 24 Chicago Public Schools across 19 distinct communities will help make an impact in the lives of…
When: Saturday, June 6, 2015 | Where: Midway Plaisance, Hyde Park, Chicago Time: Volunteers: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Event: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Urban Initiatives invites you to witness a one of a kind event. On Saturday, June 6, 2015 – in celebration of Urban Initiatives’ over 1,200 Chicago Public School students and the rapidly approaching…
Longtime Urban Initiatives supporter and current Board member ME Girgenti shares her experience from the third Take the Lead retreat of the year. What do you get when you bring 50+ Take The Lead Team Captains together on a cold winter’s day? Unbridled enthusiasm and positive energy bouncing off the walls, to start. And let’s…
The start of Urban Initiatives’ Spring Work to Play season has arrived. As soccer games and practices begin, Urban Initiatives’ kids and staff would like to recognize Junior Board member extraordinaire, Jamie Hitch. Mr. Hitch, a Quaker employee, joined the Urban Initiatives Junior Board in 2012 and has since dedicated his talents, time, and enthusiasm…
Play with Potential REC Coordinator Earl Aaron graduated from Barton Elementary and is now helping kids at his old school have a happy and healthy recess! When I think back on recess as a child I have very vague memories of it. Not because I having trouble reminiscing on how much fun I had but…
The 2015 Bank of America Chicago Marathon is almost here! 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…
It was another successful Take the Lead retreat this past Saturday with over 50 Team Captains coming together at Beidler Elementary in the East Garfield Park community to participate in a soccer tournament and learn about how they can become leaders in their community. As students across the nation participate in Black History Month, it…
Urban Initiatives Program Director Brendan McAlpine shares his thoughts on National Mentoring Month National Mentoring Month, just celebrated in January, is a reminder to think about the significance of mentoring relationships and the many forms mentoring takes. At Urban Initiatives, mentoring plays a powerful role in everything we do. Many people might typically think of…
Urban Initiatives celebrated it best Soccer Ball to date – raising $480,000 in support of Urban Initiatives’ sports based youth development programming that serves over 16,500 boys and girls throughout 41 Chicago Public Schools. The West Loop’s newest event space Morgan Manufacturing saw host emcee Carmen DeFalco welcome over 1,000 guests as they arrived to…
Urban Initiatives coaches do more than just the core programs Work to Play, Take the Lead, and Play with Potential. In order to bring more of their knowledge to and build relationships with the kids they work with, some Urban Initiatives coaches take on extra roles as the coaches of interscholastic sports at partner elementary schools.…
In December, Archer Daniels Midland Company and ADM Cares granted Urban Initiatives $50,000 in support of the Work to Play program. The donation will help us both sustain our program at current partner schools as well as continue to expand into more school across Chicago. ADM Cares is a social investment program that strives to…
