On April 10th and 11th Urban Initiatives partnered with Coach Across America to help launch an initiative in which Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) will commit $1.3 million dollars in 2012 to the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA to fund and place 250 coaches in five U.S cities, approximately 40 of which will be in Chicago.…
A great group of volunteers from PwC recently received the opportunity to run around and talk about teamwork with Work to Play soccer players from Walsh, Attucks and Morton at Chicago Indoor Sports. PwC volunteers rode a bus together to the Indoor Center, giving them a taste of the experience our players receive on game…
“This is my first Cubs game!” shouted 3rd grader Jocelyn from Dr. Jorge Prieto Math and Science Academy, as she walked off the school bus that just transported her Work to Play soccer team from Elmwood Park to “The Friendly Confines.” Jocelyn along with over 300 Urban Initiatives players from Attucks, Claremont, Sherman, Tarkington, Nobel,…
As the 88 m.p.h. sinker flew toward the plate all eyes inside Wrigley Field were focused on Chicago Cubs first baseman Bryan LaHair. But no eyes were more focused than those of brothers and Goethe Elementary Work to Play students Ricky and Tyler. With his teammate on third base Bryan did what he does best,…
It’s National Volutneer Appreciation Week, and Urban Initiatives wants to give thanks to all of our amazing volunteers that help make our programs such a smashing success in all corners of Chicago! In honor of this special week, we give you this special blog post that was kindly written by Bob Luchsinger, an active Junior…
Many adults can recall a moment in their childhood when they were read to by a teacher, parent, or volunteer. And most can attest to that experience creating a positive influence on their lives. Pasteur Elementary, an Urban Initiatives Work to Play school, was lucky to have a team of volunteers pay a visit for…
“You better get ready for a brand new day. Hey, Chicago, what do you say?” Bright and early on Saturday morning, a team of UI staff and supporters joined the 8,000 runners in the 7th Annual Race to Wrigley 5K. While most of the city was still in bed, the streets of Lakeview were flooded…
On Wednesday evening, Reavis Work to Play soccer players were invited to hang out with Urban Initiatives’ Junior Board Members for a special preseason Pizza Party. Board Member Neil Hirshman hosted the fun-filled event at the beautiful offices of Kirkland and Ellis LLP. Reavis players entered the new building amazed, their eyes brightly lit. They stepped…
This post was guest-written by Carrie Rodman, the daughter of Urban Initiatives Board Member Ben Rodman. Read on to see a great way that Chicagoland young adults are getting an early start on a life of service. This past February, New Trier’s Student-Athlete Leadership Training class put together a school-wide event called TrevNight. At Trev Night, students…
Erica Heidrich is an extremely valuable member of the Urban Initiatives team. As Office Manager, she plays a key role in making sure our organization is operating effectively and efficiently. Day-to-day, Erica completes tasks that support Program, Finance, Volunteerism, Development, and Human Resources. Her contributions are invaluable and we’re lucky to have her on our…
Brian Billings, the program director for Urban Initiatives Coaches Corps, offered this inspiring story of our program changing a young athlete’s life. For the sake of privacy, identifying information has been changed. Coaches Corps is a program that enhances the PE classes and interscholastic sports programs of partner schools by training teachers and coaches on…