Play with Potential

The Springboard Foundation served as Urban Initiatives’ first-ever foundation partner, providing the critical early funding and mentorship that helped a small grassroots program grow into a sustainable, citywide organization.

The 20th Anniversary Soccer Ball celebrated two decades of community by bringing together 600 guests to raise over $730,000, ensuring Chicago’s youth remain connected to the vital mentorship and safe spaces they need to thrive.

This blog honors the J.R. Albert Foundation as a cornerstone partner whose early, unrestricted support and long-term trust helped transform Urban Initiatives from its earliest chapters into a citywide force for Chicago’s youth.