From the Executive Directors

Thank you to the best team around! The 2010/2011 school year has been amazing to Urban Initiatives and we could not have done it without the help of supporters like you. We are pleased to announce the expansion of our Work to Play Program into the Tarkington School of Excellence and Alfred Nobel Elementary School this spring. Both of these schools have been tremendous additions to our program and have immediately embraced our soccer-based youth development techniques. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to impact youth and their families in the West Lawn and Humboldt Park communities. Overall, Urban Initiatives is serving over 480 students at 16 schools in 12 Chicago communities. We are grateful that you have helped to make our growth possible!

Beyond our continued growth and offering 24-weeks of high quality health and education programming throughout the school year, Urban Initiatives has a lot to be excited about. This year more than any other we have been able to provide unique cultural outings and field trips to the participants in our program. From Toyota Park to cheer on the Chicago Fire, to an exotic animal show in the suburbs, to an Interfaith Cup soccer tournament at the Lakefront Fields, to a Wilmette Crosstown, to Wrigley Field on multiple occasions, to local farms, Urban Initiatives’ participants have had unique opportunities to explore what our great city has to offer outside the confines of their neighborhoods.

There are still a few weeks left in our spring season and we would love to have you come out to one of our schools to see our kids in action. We know that you will realize the impact of our program when you witness it firsthand. Thank you again for helping to make our vision of offering preeminent programming to Chicago’s children a reality!

~ Jim & Dan

Recent Happenings at UI

Granted $25,000 from the Cubs Care, a fund of the McCormick Foundation
Urban Initiatives is thrilled to have received a grant from the Cubs Care, a fund of the McCormick Foundation, in support of our Work to Play Program at Jahn Elementary. We are incredibly grateful to have their support of our sports-based youth development program. Thank you!

Jim Dower had the pleasure of accepting the check at the 2011 Cubs Care Grant Luncheon held at The United Club at Wrigley Field. Jim also had the opportunity to take a picture with Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts and starting pitcher Randy Wells.

Tomorrow, May 25th, you can meet the 2011 Chicago Cubs players and coaches up close and to experience the magic of the Friendly Confines from the field. Tickets are $300 and all proceeds benefit Chicago Cubs Charities. The price includes an authentic MLB baseball, ball cube and ballpark snack. Each entry comes with a single bleacher ticket for the 7:05 pm game vs. the New York Mets. Sign up by calling (773) 404-4173 if you mention Urban Initiatives 25% of your ticket will be donated to us.

Awarded as the Excellent Emerging Organization
On May 17th, Urban Initiatives was the proud recipient of the Excellent Emerging Organization Award by The Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management at North Park University.

The mission of The Axelson Center is the enhance performance and effectiveness of organizations and individuals in the nonprofit sector through education, service and resources. The award for the Excellent Emerging Organization is given to a young organization that exhibits a high potential for growth and impact. While young and small, the organization must practice financial stability, sound management, and visions and plans for its future success.

The capacity building package, valued at over $25,000, will provide Urban Initiatives with the opportunity to expand its outreach efforts and make an even bigger impact on underserved communities throughout Chicago. Thank you to the Axelson Center for their support!

Mayoral Meet Ups
Over the past several weeks, Urban Initiatives has had the opportunity to both say farewell to Mayor Daley and welcome Mayor Emanuel to office.

On May 9th, Jim Dower and Daniel Isherwood were invited to Mayor Daley’s farewell open hours. They attended the event and appreciated the opportunity to bid goodbye to a man who has been a supporter of education and soccer-based youth development initiatives in the City of Chicago. From hosting the World Cup to creating the Mayor’s Cup (a youth soccer tournament and the first tournament in which Urban Initiatives’ kids participated), over the years, the Mayor and his staff have truly been champions of soccer. Thank you Mayor Daley for all that you’ve done for the City of Chicago, the best city in the world!

Additionally, Urban Initiatives was asked to run a soccer-based health activity for kids at Mayor Emanuel’s community celebration on May 14th in Grant Park. Our staff was excited to have the opportunity to meet the Mayor and wish him well in his new role.

With Appreciation

Thank you to all of our supporters!
Thank you to the Helen Brach Foundation for awarding Urban Initiatives a generous grant in support of our Work to Play Program.
Thank you to Nike for their incredible support by donating equipment and uniforms to our program.
Thank you to the Chicago Fire for launching a partnership with Urban Initiatives. The Fire will be presenting a check to Urban Initiatives at their game on June 4th. We are thrilled for our relationship with the Fire to grow and look forward to featuring this relationship in our next newsletter.
Thank you to KarenOnDeck
Thank you to the coaches, teachers, principals, parents, and participants involved with our program. Your tireless efforts to make our program successful are greatly appreciated!
Thank you to all of the fabulous volunteers who have dedicated their time and effort to supporting our health and education soccer program. Special thanks to the groups that have volunteered Civic Education Project, Northwestern Men's Soccer, Peer Educators from Heroes for Healthy Schools, Price Waterhouse and Coopers, Robert Morris Men's Soccer, and the Tibetan Alliance
Thank you to the New Trier Social Service Board for volunteering at the Interfaith Cup and for raising funds in support of our program.

Spotlight on UI National Service Program Associates

This year, Urban Initiatives has welcomed three National Service members to our team to serve as Program Associates: Cynthia Flores (supported by Up2Us Coach Across America), Simba Gandari (supported by LISC AmeriCorps), and Thomas LaClair (supported by Public Allies). Each of these Program Associates signed up to complete a year of service and selected Urban Initiatives as the organization for which they would complete 1,700 hours of service.

Each Program Associate was assigned to serve five of our school sites to enhance the impact of our program by serving as Assistant Coaches and conducting parent outreach. While the initial role of these incredible individuals was to help ensure our program maintains the highest level of impact as we continue to grow, the Program Associates have all taken initiative and have impacted our program and organization in ways that we did not initially anticipate. For example, they have organized field trips, tournaments, and conducted service-learning projects at each of their school sites.

The feedback we have received from our coaches, parents, participants, principals, teachers, etc. has been incredible and we plan to work with even more Program Associates next year. Thank you to Cynthia, Simba, and Tom for their hard work and dedication this year. We are excited to announce that both Simba and Tom will be joining our team for a second year of service and that Cynthia will be moving to Champaign to attend law school. We are extremely grateful for the lasting impact they have had on our organization.

“On a daily basis I am amazed at and deeply inspired by the amount of positive impact I, as a National Service member, can have on the kids and communities UI works with. UI as an organization has been incredibly supportive and encouraging of the Program Associates’ efforts to take the programming to the next level. My time with UI has been nothing but a pure joy. I am eager to grow with the organization and to continue contributing to its transformational impact on the youth and communities it serves.” ~ Tom LaClair, Public Allies

"Growing up playing soccer in Africa, I never thought I would one day be using soccer as a tool to educate at-risk youth in Chicago on health and using it to create an opportunity for kids to achieve their full potential, thank you UI for this opportunity.” ~ Simba Gandari, LISC AmeriCorps

"Working with Urban Initiatives has truly been the most rewarding experience I've ever had. Having the opportunity to experience first hand the impact that this program has on the kids it serves has been amazing.” ~ Cynthia Flores, Up2Us Coach Across America

How You Can Help

Track Urban Initiatives' Blog. We consistently update our Blog with real time updates on the happenings at Urban Initiatives as well as with some of our partner organizations.
Become a fan of Urban Initiatives on Facebook. We are hoping to have over 600 fans by the end of the school year - tell your friends!
Come out to the Christ Church Rummage Sale in Winnetka on Saturday, June 4th from 8-noon at 470 Maple Street. We have been fortunate to be a beneficiary of these events for the past several years.

This amazing article from the Chicago Tribune is about Golden Apple Scholar Will Haley and the impact Urban Initiatives has made on his life:

Golden Apple Scholar dreams of being a teacher and helping others in Cabrini public housing

Quote of the Month

"I like the Urban Initiatives soccer program because it teaches my son to be a team player. The program helps my son Darnell in a lot of ways – it teaches him to be respectful, to work hard, to eat healthy, to do right, to listen well and focus, and to be positive." ~ LaAfrica, mother of program participant at Attucks