Urban Initiatives Insider:
A Health and Education Soccer Program - Making a better future for inner-city children
July 2009
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From the Executive Directors
School’s out for the summer! But that doesn’t mean our work is done. UI is looking to the future and has already begun enhancing our program for the 2009/2010 school year. In the fall we will expand our program into William Claude Reavis Elementary in the Grand Boulevard community and Otis Elementary School in the Westtown community. We are also working with Brian Billings, former Vice Principal at Schiller School and current Athletic Director at Johnson Elementary, to pilot a new program called the Urban Initiatives Coaches Corps. The program is designed to recruit, train, and give hands on experience to individuals interested in coaching or teaching in an urban environment. Furthermore, UI is working to become the lead nonprofit of Walsh School, through the CPS Community Schools Initiative, in order to formalize its status as a community school. Click here to learn more about the Initiative. Thanks for helping us broaden are impact!
~ Jim and Dan
UI Highlights
J.R. Albert Foundation Committed to our Health and Education Soccer Program
The J.R. Albert Charitable Foundation awarded Urban Initiatives a generous grant to support the operation of our health and education soccer program during the 2009/2010 school year. The J.R. Albert Charitable Foundation funds researchers, organizations, and community programs that support nutrition, fitness, and health education, particularly in disadvantaged populations. We are grateful for their generosity and ongoing support of the Work to Play Program!
Credit Suisse and UI Participants Go for the Gold!
On May 29, volunteers from Credit Suisse joined UI participants from Jenner Academy and Walsh School for a fun filled Olympic event at North Avenue Beach. 
In addition to soccer, program participants enjoyed basketball, track and field, handball, and discussions about the six character traits represented in the Chicago Star logo for the 2016 Olympics bid. At the end of the day, participants received gold medals for their hard work. Thank you to Credit Suisse for yet another wonderful volunteer event! Credit Suisse has been a tremendous partner during Urban Initiatives’ growth and we are grateful for their ongoing commitment to Chicago youth. In addition, a big thank you to NAB Sports for generously donating the use of their play space!
Sports Lawyers Luncheon
The Sports Lawyers Association (SLA) generously awarded a grant to fund the UI program at a new school. The SLA invited UI to attend their annual luncheon on May 15 in order to receive the check and give a philanthropic presentation. Hundreds of lawyers from across the country gathered at the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Chicago for the event. At the luncheon, Mr. Lloyd Shefsky, founder of the SLA, personally presented the check to UI. Jim and Dan then thanked the SLA for their generosity and introduced the Haley family, current and former UI participants and longtime fans of our program. The Haleys spoke about the positive impact of the UI program on their family: William and Tina from a parent’s point of view; William Jr. and Donnel from a past participant’s and peer mentor’s point of view. The SLA also presented their Lifetime Achievement Award to Mr. Jerry Reinsdorf,
owner of the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls, for his commitment to the community and sporting world. Thank you to Mr. Shefsky and the SLA!
35 Under 35 Leadership Award
The Community Renewal Society recognized Urban Initiatives’ Executive Directors, Jim and Dan, as two of the 35 Under 35 Leadership Award honorees in the Chicago Metropolitan region. The thirty-five leaders awarded this honor come from diverse backgrounds and demonstrate a commitment to eliminating race and class barriers. They were selected for their creativity, for the ability to build bridges and work across racial, ethnic, and economic divides. The keynote speaker was Mr. Jonathan F. Fanton the outgoing President of the MacArthur Foundation. Congratulations Jim, Dan, and the other recipients of this award!
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Making it Happen
Letter from Sherman teacher and UI On-Site Program Director, Laura Baker
Dear Ms. Baker,
Thank you for the baseball tickets. My family and I had a wonderful time at the baseball game on Easter Sunday. This was my first time ever going to a baseball game (wish you could’ve been there). We had a lot of fun. What made the game so exciting was the Sox hit several base hits! The score was 1 (the Twins) to 6 (the Sox). On our way back home, my family and I drove past President Barack Obama’s house, and the Minister Louis Farrakhan’s house in Hyde Park.
Sincerely,
Kiera Myles
P.S. Go Sox, go.
The attached letter came from a 4th grader at my school who started with the program this year. She is an amazing child who may never have had the opportunity to go to a baseball game. In addition to the baseball game, UI has provided many opportunities for my students and friends to be exposed to things that they may never have had the opportunity to see and all of this is because of generous people giving their time or donations. I think about this child and the impact that it had even on her dad being able to take her to her first baseball game. What an experience! All because of this program!
My students rarely have the opportunity to leave their community and realize that there is more to the world than what they see between 47th and 55th on Halsted and Ashland. We have given them a vision of world outside their neighborhood. To many of us this doesn’t seem like a big deal, but to these kids it is huge. It gives them hope that maybe some day they can live somewhere else where they don’t hear gunshots at night. I can’t say enough about how much this program has done for these kids. It has provided them opportunities to grow as people by meeting kids from other backgrounds- both ethnically and socio-economically. As I said, it couldn’t have happened without the help of all the people who give to the program both through donations and time. I have been fortunate enough to have amazing volunteers, Katy, Julie and Tim, who look forward to practices and games. It is the highlight of their workweek! I hope more people are able to experience the impact this wonderful program has had on the kids… before you know it, it will impact you- just ask Katy, Julie and Tim! Meet the kids involved and you will want to spend more and more time with them! They are simply amazing!
~ Laura Baker
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How You Can Help
Donate Now
Urban Initiatives will offer the Work to Play Program to at least 360 students in twelve schools by the end of the 2010/2011 school year. There is popular demand for our program and we would love to have your support while we expand into four more schools. We know that everyone is very conscious of what organizations they are supporting in this economy and we would be honored if you chose Urban Initiatives. Terrific kids in Chicago will benefit as a result of your generosity. Click here to donate now.
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With Appreciation
- Thank you to all who continue to support Urban Initiatives.
- Thank you to all who volunteered their time and energy during the spring season.
- Thank you to the J.R. Albert Charitable Foundation and the Sports Lawyers Associations for their generous donations
- Thank you to the Chicago White Sox and U.S. Cellular for donating 600 tickets to UI participants and their families.
- Thank you to the Chicago Fire for donating 275 tickets to UI participants.
- Thank you to Chicago Indoor Sports for accommodating UI teams on rainy days this spring.
- Thank you to Registered Dieticians, Carolyn Tampe and Cristina Mastrangelo for creating and administering health lessons to UI participants this season.
- Thank you to the Mayor’s Fitness Council for including Urban Initiatives in Chicago Moves Day.
- Thank you to the lovely ladies from Loyola Academy’s Junior Varsity Soccer team who volunteered on UI field trips.
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Quote of the Month
“The [UI] program helps us do a lot of stuff that’s good for us, like work hard in school, run, and eat fruit.”
~ UI participant
We want your feedback and involvement: send comments, suggestions, photos, and article links for consideration to info@urbaninitiatives.org. Also, e-mail us to unsubscribe to the UI newsletter.
Urban Initiatives
650 W. Lake St., Suite 340
Chicago, IL
60661
312-715-1763
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