TOGETHER CHICAGO INC

TOGETHER CHICAGO GREW IN BREADTH, SCOPE AND MATURITY THIS REPORTING YEAR IN ALL FIVE ESTABLISHED PROGRAM SERVICE AREAS: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, VIOLENCE REDUCTION, GOSPEL JUSTICE, AND FAITH COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION.IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE CULTIVATE ECONOMIC THRIVING THROUGH ENTREPRENEURIAL SCALING AND JOB CREATION. OVER THE LAST YEAR WE ASSISTED 30 MBE ENTREPRENEURS AND NONPROFITS IN THEIR STRATEGIC, ADMINISTRATIVE, AND ORGANIZATIONAL IMPROVEMENT. OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, MENTORSHIP, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUPPORT HELPED CREATE 60 JOBS, CONTRIBUTING TO THE REBUILDING OF ECONOMIC STRENGTH ACROSS CHICAGO'S SOUTH AND WEST SIDES. WE ARE ALSO CONVENING SECOND CHANCE DISCUSSIONS WITH HUMAN RESOURCE PROFESSIONALS TO EXPAND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR RETURNING CITIZENS. IN EDUCATION, WE INCREASE THE EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS IN CHICAGO BY REMOVING BARRIERS THAT DISRUPT A QUALITY EDUCATION. WE ARE PROGRESSING TOWARD THE GOAL OF SUPPORTING 15% OF CHICAGO'S MOST SYSTEMICALLY UNDERSERVED YOUTH THROUGH SUSTAINED MENTORING AND WRAP-AROUND CARE BY 2030. OUR SCHOOL-BASED SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) PROGRAMS ARE CONNECTING OVER 200 STUDENTS WITH MENTORS FROM 50 LOCAL CHURCHES. IN THE PAST YEAR WE ALSO SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED A TECHNICAL PLATFORM TO SUPPORT SCHOOL-BASED MENTORING AND ONBOARDED 250+ STUDENTS. TO DATE, OVER 3000 STUDENTS HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY OUR PROGRAMS AT 123 CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS THROUGH OUR LOVE YOUR SCHOOL INITIATIVE, AFTER-SCHOOL, AND IN-CLASSROOM PROGRAMS.IN VIOLENCE REDUCTION, WE REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE THROUGH STREET OUTREACH, LIFE TRANSFORMATION PLANS, TRAUMA CARE, AND COLLABORATIVE PLACE-BASED PEACEMAKING EFFORTS. OUR IMPACT CONTINUES TO GROW WITH TEENS, YOUNG ADULTS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE PERCEIVED AS CHALLENGING. OUR 34 STREET OUTREACH PROFESSIONALS, VICTIM SERVICE ADVOCATES, AND CASE MANAGERS CONDUCT 1,360 CONNECTIONS, PROVIDE CONFLICT MEDIATION TO 30+ INCIDENTS, AND ASSIST OVER 340 PARTICIPANTS EACH MONTH WITH EMPLOYMENT TRAINING, JOB PLACEMENT, AND HOUSING RESOURCES, HELPING PARTICIPANTS EMBARK ON HEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE NEW LIVES. 40% OF OUR PARTICIPANTS ARE CONNECTED TO JOBS AND 10% RECEIVE EXPUNGEMENTS. SHOOTINGS IN OUR SERVICE AREAS HAVE DECREASED 42% YEAR-OVER-YEAR.IN GOSPEL JUSTICE, WE PROVIDE QUALITY, AFFORDABLE LEGAL COUNSEL AND ADVICE FOR CIVIL MATTERS THROUGH LOCAL, CHURCH-BASED JUSTICE CENTERS. EACH OF OUR 17 GOSPEL JUSTICE CENTERS ARE FACILITATED BY A 5-7 PERSON VOLUNTEER TEAM COMPOSED OF LOCAL CONGREGANTS AND ATTORNEYS WHO OFFER MONTHLY ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE CONSULTATION, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, AND COMPASSIONATE PRAYER. THESE SATURDAY MORNING LEGAL CLINICS ARE OPEN TO EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY AND SERVE OVER 700 CLIENTS EACH YEAR.IN FAITH COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION, WE FOSTER COLLABORATION BY COORDINATING SEASONAL RHYTHMS OF UNITED PRAYER AND COLLECTIVE ACTION AMONG CHURCHES AND FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. OUR PREMIER CITY-WIDE PRAYER EVENT GATHERED 1,300 INDIVIDUALS FROM OVER 200 CONGREGATIONS. OUR SPRING TRAINING SERIES (BUILDING BLOCKS OF PEACE) MOBILIZED 188 LEADERS FROM OVER 50 CHURCHES, 23 ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT INTO COLLECTIVE ACTION FOR THE WELLBEING OF CHICAGO. CHURCH LEADERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS HOSTED 60 UNITED PRAYER AND POSITIVE PRESENCE GATHERINGS THROUGH OUR MOST RECENT HAND ACROSS CHICAGO EVENT OVER MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, RALLYING HUNDREDS OF NEIGHBORHOOD PARTICIPANTS IN PRAYER AND ACTION ACROSS THE CITY.