Together Chicago Inc

TOGETHER CHICAGO EXISTS TO BE A CATALYST FOR LASTING CHANGE BY REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE AND INCREASING THRIVING COMMUNITIES IN OUR CITY. WE CATALYZE FAITH, BUSINESS, COMMUNITY, AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS TO INSPIRE HOPE AND AFFECT PEACE AND JUSTICE IN THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE.

SEE SCHEDULE OTOGETHER 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 CONTINUED TO MENTOR AND STRENGTHEN SMALL BUSINESSES ON THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDES TO SCALE THEIR EARLY SUCCESSES INTO SUSTAINABLE GROWTH. WE GUIDED MID-SIZED BUSINESSES TO ENLARGE THEIR RECRUITING CIRCLES TO INCLUDE STUDENTS IN CHICAGO'S CITY COLLEGE PROGRAMS. AND WE CONTINUED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH BRINSHORE DEVELOPMENT IN THE WESTHAVEN PARK COMMUNITY TO HELP BRING JOBS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO THIS COMMUNITY.IN EDUCATION, OUR PROGRAM OF SCHOOL DAY AND AFTERSCHOOL MENTORING CONTINUED TO GROW ALONG WITH OUR PARTNER CHURCHES VOLUNTEERISM IN OUR "LOVE YOUR SCHOOL" INITIATIVE: 76 SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED; 100+ PARENTS HAVE BEEN TRAINED; 3000+ STUDENTS HAVE BEEN SERVED ON THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDES.IN VIOLENCE REDUCTION, WE CONTINUED TO STRENGTHEN AND EXPAND OUR INITIATIVE AS A STREET OUTREACH ORGANIZATION ON THE NEAR WEST SIDE, IN PORTIONS OF EAST GARFIELD PARK, AUSTIN, AND GREATER GRAND CROSSING, ADDING CASE MANAGERS AND VICTIM SERVICES ADVOCATES TO OUR TEAMS. WE CONTINUED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL PASTORS AS WELL AS THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE CONTINUED OUR WORK OF TARGETED FAMILY INTERVENTIONS, TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE AND CONFLICT DE-ESCALATION. MORE PASTORS AND THEIR CONGREGANTS WERE TRAINED IN "INTERVENTIONS AND CONNECTIONS AND OUR "POSITIVE LOITERING" PROGRAM. WE HAD FURTHER SUCCESS IN HELPING THE MOST AT-RISK RESIDENTS IN OUR FOCUS NEIGHBORHOODS FIND JOBS, CONTINUE OR RESUME THEIR EDUCATION, ESTABLISH THEMSELVES IN SAFER HOUSING, AND RECEIVE PERSONAL COACHING AND MENTORING FOR A BETTER FUTURE.IN FAITH COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION, WE TRAINED 133 CHICAGO CONGREGATIONS THIS YEAR THROUGH OUR THRIVING CONGREGATIONS CURRICULUM AND PROGRAMMING SUPPORTED BY THE LILLY ENDOWMENT. OUR CORE PARTNER CONGREGATIONS GREW FROM 88 TO 101. OF THOSE, WE ALSO ENGAGED 93 CONGREGATIONS IN OUR BUILDING BLOCKS OF PEACE TRAINING WHICH PROMOTES EFFECTIVE PEACEMAKING EFFORTS IN A COLLABORATIVE ECOSYSTEM OF OVER 100 NON-PROFIT AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND ALL 22 OF THE CHICAGO POLICE DISTRICTS. OUR THRIVE PASTORS COHORT TRAINED 6 CONGREGATIONS AND THEIR YOUTH LEADERSHIP IN ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT, CONGREGATIONAL ENGAGEMENT, JUSTICE REFORM, RESOURCE DISCOVERY, AND POLICY FORMATION. OUR MAJOR ANNUAL CITYWIDE PRAYER EVENT INCLUDED OVER 1300 PARTICIPANTS FROM 140 CHURCHES, 64 CHICAGO COMMUNITIES, AND ALL 22 CPD DISTRICTS, TOGETHER PRAYING FOR THE GOOD OF OUR CITY.IN GOSPEL JUSTICE CENTERS, WE CONTINUED TO ATTRACT ATTORNEYS WHO ARE WILLING TO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME TO HELP THOSE WITH NON-CRIMINAL LEGAL NEEDS. WE GREW TO 20 LOCATIONS WITH PARTNER CHURCHES ACROSS THE CITY, STAFFED BY OVER 120 VOLUNTEERS, WHO SERVED HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITY RESIDENTS AT EVENTS WHICH TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY MORNINGS. WE ARE DELIGHTED WITH THE CONTINUED GROWTH IN THIS INITIATIVE AND THE LEGAL ADVOCACY AND SERVICES IT PROVIDES. THE RECIPIENTS OF THIS HELP OFTEN SAY THAT THE COMPASSIONATE CARE AND COUNSEL THEY RECEIVED AT OUR GOSPEL JUSTICE CENTERS WAS LIFE-CHANGING.