Together Chicago Inc

TOGETHER CHICAGO EXISTS TO BE A CATALYST FOR LASTING TRANSFORMATION IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO. OUR VISION IS TO RENEW CHICAGO, TOGETHER WITH CHURCHES, BUSINESSES, COMMUNITY LEADERS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO INSPIRE HOPE 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 WHICH ARE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, VIOLENCE REDUCTION, GOSPEL JUSTICE AND FAITH COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION. IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE CONTINUED AND GREW OUR WORK IN SUPPLY CHAIN LOCALIZATION. THIS BROUGHT INCREASED, SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS REVENUE TO THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDES. WE CONTINUED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH BRINSHORE DEVELOPMENT TO WORK TOGETHER 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 EXPANDED SIGNIFICANTLY ALONG WITH OUR PARTNER CHURCHES VOLUNTEERISM IN THIS INITIATIVE. WE HAD SOME MEASURABLE ACADEMIC IMPROVEMENT IN A NUMBER OF THE SCHOOLS AND CLASSROOMS WE WERE INVOLVED IN.IN VIOLENCE REDUCTION, WE GREATLY EXPANDED OUR INITIATIVE AS A STREET OUTREACH ORGANIZATION, ADDING THE NEAR WEST SIDE AND PORTIONS OF EAST GARFIELD PARK AND AUSTIN WITH THE SUPPORT OF GRANTS FROM THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND THE CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH. WE CONTINUED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL PASTORS AS WELL AS THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE ADDED CASE MANAGEMENT TO OUR INITIATIVE, AND 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 PEACEFUL LOITERING. WE HAD FURTHER SUCCESS IN HELPING THOSE WE MET THROUGH THE INTERVENTIONS AND CONNECTIONS PROCESS IN FINDING JOBS, CONTINUING OR RESUMING THEIR EDUCATION, AND IN RECEIVING GENERAL LIFE COACHING AND MENTORING.IN FAITH COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION, WE IMPACTED 169 CONGREGATIONS THIS YEAR THROUGH OUR THRIVING CONGREGATIONS CURRICULUM AND TRAINING, SUPPORTED BY THE LILLY ENDOWMENT. OF THOSE, WE ALSO ENGAGED 159 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 10 CONGREGATIONS AND THEIR YOUTH LEADERSHIP IN ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT, CONGREGATIONAL ENGAGEMENT, JUSTICE REFORM, RESOURCE DISCOVERY, AND POLICY FORMATION. OUR MAJOR ANNUAL CITYWIDE PRAYER EVENT INCLUDED PARTICIPANTS FROM 95 CHURCHES, 58 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. OUR LOCATIONS EXPANDED TO 19 PARTNER CHURCHES ACROSS THE CITY WHO ARE WILLING TO INVITE THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY TO GET THE LEGAL HELP THEY NEED 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.