The Chicago Sports Alliance (CSA), a collaborative initiative involving the Chicago Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs, and White Sox, has announced a significant financial commitment to tackle gun violence in the city, with a recent contribution of $1.5 million in grant funding.
This funding is aimed at supporting three local organizations that are actively engaged in addressing this pressing issue: Chicago CRED, Metropolitan Family Services, and University of Chicago Medical Center.
Since its inception in 2017, the CSA has collectively donated $11.75 million to various causes focused on enhancing community welfare.
“The Robert R. McCormick Foundation is proud to invest $500,000 alongside the Chicago Sports Alliance and support its continued commitment to high-quality job training, health, and trauma recovery programs on the city’s South and West Sides,” stated Sonia Mathew, Director of Partnerships at the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
The CSA’s sports franchises recognize that community impact requires collaboration, using their combined influence to raise awareness and drive investment in effective solutions to combat gun violence in Chicago.
This year’s grants specifically aim to support three critical programs:
1. **Chicago CRED’s Southside Women’s Program:** Founded in 2016, Chicago CRED (Create Real Economic Destiny) addresses gun violence through a holistic approach aimed at creating transformative change in underserved communities. The Southside Women’s Program connects women aged 18-35 who are at risk for gun violence with outreach workers, coaches, and therapists. The program offers education, financial literacy, mental health support, parenting resources, and skill development, allowing participants to access an alumni coach upon completion.
“Public safety is everyone’s responsibility, and it’s great to have partners like the Chicago Sports Alliance helping us reduce gun violence in our neighborhoods,” Chicago CRED remarked. “We often say that ‘we work so kids can play,’ and thanks to our collective efforts, the next generation of Chicago athletes will have the chance to pursue their sports dreams.”
2. **Metropolitan Family Services’ Peace Initiative:** Established in 1857, Metropolitan Family Services aims to empower families through diverse programs. The Community Partners 4 Peace program, part of the Metropolitan Peace Initiatives (MPI), works with both local and city-wide organizations to heal heavily impacted communities. The recent grant funding from the CSA will bolster MPI’s workforce development and behavioral health initiatives, providing counseling and health services to participants and offering pathways for families to enhance their mental stability.
“At Metropolitan Peace Initiatives, we convene and support a coalition of 15 different community violence intervention organizations across the city of Chicago, making collaboration one of the things we do best,” said Executive Director Vaughn Bryant. “This grant from the Chicago Sports Alliance will allow us to continue to provide a variety of services to neighborhoods hardest hit by gun violence.”
3. **University of Chicago Medical Center’s Violence Recovery Program:** This program offers trauma-informed medical care to patients and their families who have suffered violent injuries, often related to gun violence. The Violence Recovery Program provides not just inpatient crisis intervention and immediate victim services but also outpatient case management following discharge.
The University of Chicago Medical Center expressed gratitude for the CSA’s support, stating, “The Chicago Sports Alliance is providing much-needed support to expand mental health services for patients engaged by our hospital-based violence intervention program. Mental health services have been the primary need for the over 11,000 patients we have engaged since our programs launched on May 1, 2018. CSA’s support allows us to meet this primary need.”
On June 4, the CSA held a community safety huddle honoring this year’s grantees, facilitating an invitation-only conversation at the United Center. The event, supported by the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition and the CSA, featured discussions focused on solutions and how each grantee plans to utilize the funding to enhance their community efforts.
The ongoing work of these organizations is vital for fostering safer neighborhoods in Chicago and addressing the gun violence epidemic, highlighting a united front against challenges faced by the city’s communities.
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