UI is a Proud Recipient of the @properties Friends & Neighbors Fund
Urban Initiatives has a long-term relationship with the wonderful agents at @properties. This year we are thrilled to have been selected as one of four worthy organizations to receive funds from the 2010 Friends & Neighbors Community Fund! Thank you to @properties for your commitment to being 'Agents for Change'!
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Become a Fan of Urban Initiatives on Facebook
Come check out our Facebook profile and become a fan! We're hoping to have 1,000 fans by the end of spring and with your help we can reach that goal!
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Watch the 2010 Soccer Ball Video!
Wow! What a Soccer Ball! We'd like to thank Optimus for putting together another incredible video for the event. This was yet another record-breaking year thanks to our wonderful supporters. This was our highest grossing year to date and, we feel, the best Soccer Ball party ever.
The evening seemed to work so beautifully with many old and new friends in attendance, tons of folks on the dance floor, table sponsors spoiled by the lovely reserved area, lots of laughs and smiles at the photo booth, great beer tasting with Goose Island, amazing food thanks to J and L Catering, Storck and Kim & Scott's Gourmet Pretzels, and tons of buzz around the best auction ever. So thank you to all who helped make this such an amazing evening!
Watch a Film on Dropout Prevention
InsideOut is filmed in two maximum security prisons and captures the powerful stories of inmates who dropped out of school. This film is used as a tool for dropout prevention. Over the years it has impacted milions of students in the U.S. and Canada. It's endorsed by America's Promise Alliance, Communities In Schools, and the National Dropout Prevention Center.
Watch the full film at The Gene Siskel Film Center (164 N. State Street, Chicago) on February 9 from 11-1pm. Please RSVP to Debi Calhoun at debi@mattiecstewart.org.
Winter Season Kickoff!
It may be cold outside but the Urban Initiatives health and education soccer program is heating up. This week our Work to Play Program winter season kicked off at all 11 participating schools. We would love to get you involved! Come out and volunteer at our practices or games as an individual or in a group. Click here or contact julie@urbaninitiatives.org for further information. You can make a difference!
Busy Beaver Donates for The Soccer Ball 2010
Busy Beaver Buttons generously donated buttons to the 2010 Soccer Ball. Thanks for the support!
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The Soccer Ball - Come Out and Play!
The 4th Annual Urban Initiatives Fundraiser!
When: Friday, January 29th, 2010 from 7 to 11pm
Where: Salvage One, 1840 W Hubbard St., Chicago
Enjoy cocktails, appetizers, desserts, dancing and auction. A great party for a terrific cause!
Tickets at $100 in advance or $110 at the door. Buy your tickets now!
Your support is invaluable. Urban Initiatives' programs are free to our participants. Programs are underwritten entirely from funds raised at The Soccer Ball and through private donations.
Blue Man Group Field Trip Fun
Urban Initiatives is dedicated to taking program participants on cultural outings and field trips. Luckily for us, the Blue Man Group is dedicated to giving back to the Chicago community and generously donated 100 tickets to their show on November 12. Program participants and parents from Goethe School, Jenner Academy, and Libby Elementary traveled by bus to experience the spectacular show. of music, comedy, and multimedia. Thank you to the Blue Man Group for your generosity and providing our participants with an experience that they will never forget!
PHOTOS: Halloween Party a Spooktacular Success
On Halloween night over 400 people came to Ohm Nightclub for a Halloween celebration in support of Urban Initiatives. In total, the event raised over $8,700 for our health and education soccer program. Once again the costume contest was a tough race but Sam Sustarich and Alison Kuczwara won first place with their awesome homemade Toy Story costumes of Woody and Bo Peep. As their prize, they received four amazing Bulls tickets that were generously donated by Optimus. Additional pictures are posted in an album on UI's Facebook page. Thank you to Ohm, DJ Skeez, Optimus, and to everyone who came out to support us!
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Program Success at Otis
At Otis, we love having the Urban Initiatives program. We know that the students, as well as parents, are very happy with it. The kids are learning to play soccer and they see their parents see them exercising and having fun at the same time. Also, thanks for all the equipment and the snacks, we truly appreciate your support.
- Fernando Sifuentes and Genoveva Najara - On-Site Program Directors, Otis Academy