find your cause

In this episode we check-in with Latanya Johnson, Founder of Latanya & The Youth of Englewood. We are checking in with her as she just opened a brand new center to further support the kids she serves! This is an organization we interviewed in Episode 15 so check back to that one for a deeper dive into the impact Latanya is having!

The Youth of Englewood was established to work with youth ages 5-13 to provide after school activities including education, recreation, communication skill building, social opportunities, advocacy and support. They provide strong relationships with capable, caring, and positive adults which is a key component of helping children succeed.

Want to learn more and get engaged?

Website: https://www.latanyaandtheyouthofenglewood.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheYouthofEnglewood

IG @latanyaandtheyouthofenglewood

In Chicago, 197,524 children (1 out of every 3) live in low-income or homeless situations.

In this episode we interview Shoshana Buchholz-Miller, Executive Director at Cradles to Crayons. Cradles to Crayons is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Chicago, Boston, and Philadelphia on a mission to provide children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive – at home, at school and at play.

Want to learn more and get engaged?

Website (national): https://www.cradlestocrayons.org/

Facebook (Chicago): https://www.facebook.com/cradlestocrayonschicago/

Facebook (Boston): https://www.facebook.com/c2cboston/

Facebook (Philadelphia): https://www.facebook.com/C2CPhiladelphia/

LinkedIn (Chicago): https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/cradles-to-crayons-chicago/

LinkedIn (Boston): https://www.linkedin.com/company/cradles-to-crayons/

IG (Chicago) @c2cchicago

IG (Boston) @c2cboston

IG (Philadelphia) @c2cphiladelphia

In this episode we do a check-in (in a live cooking show format!) with Sebastian White, Founder of The Evolved Network. The Evolved Network is a newer non-profit organization that has come a long way since we interviewed them in Episode 20 so we had to do a check-in!

The Evolved Network is on a mission to provide unconditional care through a holistic and therapeutic approach that functions to build a foundation for impoverished youth through their creation of a farm to table dining experience. A means to comfort the soul through their service.

Want to learn more and get engaged?

Website: https://theevolvednetwork.org/

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (214) 448-4382

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theevolvednetwork

IG: @the.evolved.network

“I wanted to do something now” to have a larger impact and support historically disinvested communities in Chicago.

In this episode we hear from Walmer Saavedra, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Human Scale. Human Scale is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization on a mission to design and build functional, beautiful, and meaningful public spaces in historically disinvested neighborhoods across Chicago. The team at Human Scale seeks to improve mental and physical wellness, promote civic responsibility, highlight heritage and culture, and foster strong inter-generational relationships within the communities they work.

How can you help? Donate and volunteer!

Follow, like, comment, and share:

Website: https://www.humanscale.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/humanscaleorg

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/human-scale/

Instagram @humanscaleorg

“And it gives us hope that this place is a place of healing.”

In this episode we hear from Cordia Pugh, executive director of Hermitage Street Community Gardens (HSCG). HSCG provides education, helping build the community with healthy living in urban agriculture giving old and young alike the chance to get their hands in the soil and enjoy nature in the community. HSCG is a part of her broader 501c3 non-profit organization called Community Services of Englewood which includes the neighboring Englewood Veterans Garden.

“When people come here, they have to cultivate hope. Hope is not something that is instilled with us. Joy is not something that is instilled in us. We have to cultivate them”

How can you help? Donate, garden, and participate in the healing!

Follow, like, comment, and share:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hermitagecommunitygardens/about/?ref=page_internal

Website: http://hscg.weebly.com/

Give me four courts and I’ll clear the streets.

In this episode, we speak with Detective Matt Thornton of My Father’s Business (MFB). MFB is a non-profit that welcomes at-risk youth within their community to play basketball and eat. Every Friday night MFB provides a safe and open place to engage in conversations, provide mentorships, and offer different networking opportunities “planting seeds in our youth that changes eternities”.

How can you help? Donate to support their weekly Friday night basketball event!

Follow, like, comment, and share:

Website: https://www.mfbyouth.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myfathersbusinesschanginglivesforeternity/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@detectivemattthornton?lang=en

According to a study in 2015, Islam has 1.8 billion adherents, making up about 24.1% of the world population and yet there are still Muslim-American youth living through a racist narrative.

In this episode, we speak with Ahmed Flex Omar, Co-Founder and CXO of Muslim American Leadership Alliance (MALA). MALA was founded in 2015 to educate Muslim-American youth on culture, heritage, and identity through storytelling to build our future leaders and combat radicalism.

MALA has international status with the UN and works with mostly high school students, college students, and young professionals. MALA partners with various organizations and other famous Muslim-Americans like astranauts, social justice warriors, professonal soccer players, and everyone in between to inspire the youth they serve.

How can you help?

Donate to MALA to support their scholarship program and allow more stories to be shared

Follow, like, comment, and share:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MALANational

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/malanational/

Instagram @malanational

Chicago Scholars is an organization seeking to highlight talent regardless of the student’s high school or neighborhood. In this episode we hear how Jeff Beckham, the newly appointed CEO of Chicago Scholars, operates as the largest college access and success program in Chicago serving more than 3,000 Scholars and Alumni each year in their seven-year college access and success mentoring and career support program.

How can you help?

Volunteer your time to become a mentor

Donate to assist with providing scholarships

Share:

Apply Today: https://chicagoscholars.org/apply 

Donate Today: https://chicagoscholars.org/donate 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoScholarsFoundation/ 

Instagram @chicagoscholars

Asia on Argyle is a diverse and vibrant neighborhood in Chicago’s Uptown that is home to dozens of ethnic restaurants, shops, and hidden treasures. With the recent concerns from the pandemic and a worrying trend of anti-Asian rhetoric, Nuky Pham, Hac Tran and their friends Sany Nguyen, Hoan Huynh, and Trang Truong-Hill felt compelled to start a community initiative in Celebrate Argyle to help shine a light on the businesses and people that call Argyle home to support them and keep their stories alive.

How can you help?

Visit - Visit Asia on Argyle to shop, eat and explore! Celebrate Argyle currently has a promotion with Lyft for $10 off rides to and from Argyle with code: CelebrateArgyle

Share - invite your friends and family to visit Asia on Argyle and leave reviews to help businesses in the neighborhood

Advocate - Reach out to the Celebrate Argyle founding team to learn about other opportunities to get involved with their efforts

Want to connect?

Website: https://celebrateargylechicago.com/#Co-foundingTeam

Facebook: https://facebook.com/celebrate.argyle

Instagram: https://instagram.com/celebrate.argyle

Veteran unemployment rates can be 50% higher than the national average. In this episode we hear from Greg Drobny – Student Outreach Coordinator from Code Platoon. Code Platoon is a non-profit computer code academy geared toward helping veterans and their spouses gain valuable coding skills that they can turn into a career!

How can you help?

Share – If you know of a veteran/spouse needing training for a coding skills

Business Owner – provide internships/mentorships for graduates

Donate- Assist with tuition for veterans

SHARE

APPLY Today - https://www.codeplatoon.org/apply-now/ 

Donate Today- https://www.codeplatoon.org/n_donate/ 

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/codeplatoon.org 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/codeplatoon/

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCASZ7zW_Egu0T4KG3YEdGfw/featured