8 Organizations That Support and Inspire Children in Chicago
Making sure that young people have the resources they need to thrive doesn't just affect kids and their families; it makes society as a whole better. The Chicago organizations listed here provide children with programs that can help them become more creative, better informed, and more prepared to succeed in school and beyond. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.
Chicago Groups That Help Children & Youth
| Organization | Mission |
|---|---|
| Mikva Challenge | Develop youth to be empowered, informed, and active citizens who will promote a just and equitable society |
| GirlForward | Create and enhance opportunities for girls who have been displaced globally by conflict and persecution |
| Youth Guidance | Create and implement school-based programs that enable children to overcome obstacles, focus on their education, and succeed in school and in life |
| 826CHI | Support students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and help teachers inspire their students to write |
| After School Matters | Provide Chicago public high school teens with opportunities to explore and develop their talents, while gaining critical skills for work, college, and beyond |
| Chicago Youth Centers | Equalize access to the tools, experiences, and resources needed for youth ages 3-18 to persist academically and develop socially and emotionally |
| Chicago Children's Choir | Inspire and unite youth from diverse backgrounds to become global citizens through music |
| Young Chicago Authors | Transform the lives of young people by cultivating their voices through writing, publication, and performance education |
How to Encourage Kids to Read
A great way to start is to get a bookshelf for your child's room. If they have access to their own collection of books, it'll be easy for them to read at their own pace. And if they're looking at the shelf everyday, reading will always be on their mind. It's also important to give your kids a comfortable place to sit. This can be anything from a rocking chair to a couch to a dedicated reading nook. If they have a space that's just for them, it makes reading time all the more special. As they grow, your young ones will start to read more challenging books with words they don't know. Encourage them to look up unfamiliar terms in the dictionary so they can expand their vocabulary. Finally, if you're having trouble getting your kid interested in books in the first place, try bridging the gap between visual media and literature with graphic novels.
Arts Education in America
- 91% of Americans agree that the arts are "part of a well-rounded education"
- 93% to 94% believe that students in elementary, middle, and high school should receive an education in the arts
- 74% agree that the arts help students to perform better academically
- Nationally, more than 40% of secondary schools did not require arts courses for graduation for the 2009-2010 school year
- Federal funding for arts & humanities is around $250 million a year, while the National Science Foundation is funded at around the $5 billion mark
- Arts and music education programs are mandatory in countries that rank near the top for math and science test scores, like Japan, Hungary, and the Netherlands
- According to a nationwide study, 63% of eighth-graders took a music class, and 42% took a visual arts class
- Students in the Northeast were twice as likely (68%) to have taken a visual arts class than students in the South (35%)
- Students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch, which is often used as a proxy to identify low-income students, scored an average of 26 points lower in music than those not eligible and 22 points lower in visual arts
- In the District of Columbia, 75% of white students took an art course, compared to 49% of black students
How Many American Children Live In Poverty?
Percentage of children ages 0–17 by family income relative to the poverty threshold, according to the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics
| Poverty Level | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Below 50% of poverty threshold | 6.9% | 8.8% | 6.7% | 9.9% | 9.8% | 9.7% | 9.3% | 8.9% | 8.2% |
| 50% - 99% of poverty threshold | 11.4% | 11.8% | 9.5% | 12.1% | 12.0% | 12.1% | 11.9% | 10.8% | 9.8% |
Why Kids Love Art
In Depth
Ensuring children have all they need to be healthy, safe, and successful is no small feat. The future of every community lies with its youth. Fostering civic engagement, encouraging creative expression, and growing self-confidence are all important for healthy development. Here, in no particular order, are eight groups dedicated to helping kids receive necessary services and develop lifelong skills.
#1 on the list is Mikva Challenge. This organization was founded in 1997 as a tribute to Abner and Zoe Mikva, to honor their remarkable public service legacy. This group is preparing youth to be informed citizens and leaders by inviting them to take part in real-life democratic activities. It is developing students to be empowered and active citizens who will promote an equitable society.
This nonprofit is providing youth with support, connections, knowledge, engagement, and inclusion. Its Action Civics Classrooms help educators create democratic classrooms and develop student skills. Project Soapbox, its public speaking competition, calls on young people to speak out about issues affecting them and their communities. It welcomes everyone to get involved, and volunteers can provide mentorship for this group's participants.
It welcomes everyone to get involved, and volunteers can provide mentorship for this group's participants.
Coming in at #2 is GirlForward, which supports girls who are refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers. It is dedicated to enhancing opportunities for high school girls, ages fourteen through twenty-one, who receive resettlement in the United States. Through its three core programs of mentoring, education, and safe spaces, it is minimizing the challenges of poverty, language barriers, isolation, and trauma.
Tutoring, English lessons, and workshops are all provided by this nonprofit to support these girls. It encourages you to take action in support of refugees by making a donation or volunteering as a mentor or tutor. If you would like to plan a fundraising event for this organization, it provides event kits and brand guidelines to get you started.
Next, at #3, is the nonprofit Youth Guidance. It believes that success in school should be celebrated, and it sees a bright future for every elementary and high school student. In order to facilitate this vision, it creates and implements school-based programs that engage children in the learning process. By providing careful guidance to students, this group is enabling them to realize their full potential.
By providing careful guidance to students, this group is enabling them to realize their full potential.
Its community and after-school programs support youth beyond the classroom. With numerous workforce development offerings, such as @Work and Project Prepare, it helps high schoolers explore career options and get connected with jobs. The Bright Futures Gala is its premier annual event to raise the necessary funds for the nonprofit's programs. There are many more ways to give to this organization, including monthly giving, hosting an event, or sponsoring a school.
#4 is 826CHI, a nonprofit dedicated to amplifying the voices of Chicago youth. It is a creative writing, tutoring, and publishing center for students ages six through eighteen. Services like after-school tutoring, field trips, and writing workshops ensure these kids develop the strong writing skills that are fundamental to success. Its rigorous programs offer both practical skills and a platform for self-expression.
The work this group is doing is fostering generations of creative writers and thinkers. It is exploring the endless possibilities through the power of writing for students, teachers, and communities. For those interested in getting involved with this organization, there are numerous volunteer focus areas. You can also sign up to receive a student-selected story in your mailbox every month.
For those interested in getting involved with this organization, there are numerous volunteer focus areas.
In the #5 spot is After School Matters. This non-profit provides after-school and summer program opportunities for high school teenagers, where they can explore possibilities and gain critical skills. These programs are offered in arts, sports, STEM, and communications and leadership, ensuring teens can find an offering that meets their interests. In order to lower participation barriers and reinforce the value of the teens' time and effort, students who meet program requirements are given a monetary stipend.
This group's core components allow it to best serve teenagers in a way that positively impacts them day-to-day and empowers them for the future. Volunteering for this organization includes event decorating, mass-mailings, assisting instructors, or working in the retail store. Those interested can also sign up to be part of TEAM After School Matters, which runs races to raise money and awareness.
At #6 on the list is Chicago Youth Centers, which operates and partners with multiple centers in high-need neighborhoods. This organization equalizes access to high quality youth development programs for children living in Chicago's divested communities. It gives children ages three through eighteen the tools, resources, and opportunities to become well-rounded and successful adults.
It gives children ages three through eighteen the tools, resources, and opportunities to become well-rounded and successful adults.
By providing early learning and family engagement programs, it is helping kids during their most vulnerable times and empowering families to build strong relationships. It also provides healthy living and violence prevention programs to children. Volunteers for this organization introduce youth to new experiences and inspire them to dream. If interested, you can host art projects, work in the garden, or host a seminar.
#7 is Chicago Children's Choir, founded in Hyde Park in 1956. It is uniting youth from diverse backgrounds through the power of music. With a large network of in-school offerings and after-school neighborhood choirs, this group serves and inspires thousands of students every year. CCC builds programs that reflect the diversity of Chicago and give kids the opportunity to develop a sense of self-discipline and pride.
Its Voice of Chicago choir is a mixed-voice ensemble with an extensive performance schedule, including tours and collaborations with other cultural institutions within the city. DiMension is this organization's unique choir for young men with changing or changed voices, open to kids in elementary, middle, and high school. Concerts have a pay-what-you-can policy, removing the financial barrier for low-income individuals and families who wish to attend. You can donate to this nonprofit to help Chicago's youth access life-changing programs.
Concerts have a pay-what-you-can policy, removing the financial barrier for low-income individuals and families who wish to attend.
Finally, at #8, is Young Chicago Authors. This nonprofit serves as an introduction to a vibrant literary community dedicated to the voices of young people. It offers summer programs, writing workshops, and numerous special projects, all in an effort to cultivate creativity, expression, and critical thinking. Through open mics, it provides a place for young poets, journalists, and emcees to share their work.
This organization's youth poetry festival, Louder Than A Bomb, is the largest in the world. Volunteers are needed to make this event successful, and those interested in helping can serve as timekeepers, ambassadors, or judges. Young Chicago Authors also provides workshops and performances to schools, corporations, and at community events.
