Case for Support - I Am Empoweredprojectrock.iamempowered.com/sites/projectlead.iamempowered.com/...2 The Chicago Urban League Case for Support ... The program provides new and mature

Case for Support

Welcome

The Chicago Urban League Case for Support2

Since my arrival here 2 years ago, I’ve been

continuously impressed with the amazing work that is being done every day at the Chicago Urban League to transform lives.

Each and every day, our staff meet with people

who want to better their lives with better housing, education, or work. We provide a personal touch that helps each individual find the best path to

achieve their goals.

None of that help would be possible without financial support from our donors, friends, corporations, and government funding. As you

read this Case Statement, I hope you are inspired to support the work of the Chicago Urban League

and to help us to better even more lives.

History

The Chicago Urban League is an affiliate of the National Urban League, the

nation’s oldest and largest community-based movement devoted to empowering African Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream. Founded in 1916 by an interracial group of community leaders, the Urban

League was formed to help rural African Americans migrating from the south adjust to northern urban living. As one of the major civil rights organizations in

Chicago, and one of the 98 affiliates of the National Urban League, the Chicago Urban League is committed to support and advocate for economic, educational, and social equality for African Americans.

During the 1960s, the Chicago Urban League’s work joined with the national civil

rights agenda and other organizations to produce a period of great economic, electoral, and political gains. The Urban League’s efforts have always reflected a dual commitment to civil rights and economic development. In 2007, the

Chicago Urban League launched a strategic agenda that elevated its focus on economic development. Today, under the leadership of the President and Chief

Executive Officer Andrea L. Zopp, the Chicago Urban League continues to support and advocate for the economic equality for African Americans by building strong and stable communities.


Mission

Vision

The Chicago Urban League will be the leader in building strong sustainable communities by creating opportunities with the power to transform people’s lives.

Mission

The Chicago Urban League works for economic, educational and social progress for African Americans and promotes strong sustainable communities through progressive

advocacy, effective collaboration, and innovative programming.

The Chicago Urban League is committed to implementing its mission through the well-

informed pursuit of the following strategies:

Insuring access to quality education that prepares individuals to become lifelong learners and to be competitive and successful in the global economy.

Preparing individuals for work at all levels in an ever changing economy, developing engaged citizens, and building strong families.

Supporting community based investment and growth through facilitating

entrepreneurship, business development, and home and real estate ownership

Advocating for policies and programs that ensure equal participation by African

Americans in the economic and social mainstream.

Enabling individuals to live productive longer lives by insuring access to health and wellness education and services.


Who we are

76 full and part time employees

Total Budget of $9,894,739

Largest Funding Source – State and Local Government

Own a Building worth $2 Million in South Chicago


Who we serve?

202 High School Students

90 Middle School Students

150 High School Parents

70 Companies Looking to improve

1600 Adult Entrepreneurs

200 Student Entrepreneurs

500 African American Fathers

75 African American Mothers

100 Teenage Boys

1,082 Homeowners

926 Future Homeowners

2,164 Adults seeking better employment

284 Youth seeking employment


Who we serve

Chicago by Racial Ethnicity Percent

White 35%

Hispanic/Latino 30%

Asian American 5%

Native American <1%

African American 29%

Other 1%


Cook County by Racial Ethnicity Percent

White 50%

Hispanic/Latino 21%

Asian American <1%

Native American <1%

African American 24%

Other 5%

Challenges

Only 44% of African American males graduate from Chicago

Public Schools.

The African American unemployment rate is 16% compared to a national average of 9%.

Only 12.7% of African-American businesses have annual revenues of more than $50,000, and 68% have four or fewer employees.

25% of African Americans have lost their homes in the past three years.

African Americans are disproportionately affected by high blood

pressure, diabetes, and heart conditions that significantly reduce life expectancy

Only 16.4% of the Cook county companies are owned by African Americans, yet 24.8% of the people in the area are African American.

17.2% of the African Americans in Illinois are unemployed

27.6% of African Americans living in poverty in Cook County

Chicago has one of the highest murder rates in the country: 138/1,000,000


Solutions


Our Work

For 94 years the Chicago Urban League has been committed to empowering lives and building stronger communities. Our programs and services

reach into the heart of the community and touch thousands of students, job seekers, entrepreneurs

and families. We make an impact in the following focus areas:

Education and Youth Development

Entrepreneurship and Business Development

Health and Quality of Life

Housing and Community Development

Workforce Development

Multimedia

Policy and Research

Our Key Programs


Education and Youth Development

EDUCATION

Our Education Department offers comprehensive programs that give students at the middle school,

high school and college levels the skills and confidence necessary to compete academically

while exposing them to various careers, social and cultural opportunities.

2010 Accomplishments

NULITES – Middle School tutoring and school help:

Tutored 90 Students ages 11 – 15

PEP – Parents Engagement Program:

Helped 150 parents to be more engaged in their

children’s education

nextScholar and Project Ready – College Readiness:

Prepared 80 high school students for college

Scholarships – College Scholarships:

Provided college scholarships to 22 students

YIEP – Financial literacy for high school students:

Educated 100 students on the keys to financial literacy

Our Key Programs


Chicago Urban League Youth Investor Entrepreneur Project

(YIEP) graduate

At the age of 19, Johnnie Lovett makes his own car payment, has three bank accounts – one he uses for expenses and two dedicated to savings – invests in a mutual fund and has two

credit cards he pays off each month.

Lovett attended the Chicago Urban League’s financial literacy program for high school students while attending Gwendolyn

Brooks College Preparatory. He dedicated four hours every Saturday morning for 20 weeks to learning about the stock

market, investing, mutual funds and entrepreneurship.

Today, Lovett is a sophomore majoring in business marketing at Illinois State University and the creator of the Webzine

Stayfreshonline.com, which features up and coming designers on Chicago’s hip-hop fashion scene. Stayfreshonline.com held its first-ever fashion show in Chicago in September and Lovett

says the magazine is gearing up for more activities during the summer of 2009 when he returns to Chicago for summer break.

Today, Lovett said he lives within his means as a result of what

he learned in the YIEP program. ―One of the key things that I learned from YIEP is how to plan financially but also to make

sure that you stay afloat and plan for life.‖

“I don’t have a job where I

work everyday. I’m a student,

so I have to be on top of

spending, especially with the

cost of gas and having a car,”

said Johnnie. “I’m blessed

because I don’t charge a lot of

things, and I know a lot of

people do that.”

Johnnie Lovett

Our Key Programs


Entrepreneurship and Business Development

ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTER

Our Entrepreneurship Center serves over 1,000 clients annually and provides strategic business consulting,

intensive training programs and business development to emerging and established African American

entrepreneurs. We work with new and established business owners through a series of program offerings aimed at different levels of expertise.


nextOne – grow company revenue and number of

employees: Provided 21 companies with training and resources

nextLevel – Teach and apply advance business concepts: 12 companies completed the coursework

to make their companies more successful

nextStep – teach fundamentals of entrepreneurship:

1600 adult students participated in business classes

nextConstruction – grow revenue and number of

employees in construction: 37 adults were engaged in the program

Our Key Programs


From Apprentice to Entrepreneur

Brandon Newell’s career path began at 12, when he

would climb up on rooftops with his father, a general contractor, and learn the trade hands on. Newell, who graduated from the Urban League’s Chicago Contractor

Development program (CCD) in the spring, could have gone to work for his father. Instead, he founded his own

company, Thor General Contracting, last fall to ―change the status quo of how African American construction contractors do business.‖

Newell said CCD taught him how to avoid the pitfalls that have ensnared many African American construction firms. The program provides new and mature business owners

with the tools to start, sustain and build capacity in the competitive construction market, precipitating close to

$40 million in contracts and $41 million in bonding.

―The businesses that could be building capacity aren’t

building capacity,‖ said Newell, who has hired former Pre2 classmates. ―I want to bring accountability to the

business.‖

“I saw the ins and outs and do’s and don’ts

of the contracting business,” said Newell, a

former laborer who earned $12 an hour. “I

decided that I wanted to blaze my own trail

and show accountability within the

construction field.”

Brandon Newell

Our Key Programs


Health and Quality of Life


Male Involvement Program – fatherhood

program: 500 African American Men participated in this education program

Fathers and Families – family relationship

building and communication: 75 female adults were provided assistance in their

relationships

African American Youth Development –

African American Males: 100 teenage boys were involved with this mentorship program

Our Key Programs


Single Father Finds Stability and Employment

Jon Rose, an unemployed, 30 year-old single father of four,

joined the Chicago Urban League’s Male Involvement Program (MIP) in search of a pathway off the streets. After gaining custody of three of his children, he turned to MIP, which

provides holistic support services for fathers—many of whom are grappling with educational, familial and criminal setbacks—for

assistance.

Jon says MIP, the flagship program of the CUL’s Human Capital Development Department, was exactly what he needed to get

on the right track.

Thanks to MIP Jon received better parenting skills, conflict resolution training and job training in partnership with the

Chicago Urban League’s Workforce Development and Diversity Department.

Today Jon is employed by the Chicago Urban League through

the Put Illinois To Work initiative. He works as an assistant to the Male Involvement Program life coaches and provides mentoring to new program participants. The program has also

improved Jon’s relationship with his children. ―I can see a big difference with them. It seems like they’re really proud of what

their dad is doing.‖

“It’s a place where you don’t get

judged on anything. You can speak

your opinion on anything you feel

and everybody tries to help you out

in your situation.”

Jon Rose

Our Key Programs



HOUSING COUNSELING

The Housing Counseling Department is a HUD-certified counseling agency and a City of Chicago Department of Housing Delegate

Agency providing low-to moderate-income residents with professional housing counseling assistance. Our service areas

include: foreclosure prevention, mortgage default counseling, first time homebuyers counseling, predatory lending counseling, rental counseling, landlord/tenant matters and senior reverse mortgage

counseling. Last year over 1,500 individuals received housing and mortgage delinquency counseling. Over 300 attended first time

homebuyer seminars and 50 purchased new homes.


National Urban League Housing and Urban Development –

housing counseling for first time homebuyers, foreclosure prevention, and other services: 926 potential homebuyers were

provided counseling and education.

Foreclosure Prevention: Provided 862 homeowners with education

and counseling to prevent foreclosure

Predatory Lending Prevention - 179 Adults were counseled and educated on how to notice and avoid predatory lending

Financial Literacy: 220 adults participated in education classes around financial literacy and foreclosure prevention

Our Key Programs



Marlene Hopkins, 39, of Chicago’s South Side, readily

admits she isn’t real estate savvy. ―I was in this loan product without options. If I couldn’t get a modification, I potentially faced losing my home‖,

said Marlene. Even with a middle-income job and good credit, Marlene was making monthly payments

in excess of $2,700 a month on a sub-prime mortgage with an adjustable interest rate of 16.0%.

The Chicago Urban League’s Mortgage Foreclosure Prevention team, led by Margaret Wooten,

contacted Marlene’s lender and negotiated a fixed rate of 5.25%. As a result, Marlene’s monthly mortgage payments declined by $900 a month.

―My lender told me they couldn’t help unless I was at least two months behind on my payments, which

would jeopardize my credit,‖ said Marlene.

“Margaret Wooten worked her magic and got

the loan modified to a 5.25 percent fixed rate

conventional loan. The Chicago Urban League

was heaven sent. They saved my home and

my credit.”

Marlene Hopkins

Our Key Programs


Workforce Development

CENTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENTThe Center for Employment and Human Capital Development provides expert workforce training, life coaching, and

employment services to our clients.

Pre2 Construction Programs – apprentice program for

minorities in construction: 137 adults were placed in the apprenticeship program

Commercial Drivers Licenses – CDL Training and Permits:

75 adults were trained to take the CDL License exam

Workforce Diversity – assist employers with hiring needs:

1868 adults (primarily African American) were placed with companies looking to hire a more diverse workforce

Youth Ready Chicago – summer employment for youth:

284 youth were placed in summer jobs

WIA Adult – job readiness and placement:

84 adults who are economically disadvantaged were provided

with job training and placement

Our Key Programs


Jimmy Akintonde, From Subcontractor To Prime

After 10 years of working for a majority-owned

general contractor, Jimmy Akintonde, president of UJAMAA Construction, had the experience and was well-positioned to grow but lacked the

capacity to bid projects as a general contractor.

In 2007, Akintonde was accepted into the Chicago Urban League’s nextONE program. He graduated in 2008. Today, UJAMAA Construction is working

primarily as a general contractor. The firm has also increased its line of credit, hired more staff,

increased its bonding capacity on a single project from $1.5 million to $2 million, and increased annual revenue by 27 percent.

Last December, Jimmy Akintonde was honored by his peers in the Builders Association with its 2009

Corporate Citizenship Award for his dedication to workforce diversity and his commitment to

educate young people about opportunities in the construction industry.

Jimmy Akintonde continues to excel in

his own business after his work with the

Chicago Urban League.

Our Key Programs

MULTIMEDIA

The Chicago Urban League's multimedia platform,

which includes broadcast, print, and online media, promotes the Chicago Urban League's programs, messages, and positive images of African

Americans.

POLICY AND RESEARCH

Our Policy and Research Department advocates

for policies and programs that stimulate economic growth and promote educational achievement,

homeownership, health and wellness, and career success in the African American community. Our two major initiatives this past year were research

and community education work funded by the MacArthur foundation on the disproportionate

contacts of minorities with the criminal justice system and our lawsuit against the Illinois State Board of Education regarding the

unconstitutionality of our property tax based school funding system.


Financials


Financials


The Future

For 95 years, the Chicago Urban League

has been dedicated to helping people in need find access to better jobs, education, housing and health access.

Under the Leadership of Andrea Zopp, we are are planning for the next 5-10

years of enriching programs in Chicago. Over the next two years, the leadership of the Chicago Urban League is

reviewing each of the divisions and programs to determine areas of growth

and potential to provide even more individuals with services as well as those programs which are no longer relevant to

the needs of the underserved in the area. As the Chicago Urban League prepares

for the future, we are committed to helping each person who walks through our door find the programs and services

they need to provide a better life for them, their family, and their community.


Fundraising

The Board of Directors and the leadership for the Chicago Urban League are committed to moving forward to support each one of the programs to meet the needs of the underserved in Chicago. To that end, there is a focus on philanthropy from Chicago individuals, corporations, and foundations. In 2011, the goal is to raise $7,800,000 in philanthropic support to not only maintain, but grow key programs of the CUL. Throughout the next year, the Board and staff will be approaching individual members, corporate sponsors, and foundations for key programmatic support along with general operating support.

It is the Chicago Urban League’s commitment to you, that you will see measurable results from your wisely invested support. Every dollar donated in support of the programs and services of the CUL is tax deductible.


Board of Directors

Anthony Anderson - Board Chairman

Adrienne Banks Pitts

Andrew Barrett

Selim Bassoul

James Bell

Frank Bixby - Life Trustee

Lawrence Borgard

George Brooks

Michelle Collins

Jacoby Dickens

Willard S. Evans, Jr.

Joseph A. Gregoire

Carrie Hightman

Melvin Hopson - Life Trustee

Andre Hughes

Charles James III

George Johnson - Life Trustee

Earl Jones

Paul Kleppner Ph.D.


Paul LaSchiazza

Lester McKeever Jr. - Vice Chairman

James O’Connor Sr. - Life Trustee

James O'Connor Jr.

William A. Osborn - Life Trustee

William H. Osborne

Thomas Patrick - Life Trustee

Anne Pramaggiore

James Reynolds – Immediate Past Chairman

John Rogers Jr. – Vice Chairman

Stuart Schuette

Samuel Scott III

Steven Sherman - Treasurer

John Sterling

David Storch

Sheila Talton

Charles Tribbett III

Frederick Waddell

Sandra Weicher

Andrea L. Zopp - President & CEO

Documents

Case for Support - I Am Empoweredprojectrock.iamempowered.com/sites/projectlead.iamempowered.com/...2 The Chicago Urban League Case for Support ... The program provides new and mature