In a move aimed at boosting community engagement and youth development, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) have rolled out the My CHI. My Future. (MCMF) Micro-Grant Program. With a total funding pool of $600,000, dozens of grass-roots, youth-oriented initiatives on Chicago's South and West sides are set to receive financial backing, as announced by the city.
The intention here is clear—as Mayor Johnson noted, diversely ranging from culinary schemes to environmental vocations, these grants are targeted at providing youth with constructive avenues to tread onward to triumph. The mayor articulated, "This program speaks to our commitment to investing in our young people this summer. We know that when we give young people productive opportunities, we are putting them on the path to success for themselves and their communities." Each of the 15 MCMF Community Strategy Regions will benefit from this funding initiative.
Bearing witness to the impact these grants are designed to yield, the founder and Executive Director of Young Men’s Education Network (YMEN) in Lawndale, Mike Trout, affirmed the grants' significance during the announcement. He stated, "This micro-grant will allow us to hire 20 additional students for our summer urban gardening program," leveraging these funds to cultivate both crops and young minds in the community. Additionally, Maria Velazquez, the linchpin at Telpochcalli Community Education Project, reinforced this perspective by elucidating the grants' role in uniting and reinforcing communities through educational outreach.
The selection of SGA Youth & Family Services (SGA) by DFSS to administer the program in December 2021 underscores their century-plus tenure in youth and family services. The words of Martha Guerrero, president and CEO of SGA, further cemented the organization's enthusiasm about the initiative: "SGA is very excited to work with the City on the My CHI. My Future. Micro-Grant Program," accrediting their storied legacy as a driving force behind the endeavor which promises to bolster small organizations' capacity to nurture the youth across various Chicago neighborhoods.
