Southland RISE grantees share their summer highlights

Cooking classes. Counseling for people impacted by gun violence. Tennis lessons. Teen support groups. 

These were just a few of the impactful summer events organized by the 19 groups that received a share of $150,000 in grant support from the Southland RISE (Resilience Initiative to Strengthen and Empower) program.

Launched in 2019 by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s Chicago HEAL Initiative (Hospital Engagement, Action, Leadership) as a collaboration between the University of Chicago Medicine and Advocate Health Care, Southland RISE integrates the violence recovery and trauma programs of the two health systems.

Each of the 19 groups used their grant money to lead community-focused programming on the South Side and in the south suburbs, to benefit their communities and ensure participants — many of whom are children — had constructive summer activities. 

Here’s a sampling of the highlights:

The suburbs of Riverdale and Dolton have limited resources to offer recreational and summer programs for kids. That’s why The ACE Project’s Summer Smash is so special. Each summer in Riverdale’s Cooper Park, there’s a free festival with bounce houses, a DJ, face painting, cotton candy, costumed characters, dance-offs, tennis lessons and organized games.

“It’s about joy, celebration, fun and community,” said The ACE Project Executive Director Susan Klumpner, PhD, LCSW, a University of Chicago alumna. “There truly is a sense of pride being able to have this in Riverdale’s backyard.”

How long The ACE Project has hosted Summer Smash: 8 years

Number of children in attendance this year: More than 180, a 44% increase over last year, thanks to the Southland RISE grant.

Tennis, anyone?: The ACE Project also hosted 8-week tennis camps at the Riverdale and Dolton park districts, providing instruction for kids and adults. 

How it began: When School District 148 lost its grant for after-school programming, Klumpner, a school social worker, organized a group of volunteer teachers to lead an after-school tennis program. It became so popular that it received grant money and was expanded into a year-round offering with educational enrichment programs like STEM classes, arts and crafts, digital storytelling and Summer Smash.

Not just for kids: The ACE Project started a workforce development program that trains parents for paid jobs in their program. “We have the community take care of the community,” Klumpner said.

To minimize the temptation of high-calorie or highly processed food, Heal They Life Center’s Fit for Motherhood program spent the summer teaching mothers and their children how to choose and cook healthy foods. The Southland RISE grant supported interactive educational sessions, cooking demonstrations, peer support groups, and, of course, food tastings. 

“Some of the kids were, like, ‘I’m not eating veggie chips!’ But then we couldn’t get them to stop eating the chips once they were exposed to them,” said Heal They Life Founder Maryam Muhammad.

The programming addressed real-life obstacles mothers face, such as finding affordable fresh foods and quick, easy recipes; sneaking vegetables into kids’ meals; and learning which convenience store snacks are healthier than others. The organization also donated hundreds of diapers each month to new moms.

Number of snack bags donated: More than 1,000 bags were distributed, packed with yogurt, smoothies, fruit snacks, apple sauce, pretzels, oatmeal packets and more.

A popular recipe that kids can help cook: Lettuce tacos. Romaine lettuce is used as a shell, filled with seasoned meat or beans, rice, cheese, green peppers, tomatoes or salsa.

Number of families given access to nutritious foods each week: 75

Focus Fairies Mentoring provided girls with a safe space to share their emotions this summer, helping them recognize their feelings and address violence in their communities.

Southland RISE’s grant helped the organization teach girls leadership and advocacy skills in summer camps. It also helped their Girl Power Glitter Girl Teen Club summer program, which included role-playing scenarios and guest speakers who shared relatable personal experiences and resources for conflict resolution and self-defense.

Focus Fairies Executive Director Darryca Brim-Mims found it heartwarming to see the girls grow and become empowered – and to see them keep coming back. 

“We’re moving in the right direction,” she said. “When you’re doing what you’re supposed to do, and it aligns with what the students need, they show up.” 

Number of students in the summer camps: 25, at three different South Side locations.

Number of students in their Becoming Emotionally Empowered (BEE) program: 40

Favorite social-emotional games: A new take on board games like Twister and Connect 4, where players share emotions based on the emojis they get. “To see them so invested and excited about these games brought joy to our facilitators,” Brim-Mims said. “I thought, these games could be sold at Wal-Mart or Target!”

Request granted: The 15-member Girl Power Glitter Girl Teen Club enjoyed their monthly meetings so much that they asked to have them twice a month – and their request was granted. The girls named the club and determined its focus, using one hour for therapy sessions and one hour for mentorship. Each member came from a different school across Chicago, so the young attendees felt safe sharing their emotions. “We are breaking barriers and really getting deeper on the things that are bothering us,” Brim-Mims said.

Sunshine Gospel Ministries’ Building Resilience Through Summer Summits for Youth and Families

To combat violence and enhance community well-being, Sunshine Gospel Ministries used its Southland RISE grant to organize two major summer events: the Youth & Family Resource Fair and the Family Summit.

The resource fair, held at the start of summer, connected youth who reside in the 20th Ward with job opportunities, summer program options and essential community resources. 

The Family Summit provided education on mental health topics of grief and loss, mental health referrals, financial support for counseling services and grief support groups.

“Many people are not aware that they have resources available to them and have no idea how to access them,” said Donnell Williams, a Violence Intervention Specialist with Sunshine Gospel Ministries' violence intervention program, Flourishing Community Initiative. “Events like these help ‘connect the dots.’”

People impacted by gun violence often shy away from mental health counseling, Williams added. 

“For older individuals, there’s a stigma attached to seeking help. They might think, ‘I’ll just pray, and it will get better,’” he said. “Our intake process and clinical assessment are the first steps toward breaking the ice and encouraging people to take advantage of counseling opportunities necessary for their healing journey.”

Number of mental health counseling sessions in Woodlawn this summer: 25

Number of families provided with therapy services: 6

Individuals assisted at the Family Summit: 16

Jobs secured for teens: 9, including a part-time time job this fall for a student through Sunshine’s Youth Employment Program. “The youth were pretty ecstatic,” Williams said. “Any time a young person chooses to engage in something positive and productive during the summer, that’s a win.”

Number of vendors at the resource fair: 19

Number of youths who participated in the Youth & Family Resource Fair: More than 30.