2023 Level Up Luncheon
The Level-Up Luncheon is an opportunity for our community partners to receive funding for major projects and general operating costs. This year the luncheon will be held on October 11, 2023, at 167 Green Street with doors opening at 11:30 am.
An Investment in Life
The goal of the Level-Up Luncheon, which will be hosted annually, is to create institutional-level funding for our seven community partner organizations with unique potential for lasting impact in the city.
In 2022 we inaugurated the Robert J. Zimmer Humanitarian Impact Award, which recognizes a remarkable individual who has made countless contributions and is a leader among leaders. Someone who has demonstrated an outstanding dedication to addressing the need to end economic development and education inequities. Someone who invests in providing opportunities - all of which we feel contribute to ending gun violence in our city. Presented at our yearly Level Up Luncheon this year, our nominating committee unanimously voted for Derek Douglas.
The fundraising goal for the 2023 Level-Up Luncheon is $415,000 – funds that will directly support our community partners in their mission to end gun violence in the Chicago community.
About Our Partners
Broader Urban Involvement & Leadership Development (BUILD), located in the Austin neighborhood, has provided services focused on youth development, violence intervention, and community building. We are asking for $15,000 to support over 1,000 kids continuously.
Kids Off the Block Summer Basketball League was formed in 2013 and brings together over 4,000 youth from different communities to create bonds, a sense of belonging, and friendships across conflict lines. The organization is looking to launch the TEC Center – Technology Entrepreneur and Arts Center to grow this program to operate all year round. The TEC Center will offer ten-week programs for youth ages 16 to 24, with book instruction and hands-on training in web design/coding, music production, clothing design, and renewable energy. Youth who complete the program will receive a certificate of completion. They can continue training to get higher certification with companies in their field of choice. We anticipate serving 300 youth per year and will provide wraparound services for children who need additional assistance. We want to raise $125,000 for these programs.
New Life Centers of Chicagoland, primarily located in Little Village, provides holistic programming, community events, and the Pan de Vida food pantry. NLC no longer has the space to provide for its program participants. We want to raise $25,000 to improve their rooms to increase their outreach capacity and location expansion.
Paving the Way Project in Washington Park provides year-round outreach programming, mentoring, and its annual Summer Cool Down for their community. We are asking for $25,000 to allow them to continue their programs.
Ring of Hope, located in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood, is an inaugural recipient of the Level-Up luncheon. ROH has serviced troubled youth for the last 14 years with wrap-around services that include mentorship, mental health services, and programming. We are asking for $100,000 to help in our commitment to their expansion and outreach.
The Ark of St Sabina, located in Auburn Gresham, is a staple to the southwest side of Chicago in creating safe havens and providing resources to people within the community. This organization is looking to launch two programs, S.C.A.N. and Strong Futures. S.C.A.N. aims to address the needs of disconnected youth & young adult males and females between the ages of 14-24 who are justice-involved and have other barriers to stability by connecting them with supportive services & employment opportunities. Strong Futures aims to address the needs of disconnected adult males and females, the ages of 25 and above, who are justice-involved and have other barriers to stability by connecting them with supportive services & employment opportunities. We want to raise $75,000 for these programs.
West Town Bikes, located in the West Town neighborhood, empowers youth through hands-on education and business development. Our programs use bikes as a tool for positive transformation. We are asking for $50,000 to go towards operations.
We are asking for sponsorship to collectively raise $415,000 to continue supporting our community partners in creating safe and welcoming spaces to bring out the best of Chicago.