Southland RISE awards $150,000 to support 15 youth-focused programs across Chicago’s South Side and south suburbs

The Southland RISE (Resilience Initiative to Strengthen and Empower) has awarded $150,000 to support 15 community organizations delivering programs this summer for youth, teens and families across Chicago’s South Side and south suburbs. The funded programs — expected to reach up to 8,500 community members — include arts, sports, mental health services, mentoring, leadership development, trauma recovery and conflict resolution.

Southland RISE is a collaboration between the trauma recovery programs of UChicago Medicine and Advocate Health Care. Launched in 2019, the initiative strengthens community-led efforts to prevent violence and build resiliency among youth and families.

The Southland RISE Community Violence Prevention Grant Program has provided funding for seven consecutive years, awarding $950,000 to more than 80 organizations supporting violence prevention and trauma resilience across the South Side and Southland.

“Community programs like the ones supported by Southland RISE are vital to helping young people learn and thrive in safe spaces,” said Catina Latham, PhD, UChicago Medicine’s Senior Vice President for Community Health Transformation and Chief Equity Officer. “UChicago Medicine is committed to supporting grassroots organizations that address violence prevention and focus on the health of entire communities.”

2025 grant recipients serve residents across more than 30 Chicago neighborhoods and suburbs, with a focus on youth who are at risk or impacted by violence and trauma.

“Advocate Health Care is honored to partner with these organizations to continue our mission to curb violence and heal trauma throughout the South Side and surrounding area,” said Kim Miiller, PsyD, Advocate’s Director of Trauma Recovery Centers. “These community-rooted efforts are essential to healing and breaking cycles of violence.”

Inspired by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin’s Chicago HEAL Initiative, Southland RISE brings healthcare institutions and communities together around violence prevention and improving community health. In 2024, UChicago Medicine joined Senator Durbin in celebrating the HEAL Initiative’s five-year milestone.

UChicago Medicine’s Community Health Needs Assessment identifies trauma resiliency as a top community health priority and a focus of its Violence Recovery Program (VRP), a regional and national model of hospital-based violence intervention that engaged 1,945 patients in 2024. Since its launch in 2018, the VRP has served more than 11,800 patients.

The Advocate Trauma Recovery Center is a nationally recognized, healthcare-based and affiliated violence prevention program that provides services and resources for survivors of intentional trauma. Advocate Health Care’s Trauma Recovery Center has reached more than 9,500 patients since its opening, including 2,900 patients in 2024.

The 2025 Southland RISE grant awardees are all 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations operating in the service areas of Advocate Health Care and UChicago Medicine. Below are this year’s grantees and their summer initiatives:

Beautiful Beginnings to Lasting Legacies – Jumping Juniors: A double‑dutch jump rope program in Greater Grand Crossing and Woodlawn helping 50–75 at‑risk youth (ages 8–16) develop life skills through wellness education and financial literacy.

Better Sister & Brother Network – Safer Summer Pathway: Based in Harvey, this initiative provides structured summer programming for 100 youth and young adults (ages 10–24) focusing on mental wellness, mentorship and conflict resolution; it also serves families and reaches 500 community members.

Burst Into Books – Rise, Restore, and Read: A literacy and enrichment program serving 200 youth (ages 6–18) and 100 caregivers in Roseland and nearby areas, with public events reaching an additional 500 people.

Envision Community Services – SOS and SOS 2.0: Serving youth and young adults in Chicago Lawn, Gage Park, and surrounding areas, Envision offers street outreach, conflict mediation and peace circles.

FAM Entertainment Theatre – HEAL: Harnessing Expression, Arts, and Leadership: Engaging up to 200 youth and young adults (ages 5–19) in Bronzeville and Englewood, the theatre focuses on live performances, filmmaking, art competitions and storytelling.

Girls Inc. of Chicago – Strong Smart Bold Summer Camp: A workforce and mentorship-focused summer camp supporting 100 African American and Latinx girls in grades K–8 from neighborhoods including Auburn Gresham, Roseland, and South Chicago with career exploration and leadership development.

Kids Above All – Becoming Me: Violence Prevention for Young People: A 15–20‑week mentorship program serving 40 justice‑involved youth (ages 10–18) on the South Side and suburbs, focusing on personal development, social justice and mental health.

Manufacturing Renaissance – Young Manufacturers Association Summer Training: Programs provide trades training and mentorship to 50 young adults (ages 18–29) from more than 20 South Side communities.

Men on the Rise – MOTR Summer Program: Community‑centered mentoring for at‑risk youth (ages 10–15) in South Shore, Washington Park and Woodlawn to reduce gun violence.

Rescue8 Bright Neighborhood CDC – SAVING LIVES BY CHANGING LIVES: A Roseland‑based CDC offering emergency response workshops, workforce development and trauma support groups for community members.

Serving People with a Mission – Hand-n‑Hand Leadership Program: Weekly workshops, mentorship and exposure to social and career opportunities for 50 youth (ages 13–15) from across Chicago’s South and West Sides.

Sista Afya Community Care – Thrive in Therapy: Culturally responsive, free mental health therapy for 65 Black teen girls and women impacted by trauma in neighborhoods including Bronzeville, Woodlawn, South Shore and Hyde Park.

Southwest Organizing Project – Rooted in Healing: Supports adult women on Chicago’s Southwest Side through domestic violence recovery groups and healing peace circles for mothers grieving children lost to gun violence.

Still Searching Project – Community Art Summer Program: Brings 15–20 youth (ages 14–22) together to create awareness‑raising murals about missing women and children of color, combined with healing‑centered support groups.

Think Outside Da Block – Bike Outside Da Block: Teaches bike repair, advocacy and leadership through community bike rides and repair sessions in Englewood and Chicago Lawn.