Volunteer

Campaign Type: Admin

34th Annual Family Matters Walk-a-Thon

Family Matters partners with youth, families, and communities to cultivate a way of living in the world that develops strong relationships, meaningful communication, and safe environments for courageous social change.

We seek to build an equitable society for all.

Family Matters’ Walk-a-Thon raises critical funds to support:

  • The Family Matters School, a K-4 cooperative microschool with a focus on experiential learning
  • Respectful Communities, a Principles of Leadership training course
  • Project RISE, a teen job-skills training and leadership development program
  • Partners in Learning, a one-to-one after-school tutoring/mentoring program
  • Community Engagement, a partnership with families and members of the community involved in ongoing activities and initiatives beyond those participating in daily programming

Thank you for partnering with Family Matters!

The Family Matters 32nd Annual Walk & Roll-A-Thon

Family Matters partners with youth, families, and communities to cultivate a way of living in the world that develops strong relationships, meaningful communication, and safe environments for courageous social change.

We seek to build an equitable society for all.

Family Matters’ Walk and Roll-A-Thon raises critical funds to support:

  • The Family Matters School, a K-3 cooperative microschool with a focus on experiential learning
  • Respectful Communities, a Principles of Leadership training course
  • Project RISE, a teen job-skills training and leadership development program
  • Partners in Learning, a one-to-one after-school tutoring/mentoring program
  • Community Engagement, a partnership with families and members of the community involved in ongoing activities and initiatives beyond those participating in daily programming

Thank you for partnering with Family Matters!

Partners in Learning

The majority of sessions take place from 6:30-8:00 p.m., making this Rogers Park’s only evening tutor/mentoring program. Partners in Learning (PL) provides an opportunity for tutor/mentor pairs to forge deep connections and to learn from and with one another. Many of the pairs have worked together for years. Activities focus on academic support, social-emotional learning, leadership development, community service, and college- and career-readiness. As the PL relationship develops, it’s common for pairs to “branch out” from the Family Matters building for museum visits, dance classes, movies, and college campus tours. Family Matters staff create grade-appropriate individualized learning plans for each youth, based on their self-identified academic and personal specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. All learning plans include exploration of current global events and incorporate literacy activities. Tutor/mentor pairs gather together to share in quarterly Peace Circles and game nights. Teens in Partners in Learning are given the opportunity to participate in up to ten Post-Secondary Readiness Initiative (PRI) sessions (see below for complete description). A major strength of the program is the quadrilateral support system developed among a youth’s teachers, parents/guardians, tutor/mentors, and Family Matters staff, all of whom remain in regular contact throughout the year to support the young person’s interests, gifts, and growth.

Boys 2 Men

The culture of Boys to Men reflects the program’s focus on peer mentorship, taking responsibility for one’s decisions, and self-acceptance, and acknowledges the tremendous resiliency that young men of color need to develop as they move through our society. It seeks to equip youth with the resources, knowledge, and experience to make life-affirming decisions—particularly in areas that most impact the lives of young people, such as relationships, education, health, and career options. To address the critical challenges that young men face, the program utilizes youth development strategies that foster self-efficacy and community consciousness. The intent is CLEAR-Community, Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Art/Academics, and Respect. Members of Boys to Men lead a weekly all-ages basketball club called Development League (D-League), which includes young women from That Goddess Power and youth from the community, and participate in the Young People’s Race Power and Technology Project (YRP-Tech), a youth documentary filmmaking program, in partnership with Northwestern University. The young men engage in volunteer work in the community including visits to the Salvation Army Evanston Food Pantry and park clean ups at Loyola Park.

That Goddess Power

Members of That Goddess Power lead a youth-focused Principles of Leadership curriculum, support and uplift youth in the community who are experiencing homelessness, and participate in restorative justice work designed to enhance community accountability and shared leadership. They are essential volunteers in annual community events including the Family Matters Walk-A-Thon, Chicago Park District “Trunk or Treat” Halloween carnival at Willye White Park, and other annual activities.

2020 Family Matters Walk & Roll A-Thon!

Por favor únase a nosotros para nuestro Walk & Roll A-Thon anual – Edición COVID-19. Los jóvenes y sus familias de nuestra comunidad, junto con los donantes, los voluntarios y el personal, recaudará fondos para superar el racismo estructural y la opresión sistémica. Este año, estamos agregando un componente de “ruedas” para aquellos que quieren venir y apoyar el evento en persona o prefieren andar en bicicleta o scooter. Los participantes también tienen la opción de hacer una caminata personal o un maratón de rollos. Esas personas aseguran promesas y caminarán o rodarán en el momento y lugar más conveniente para ellos. También grabaremos el evento a través de FB en vivo e Instagram en vivo para aquellos que elijan participar desde casa. El evento Walk & Roll comenzará con la inscripción a las 9:00 am para aquellos que aún no se hayan registrado. A las 9:55 am tendremos una dedicatoria al tambor y un poema en memoria de Dan McNeil.

Walk and Roll a-thon de Family Matters recauda fondos críticos para apoyar nuestros programas:

  • La escuela Family Matters (jardín de infantes a segundo grado)
  • Boys to Men and That Goddess Power (Programas para adolescentes)
  • Partners in Learning (tutoría uno a uno de 90 minutos una a la semana)
  • Nuestras actividades colaborativas con familias y miembros de la comunidad más allá de aquellos involucrados en la programación diaria.

¡Únase o apoye a uno de nuestros equipos de programa haciendo clic en el nombre del equipo a continuación!

¡Gracias por colaborar con Family Matters!

 

2020 Family Matters Walk & Roll A-Thon

Family Matters’ Walk and Roll-A-Thon raises critical funds to support our programs:

  • The Family Matters School (Kindergarten through second grade)
  • Boys to Men and That Goddess Power (Teen Programs)
  • Partners in Learning (one-to-one tutoring/mentoring for 90 minutes each week)
  • Community Engagement, our collaborative activities with families and members of the community beyond those involved in daily programming.

You can learn more about our programs here.

Join or support one of our Program Teams by clicking the team name below! 

Thank you for partnering with Family Matters!

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