Assets In Action

FOCUS Youth and its members have long been advocates of healthy youth development. Assets in Action is an initiative that seeks to infuse the North Lawndale and surrounding communities with developmental assets that will help us to develop healthy youth and a healthy community.

We offer a variety of resources and support, including our Assets In Action training sessions. Yesterday, we were honored to conduct an Assets training for the staff of I AM ABLE Counseling Services.

If you are interested in scheduling a training for your staff, or just want to know more about the Assets In Action initiative, please contact us at info@focusyouthchicago.org.

Clean-up # 2 - 03.29.08

Here we are again. A new day. A new lot. A refreshed determination.


BEFORE

















DURING

A smaller turnout (literally)... or so we thought.

















For a while, just the five of us worked to clear this larger, harder lot. A daunting task to say the least.


But just before we were going to give up, we got a boost of motivation. Isaac Lewis and the Strategic Human Services leg of the Making Men through Mentoring Program showed up!



































Once again, we found some interesting treasures.


A chair.


















A headlight.
















Even a PS2 console and Madden disc.
















It was another great journey. And in the end you could see...


BEFORE
















AFTER


















FOCUS Youth YLC was here!!


Join us on Friday, May 16, 2008 from 4-7pm for our next neighborhood cleanup! To let us know you're coming, and to get the location, please email info@focusyouthchicago.org. (Hint: We'll be finishing this same lot.) See you there with gloves on!!

Clean Up 3.28.08

The Young Leaders' Council (YLC) of FOCUS Youth has officially started their Clean and Green Campaign. On Friday, March 28, 2008, students and community members alike took hold of rakes, brooms and shovels!

BEFORE

AFTER

Mobile post sent by FOCUS using Utterz. Replies. mp3

Click 'play' to hear what our students and volunteers had to say...

It was a bright, sunny day here in North Lawndale. When we arrived on the scene, there's was obviously a lot to do.

BEFORE

DURING

So everyone just started right in. "Grab a bag, rake or shovel and start cleaning!" Blue bags were distributed for recycling. Gloves for safety. And off we went.

What a journey! We found all kind of things.

Beams.

Dead trees.

Bottles, bottles and more bottles.

We pulled up weeds as big as trees.

And found all kinds of other items such as a small sledge hammer, a carborator, lots of old clothes and a few tools.

A few hot chocolates and shovel-fulls of trash later...

...and our visit was well worth it. A cleaner, safer lot - on our way to a cleaner, safer community.

AFTER

FOCUS Youth YLC was here!!