Hoops in the Hood

With support from LISC Chicago, BUILD is proud to offer our annual installment of Hoops in the Hood, bringing community-centered athletics, while “taking back” streets that have experienced violence, creating safe spaces for youth and adults to build positive relationships, and fostering a sense of community.

In addition to basketball and community engagement, Hoops in the Hood serves as a point of entry for BUILD’s year-round programming, extending the project’s impact beyond the summer. In this way, BUILD’s Hoops in the Hood program will continue to impact neighborhood violence, offering young people opportunities for positive transformation throughout the year while empowering them to reach their full academic, career, and leadership potential.

Program objectives for BUILD’s Hoops in the Hood program include:

• Reclaim neighborhood blocks that have experienced violence and create a safe space for youth and community members to connect and engage in positive activity
• Increase regular access to open play spaces for Chicago youth
• Build a network of agencies focused on increasing physical and outdoor space for Chicago youth