Our Chicago: Keeping Children Safe & Youth Joblessness

CHICAGO (WLS) — For 55 years Broader Urban Involvement and Leadership Development, known as BUILD, has dedicated its time to youth in Chicago.

The West Side organization reaches more than 2,500 youth each year through its gang intervention, violence prevention and youth development programs.

This summer organizers have a slate of events for children, teens and their families.

Chief Program Officer for BUILD Monique Draper described what they’re trying to create with their summer programming,

“A sense of relaxation. A sense of safety. An opportunity for kids to just be kids. They have the opportunity to just relax, ease, safety,” Draper said.

She added that they know it’s a successful event because families always return.

“They bring their friends, they bring more families. Because it’s also open to community we have a lot of our neighbors to come out. They bring their families and they are repeat visitors to the campus. And then they’re always asking us, ‘What’s the next thing? What are we doing next?’,” she said.

Watch the full story from ABC 7 Chicago here.