Chicago's "Christian" Churches

(click on the map above to see "full-sized" version)

Continuing to look at the Tutor/Mentor Institute's document,"How Faith Communities Can Lead Volunteer Mobilization For Tutor/Mentor Programs"...

There are at least 454 Churches that consider themselves generally "Christian." Like the Baptist churches, many of these are located in impoverished communities. Yet some have more congregations in relatively affluent areas. In either case, church leaders can be be tying "scripture and service, and pointing members to tutor/mentor programs that already exist, or to neighborhoods, where new programs need to be created."

Please take a look also at the blog entry for Chicago's Places of Worship for more information on why this is important, and on how faith communities can use the T/MC's strategies to increase the reach, frequency and consistency of tutoring and mentoring programs.

And please visit the T/MC website to get information about programs in all parts of the region. And then head to the T/MC Program Locator, or the Interactive Zip Code Map to find locations of programs that can use your volunteer or donor help.

Chicago's Catholic Churches

(click on the map above to see "full-sized" version)

Continuing to look at the Tutor/Mentor Institute's document,"How Faith Communities Can Lead Volunteer Mobilization For Tutor/Mentor Programs"...

We know of at least 325 Catholic Churches spread throughout the city - in impoverished neighborhoods, as well as more affluent areas. Catholics in more affluent areas can be tying "scripture and service, and pointing members to tutor/mentor programs that already exist, or to neighborhoods, where new programs need to be created."

Please take a look at the blog entry for Chicago's Places of Worship for more information on why this is so important, and how faith communities can use the T/MC's strategies to increase the reach, frequency and consistency of tutoring and mentoring programs.

And as always, please visit the T/MC website to get information about programs in all parts of the region. And then head to the T/MC Program Locator, or the Interactive Zip Code Map to find locations of programs that can use your volunteer or donor help.

Chicago's Baptist Churches

(click on the map above to see "full-sized" version)

Continuing to look at the Tutor/Mentor Institute's document,"How Faith Communities Can Lead Volunteer Mobilization For Tutor/Mentor Programs"...


"Maps showing the location of Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist and Presbyterian Churches in Chicago... show which are in poverty neighborhoods and which are not. We'd like to help faith groups develop evangelism strategies which would lead to a more active, and strategic, role of every church in every faith group in helping inner city kids be part of total quality, comprehensive one-on-one tutor/mentor programs."

There are 960 known Baptist churches in our data, many clustered in high-poverty communities just off the highway arteries on the west and south sides of the city. Easily accessible for commuters, these are ideal locations for "faith communities to present a 'tutor/mentor message' at least four times a year, in their sermons, newsletters, and web sites, [which] can dramatically increase the reach, frequency and consistency of our call for help. "

Please visit the T/MC website to get information about programs in all parts of the region. And then head to the T/MC Program Locator, or the Interactive Zip Code Map to find locations of programs that can use your volunteer or donor help.

Chicago's Places of Worship

(click on the map above to see "full-sized" version)

The Tutor/Mentor Institute has a document called "How Faith Communities Can Lead Volunteer Mobilization For Tutor/Mentor Programs."

The document provides Tutor/Mentor Connection (T/MC) strategies for helping "faith groups develop evangelism strategies which would lead to a more active, and strategic, role of every church in every faith group in helping inner city kids be part of total quality, comprehensive one-on-one tutor/mentor programs."

Ideally, "churches in affluent suburban areas, as well as in inner city areas, will be delivering sermons on a regular basis, that tie scripture and service, and point members to tutor/mentor programs that already exist, or to neighborhoods, where new programs need to be created."

Because "getting faith communities to present a 'tutor/mentor message' at least four times a year, in their sermons, newsletters, and web sites, can dramatically increase the reach, frequency and consistency of our call for help. "

Please visit the T/MC website to get information about programs in all parts of the region.

And as always, please take a look at the T/MC Program Locator, or the Interactive Zip Code Map to find locations of programs that can use your volunteer or donor help.

Tutor/Mentor Programs in Chicagoland, By Type

A continuation of this week's theme, today I want to show maps that show locations of tutor/mentor programs, alongside areas of greatest need in the fight against poverty.


I haven't done enough of this, but I would love to direct you to the Tutor/Mentor Connection's extensive library of documents ... docs that offer analysis and strategy pertaining to tutoring/mentoring/collaborating, and ultimately addressing poverty and its effects, through tutoring and mentoring. Please take a look at the Tutor/Mentor Institute to learn more about why your participation through volunteering and donation is so important to the entire community.


Here is a map that shows the locations of programs that work in a purely tutoring capacity.

(click on the map above to see "full-sized" version)

Here is a map that shows the locations of programs that work in a purely mentoring capacity.

(click on the map above to see "full-sized" version)

And here are programs that use a mixed tutoring AND mentoring strategy, similar to the one espoused by Cabrini Connections.

(click on the map above to see "full-sized" version)

Use the zip codes on the maps to find more information on a region of the city, either by using the Tutor/Mentor Connection's interactive zip code map, or their Program Locator.

Tutor/Mentor Programs in Chicagoland, With Failing Schools)

Our "failing schools" are overflowing with frustrated students... angry students... deperate students. I met a lot of them when I was working at Raby High School in Garfield Park... exceptionally bright kids with tons of talent and potential, about to give up on a system that has failed them for their entire lives. There is a real and open sense of "why even try anymore... I'm sick of being told I'm a 'failure.'"

And this is a very universally human response. I bet you've felt that way at jobs, for instance, where you've been "set up to fail." But I'm not here (today) to discuss inequalities in schools or issues pertaining to school funding. And I'm not going to discuss (at this point) how sad it makes me that all this talent is about to potentially be wasted.

What I'm here to do today is champion tutoring and mentoring programs... programs that are making a difference in the lives of kids - kids who will soon be frustrated, angry, and desperate adults.

You don't have to go far around here at Cabrini Connections to find kids and parents who testify that the help they receive(d) through tutoring and mentoring programs have made the difference between failure in school, and scholarships to college... between safe and honest employment, and employment on the streets.

And with that in mind, make no mistake - these programs don't just help the kids who participate. They help you. They help all of us. Are you concerned about poverty? Are you concerned about street violence? I am. What can you do?


Well, I'm going to lay it on the line here. You can help a tutor/mentor program that is fighting poverty and its symptoms.

How? Your time and your dollars. It's that simple. In fact, without your time and your dollars, these programs will disappear, and these problems that affect us all will rage on without anyone fighting at the front lines.

Please take a look at the following maps showing the locations of Tutor/Mentor programs, alongside "failing school" data, to get a better sense of where your help is needed most. And then use the interactive zip code map or the program locator to learn how you can contact the programs and offer your help.


This map shows the location of programs that work with Elementary School-aged kids:

(click on the map above to see "full-sized" version)

This map shows the location of programs that work with Junior High-aged kids:

(click on the map above to see "full-sized" version)

This map shows the location of programs that work with High School-aged kids:

(click on the map above to see "full-sized" version)

This map shows the location of programs that offer purely tutoring services:

(click on the map above to see "full-sized" version)

This map shows the location of programs that offer purely mentoring services:

(click on the map above to see "full-sized" version)

This map shows the location of programs that offer a mixture or tutoring and mentoring for students. A program like Cabrini Connections is a perfect example of such a program:

(click on the map above to see "full-sized" version)