"Hoops in the Hood" scores big in South Chicago
Published: July 14, 2011
Kids from South Chicago are enjoying basketball, making new friends and having fun this summer through the new Hoops in the Hood program, a critically acclaimed traveling basketball program offered citywide and sponsored by LISC/Chicago and State Farm Insurance.
Claretian Associates is collaborating with many local partners to make the program a success: South Chicago YMCA Street Interventions, Alderman Pope’s 10th Ward Office, South Chicago Neighborhood House, Pilgrim Baptist Church, Chicago Park District, La Causa Community Committee and Our Neighborhood Times.
The goal is to create a safe and peaceful community and foster civic engagement and community building. Youth ages 10-19 participate in age-appropriate basketball camps with a culminating “block party” where basktball is played in conjunction with activities for youth and adults that are not playing in the game.
“This program has been a long time coming for South Chicago,” said Jackie Samuel, New Communities Program Director at Claretian Associates. “It builds on the success of an earlier program offered by the South Chicago YMCA Street Intervention Program – at that event, Alderman Pope was shooting hoops with the kids and thought it would be great to start a program like this in South Chicago.”
If the program is a success, we hope to to expand it next year and partner with block clubs to host games. If you are interested in learning more or participating in this program, please contact Graciela Robledo at 773-734-9181 x14 or by clicking here.
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