In The News

For many families in the Chicago area, finding a permanent place to live can be a real struggle. Such is the case for Alicia, her partner and her six children ages 1 to 14. Since May 2023, the family says they have been living in their mini-van. “This is our…

Francisco Arenas, director of intervention for BUILD, partnered with Live Grit Soars this year as a part of a city violence prevention grant focused on helping kids who have either experienced violence or are at risk.  They train kids every Wednesday to help them feel mentally and physically better and…

CHICAGO (WLS) — Events around the city of Chicago are trying to soften the blow of the end of summer by getting kids excited to go back to school. In Austin, 5-year-old Christian Stewart picked out a new backpack and school supplies at the West Englewood back to school event as…

In “Follow the Drinking Gourd,” film director Shirah Dedman explores the Black food justice movement in a 60-minute documentary. On July 19, a collaborative group of community-based partners and organizations under the flag of Austin Eats brings a free screening of the film to the Austin neighborhood.   The film connects…

More than 200 people have been shot and killed in Chicago, so far this year. Friday is Wear Orange Day, which supports “National Gun Violence Awareness Day.” It started after the senseless death of 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton in 2013. Since then, “Wear Orange Day” has happened on her birthday — June…

CHICAGO (CBS) — The color orange is taking over in one Chicago neighborhood.  The Wear Orange Peace March hit the streets in South Austin Friday afternoon. Neighbors and elected officials rallied in honor of National Gun Violence Awareness Day. Hadiya Pendleton was shot and killed by gang members in 2013. Her death helped…

CHICAGO (WLS) — Since 1969, BUILD Chicago has been working with young people in some of the city’s most challenged neighborhoods. Based on the city’s West Side, BUILD is a gang intervention, violence prevention and youth development organization. “We’re always in the business of finding out what our young people need…

The future of Chicago will be in the hands of Brandon Johnson.  Between choosing the city’s next police superintendent, a growing migrant crisis and concerns about crime as summer approaches, he has a long list of priorities before he even takes office.  For young people in the city, the start…

On Monday, May 8, Mayor Lori Lightfoot gave her farewell address at BUILD Headquarters, where she reflected on her impactful leadership over the past years. BUILD was honored to host this event and thank Mayor Lightfoot for her dedication to Chicago’s West Side. Check out news coverage of the event:…

A renaissance is starting on the West Side of Chicago, and Columbia College Chicago is invested in making that happen. BUILD Chicago is a nonprofit organization based in Austin thathas been providing violence intervention and prevention programs for West Side youth for over 50 years. They unveiled a new $24…

The youth on Chicago’s West Side just got a new home away from home — at 57,000 square feet, it spans a city block and offers just about everything but a pool. There’s a gym, music studio, computer lab and a garden and greenhouses. It has washers, dryers and private…

CFF began a partnership with BUILD in 2020, and they quickly became integral to our place-based grantmaking focused on the Austin neighborhood. The culture of collaboration at BUILD runs deep. Staff are so adept at partnering with other organizations to create rich learning experiences for young people–whether that be Museum of Science and…