IN THIS MONTH'S FAMILY MATTERS ...

“Even though we are having a crisis of violence, we have good and dedicated people working to help solve it.”

- James, outreach worker in the Austin community, during Mpower the Night

The holiday season is all about family. Metropolitan’s Holiday Gift Program brings the joy of the season to our communities by supporting our families in providing meals and gifts for their loved ones. During the financial stresses of the holiday season, exacerbated this year due to the pandemic, our families may not be able to afford non-essential items on their own. 

Donations of $50, $75, $100, or more ensure we’re able to meet our families where they are, and provide support where it’s needed to celebrate the season.

Mpower the Night features dialogue on violence prevention

“It’s my kids and the future and the youth. The world is going to change and evolve around the youth. We gotta make the world better for the youth, we gotta show them to love each other.” - Alvin, outreach worker in Roseland, shares his motivation

Programs like Metropolitan Peace Initiatives and Chicago CRED work to address the root causes of violence. As we heard throughout the Mpower the Night program, solutions will take time and investment, but we can build lasting peace in Chicago, together.

 Brenda Love has been providing Adoption Support and Preservation Services out of our DuPage Center for just over a year. One of the most rewarding parts of the job for Brenda is “to see a kid’s face light up when they really start to understand what you are trying to teach them. Kids are so resilient and willing to learn.” She enjoys seeing clients and families’ capacity to change.