Norm Maciver Associate General Manager | Official Website
The Chicago Sports Alliance (CSA), a coalition of the city's major sports teams, has announced its latest round of contributions aimed at tackling gun violence in Chicago. The alliance, which includes the Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs, and White Sox, is providing $1.5 million in grants to three local organizations: Chicago CRED, Metropolitan Family Services, and the University of Chicago Medical Center.
Since its formation in 2017, CSA has donated a total of $11.75 million through the Chicago Sports Alliance Fund in partnership with the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. Sonia Mathew from the foundation stated that they are "proud to invest $500,000 alongside the Chicago Sports Alliance" to support initiatives focused on job training and trauma recovery programs.
The grant will aid various programs addressing gun violence across different communities. One recipient is Chicago CRED's Southside Women’s Program which connects women at risk for gun violence with resources such as education and mental health services. In their statement, Chicago CRED emphasized that "public safety is everyone's responsibility."
Metropolitan Family Services' Peace Initiative will also benefit from this funding. Vaughn Bryant from Metropolitan Peace Initiatives highlighted their collaborative approach involving 15 community organizations working together to combat violence.
Additionally, funds will support the University of Chicago Medical Center’s Violence Recovery Program (VRP). This program provides trauma-informed care for patients affected by violent injuries. The medical center noted that CSA's support helps expand essential mental health services for over 11,000 patients engaged since 2018.
On June 4th, CSA plans to honor these grantees during a Community Safety Huddle event at the United Center. This invitation-only gathering aims to facilitate discussions on how each organization intends to utilize their funding effectively.