Rahm Emanuel and Toni Preckwinkle joined forces Wednesday to announce a program they hope will reduce summer violence in Chicago and help keep kids safe.
One Summer Chicago is a partnership between the city and county for more access to youth summer activities, the mayor-elect and Cook County Board president said.
The program aims to keep kids engaged at a time when crime rises in Chicago. It focuses on increasing access to adult-supervised opportunities, including mentoring and job development.
"These programs are essential not just during school but the summer months," Emanuel said.
The Chicago Community Trust and MacArthur, McCormick, Field and Joyce Foundations hope to raise $1 million for One Summer Chicago. The money will help the city and county accelerate summer programs in "four neighborhoods where kids need them the most," Garfield Park, Englewood, Woodlawn and Little Village.
"This will be a long-term effort to look at the criminal justice system," Preckwinkle said.
The University of Chicago Crime Lab will evaluate the programs to help guide summer programming in the future.
“Public safety is one of the core functions of the county and is a critical area of collaboration with the city and communities throughout the region,” Preckwinkle said.
