Community Partners: Making Robust Outreach Possible

Written By Diane Foote

June 27, 2025

by Diane Foote

The CYC Foundation partners with local nonprofits that share our commitment to enriching the lives of Chicago youth. In 2025, 17 community partners will work with us to share the joys and benefits of boating with their service populations. Several are new this year, bringing new energy and new participants; many are repeat and multi-year partners who’ve demonstrated strong interest in and commitment to our programs. Not all partners participate in all programs; the Programs Committee and our staff work closely to match community organizations’ needs with our offerings. Read on to learn about these organizations, the people they serve, and how we're working together.
 

BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF CHICAGO

  • Mission: To enable all young people, especially those who need them the most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. 

  • Service population: More than 20 locations throughout Chicago; nearly 20,000 young people ages 5 to 20+ every year. The Foundation works specifically with the Bartlett J. McCartin Boys & Girls Club, formerly known as the Louis L. Valentine Club, serving more than 1,200 members in Chicago’s Bridgeport community.

  • 2025 CYCF program participation: After-school STEAM programs; half-day sail during Wintrust Week; Monroe Community Sailing
     

BUILD

  • Mission: Building Hope, Lives, and Futures. BUILD is a nationally respected gang intervention, violence prevention, and youth development organization working on Chicago’s West Side. 

  • Service population: Elementary through high-school age youth in Austin, East and West Garfield Park, Humboldt Park, Belmont Cragin, and Hermosa.

  • 2025 CYCF program participation: Adventure Boating Camp at Belmont.

THE CHICAGO LIGHTHOUSE

  • Mission: The Chicago Lighthouse serves people who are blind, visually impaired, disabled, and Veterans, in order for each to reach their full personal potential. 

  • Service population: The blind, visually impaired, disabled, and Veteran communities.

  • 2025 CYCF program participation: Judd’s Camp.
     

GALILEO SCHOLASTIC ACADEMY OF MATH & SCIENCE

  • Mission: to foster a nurturing learning experience through collaboration, high expectations, and differentiated learning opportunities. 

  • Service population: 532 Chicago Public Schools K-8 students. Galileo is a magnet school without defined neighborhood boundaries; it is open by lottery to students across the city.

  • 2025 CYCF program participation: After-school STEAM programs; Monroe Community Sailing, Sailapalooza. 
     

GIRLS INC. OF CHICAGO

  • Mission: Girls Inc. of Chicago is building the next generation of strong, smart, and bold leaders through direct service and policy.

  • Service population: More than 1,000 girls on Chicago’s South Side, ages 5-18.

  • 2025 CYCF program participation: Monroe Community Sailing; Columbia Yacht Club’s Youth Keelboat learn to sail class, Shedd Aquarium field trip. 
     

KEEN

  • Mission: Empower youth with disabilities and impact volunteer coaches through participation in free, non-competitive, one-on-one programs of physical activity and fun, supporting the overall health and well-being of all participants.

  • Service population: Children and young adults with disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and various intellectual and developmental disabilities.

  • 2025 CYCF program participation: Judd’s Camp; Seadog introductory cruise, swim school/water safety. 
     

LOST BOYZ

  • Mission: Help Chicago's Youths. We do this by working to decrease violence, improve social and emotional conditions, and provide financial opportunities among the youth in Chicago's most needy communities.

  • Service population: At-risk youth, specifically those that have trouble with their academic performance or behavior in and out of school; boys and girls ages 4-24 from Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood.

  • 2025 CYCF program participation: Adventure Boating Camp at Belmont; half-day sail during Wintrust Week; Whitehawk Week cruise.
     

MY BLOCK MY HOOD MY CITY

  • Mission: To inspire youth, empower communities, and build a better world one block at a time.

  • Service population: Teens from Chicago’s South and West sides.

  • 2025 CYCF program participation: Half-day cruise during Wintrust Week; Sailapalooza; Monroe Community Sailing, City Sailing League.
     

OAK PARK EDUCATION FOUNDATION

  • Mission: To develop and support programs that embody these guiding principles: Equity and inclusion, A sense of belonging, Inspiration, Real-world Connections, Innovation, Community Engagement and Fun.

  • Service population: Students in Oak Park’s public K-8 schools. 

  • 2025 CYCF program participation: Adventure Boating Camp at Belmont.  
     

ONE FAMILY ILLINOIS

  • Mission: Advances the safety and well-being of children by keeping siblings together in foster care, empowering youth, nurturing strong families, and partnering in the development of communities.

  • Service population: Nearly 400 children in care in villages in Roosevelt Square and Auburn Gresham/Englewood in Chicago, and Lockport, Illinois; with in-home services via Village Tepeyac in Back of the Yards in Chicago.

  • 2025 CYCF program participation: Adventure Boating Camp in Belmont; Sailing School Scholarships; After-School STEAM programs; CYC Cruising Sail Fleet Cruise. 
     

PALS

  • Mission: PALS creates inclusive camp experiences for people with and without Down syndrome. Our volunteer-led programs change attitudes, transform lives, and inspire a world of belonging.

  • Service population: PALS creates inclusive camp experiences based on one-to-one pairings between similarly-aged individuals with and without Down syndrome. Peers (those without Down syndrome) are age 15+; Partners (those with Down syndrome) are 12+.

  • 2025 CYCF program participation: CYC Cruising Sail Fleet Cruise. 

SHIRLEY RYAN ABILITYLAB

  • Mission: Providing exceptional care for more stroke, spinal cord injury, and traumatic brain injury patients than anywhere else in the USA. Most relevant to CYCF, Shirley Ryan also offers numerous types of therapeutic recreation, including adaptive sailing in partnership with the Judd Goldman Adaptive Sailing Foundation.

  • Service population: Children, teens, and adults with a wide variety of conditions, including stroke, spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s Disease, cancer, limb loss, and more.

  • 2025 CYCF program participation: Judd’s Camp.

 

SOUTH LOOP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

  • Mission: To prepare every student at South Loop School to develop 21st Century life skills by providing a standards-based curriculum that fosters student leadership, academic rigor, fine arts integration, social and emotional consciousness, and an understanding and acceptance of diverse cultures in an inclusive environment.

  • Service population: South Loop is a neighborhood school in the Chicago Public School District.

  • 2025 CYCF program participation: STEAM After-school program; Monroe Community Sailing.
     

ST. ANN SCHOOL

  • Mission: We at St. Ann School are dedicated to helping our Preschool-8th grade students reach their full academic, physical, social, and spiritual potential.  With Christ as our model and through a personalized learning approach, we encourage students to use their gifts to serve our school, the Pilsen community, and all of society.

  • Service population: Pre-K through 8th-grade Catholic school students in Pilsen.

  • 2025 CYCF program participation: Monroe Community Sailing; Adventure Boating Camp at Belmont; Sailapalooza; After-school STEAM programs.
     

ST. PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH

  • Mission: We exist to be one with Jesus and to make Him known in our neighborhood, to change the city and the world by the power of His love.

  • Service population: Pilsen; St. Paul is the home parish of St. Ann School.

  • 2025 CYCF program participation: half-day cruise during Wintrust Week; Sailapalooza
     

UNION LEAGUE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF CHICAGO

  • Mission: To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

  • Service population: 13,000 kids ages 6-18 across 21 locations. CYCF currently works with the Club One (Pilsen), Barreto (Humboldt Park), Wentworth Elementary School (Englewood), Air Force Academy (Armour Square), Roberto Clemente Community Academy (Humboldt Park), and Torres Elementary School (Archer Heights) locations. 

  • 2025 CYCF program participation: Adventure Boating Camp at Belmont; CYC Power Fleet Cruise ; half-day cruises during Wintrust Week; introductory Seadog cruises; Chicagobility; Whitehawk Week cruise; Navy Pier architecture cruise.
     

YOUTH FOR A BETTER FUTURE

  • Mission: To nurture a vibrant and collaborative community that empowers our youth and their families through educational and community-engaging initiatives.

  • Service population: More than 1,000 youths ages 6-18.

  • 2025 CYCF program participation: Adventure Boating Camp at Belmont; Sailing School Scholarships. 

Diane Foote
Previous

Bold On the Water: New CYC Foundation Partnership Puts Girls Inc. of Chicago Participants At the Helm
Next

Wintrust Week Sets Sail: “Greatness from Small Beginnings”