The Bloc

The Bloc is a Chicago non-profit organization near and dear to my heart but more importantly making a difference in the lives of up and coming youth and a community who deserve better and are willing to fight for it. 

Jamyle Cannon started as a teacher on the West Side of Chicago. Early on, he noticed a disturbing pattern. Young people, eager to join sports teams, after-school clubs, and enriching opportunities (all things, we kids LOVE to be a part of) were routinely being told, "No, your grades are too low. Your behavior is too bad. Your skills are too weak. You're not good enough." Can you imagine?

What he noticed is that if he didn't do something fast, there was a strong possibility that the students were likely to take their energy somewhere else - the streets, a place that can tend to be unhealthy for teens as well as their community. He quickly decided to offer something simple in concept, yet major in impact.

By offering boxing to attract youth who like to fight and removing barriers to entry, The Bloc provides that much needed sense of acceptance and belonging that was missing from the equation. He then decided to take this mission one step further by layering in tutoring, mentoring and other necessary resources to help the community thrive. He figured out a way to illuminate the path to success and create positive momentum for the future of his fighters and their community as a whole.

By helping The Bloc raise additional funds, the students will have the ability to experience field trips to colleges, outdoor activities, sporting events and more. These trips can inspire and ignite the passion that it takes to elevate one's life to the next level and see beyond their current circumstance.

I have committed to raise funds for 2-3 of these trips. On average, a trip that includes 30 or more kids can cost anywhere from $5,000-$7,000 which includes admission, transportation, and food in addition to other ancillary expenses. Jamyle also relies a great deal on his volunteers and team to help execute these experiences. My goal is to raise $21,000 to fully support three of these adventures.

I humbly ask for your support to consider donating what you can towards The Bloc to elevate their program to the next level. Together we can make a difference, below you will find links for more information.

As Muhammad Ali famously said, "Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth." I couldn't agree more.

With gratitude,

Eva

LINKS:
Click here to see CNN heroes special on Jamyle Cannon 
Click here to see The Bloc's website