Help provide laptops to 100 youth members
Tax deductible
Chicago-based non-profit, The Alliance 98 invites you to help us fight the digital divide by providing 100 laptops to youth.
We are launching a campaign to raise awareness and tackle the Digital Divide in Chicago. The Digital Divide is a growing issue among most black and brown communities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Rural and underserved communities suffer from not having access to technology, when it is vital for their work, schooling, and daily lives. This inequity forces many people to travel far for an internet connection or simply live without it. Neither of these options are beneficial to anyone.
So we have partnered with Alyssa Naeher from the Chicago Red Stars and the starting goalkeeper for the US Women's National Team to make a change. Coming from a family of educators, Alyssa has a strong drive to give back to students in her community through mentorship and contributions. To conclude 2020, in collaboration with Alyssa Naeher, we are launching a campaign to provide laptops to 100 individual students in Chicago.
TA98 Meaning
Right now, technology is very much needed in underserved communities in Chicago. With rising Covid-19 cases and recent regulations placed by the city, the situation is now so dire that many students are unable to continue learning effectively and will fall behind. When addressed with this problem, we decided to do what we do best, and act immediately. Right now, laptops are the resource that we must provide to our community. Our youth program currently has 20 students who are avidly working on this campaign to give laptops to others. Our students come from neighborhoods across Chicago and some are also in need of tech resources. The digital divide is an issue that affects many including ourselves, but we are dedicated to working towards a solution.
At TA98 we say, “Don't wait to be great.” We believe that everyone has the capability to make a change in their community. We believe in building strong alliances with individuals and organizations in order to help those in need. So as we are following our own pursuit, we have hopes of building a long term partnership with a tech company to create a bigger impact. But we’re not waiting around for that partnership to act on our promise. We are taking matters into our own hands.
We’ve gotten to this point, of serving over 465 students, because we’ve been putting in work even if the odds are against us. We hope you can join our fight.
Please sign up for our weekly newsletter to stay informed on our progress.
https://www.ta98.org/
History of partnerships
Through the help of SER Central States, we have been able to hire a team of students to help work on this campaign. Their $50,000 grant has allowed us our team to work on projects for the Chicago community and help provide resources to those in need.
Our most recent partnership with Alyssa Naeher has been an incredible experience. We want to give a big thank you to Alyssa and the Chicago Red Stars for their support in helping youth. Alyssa has participated in weekly conversations with our team and has been a mentor to our cohort of students who are working on this campaign.
We also want to highlight the Safe and Peaceful Community Fund, for their $3500 grant that helped us launch our Suited For A Cause initiative in 2017. Safe and Peaceful Communities has been a consistent partner in our fight against unemployment for young adults.
More info on TA98 | Partnerships
The Alliance 98 (TA98) was launched in 2018 to fight unemployment rates for young adults 18-24 with funding from the Safe and Peaceful Fund driven by a collective of Chicago philanthropists and foundations. TA98’s staff consists of young professionals in various industries who are passionate about giving back to those in underserved communities. Through their initiatives, TA98 aims to invest in our future and develop a better, more equal tomorrow by empowering young adults. The 465 young adults TA98 has served have been equipped with culturally relevant education and resources, have grown academically, professionally, and personally, and have been given access to meaningful jobs and experiences. With their global alliance of mentors and peers, the participants have been able to connect with entrepreneurs and network efficiently to seek new opportunities.
Since 2018, TA98 has served over 465 young adults, over 50 academic workshops have been conducted, and over 75 young contributors have secured jobs with the skills acquired. And has donated over $250,000 worth of youth development resources since 2017.
Alyssa | Chicago Red Stars Partnership
Alyssa Naeher has partnered with TA98 to bring laptops and wifi to students in Chicago in an effort to provide relief during the time of COVID-19. Starting with a cohort of 30 students that will be supported by TA98 with programs and mentorship for the next year, these 30 young leaders will design a distribution project to help TA98 give out up to 500 laptops to Chicago high school students.
TA98 | Suited for a Cause (Virtual Program) in alliance with Alyssa Naeher
Activist + ally, USA Women's National Soccer Team Starting Goalkeeper and 2019 World Cup Champion Alyssa Naeher has partnered with TA98 to bring technology and professional programming to students in Chicago during the time of COVID-19.
With Chicago Public Schools going remote in the fall, Alyssa recognized that many students will be without laptops, wifi and a healthy ecosystem to succeed in their education. That is when she reached out to TA98 to design a campaign and program to provide solutions to this problem.
Starting with a cohort of 30 students across Chicago, the TA98 x Alyssa Naeher alliance will be integrated into TA98’s program called Suited for a Cause.
Suited for a Cause Overview
TA98’s Suited for a Cause (S4AC) is a career readiness program approached through a youth-centered community-based model. Integrated into public high schools and colleges, S4AC helps young adults develop their professional skills with resume building, interview prep, networking opportunities + practice, and personal + professional development. This teaching is further integrated by each student applying these new skills to their own, personally designed project.
The program begins with a cohort of 30 students across various public high schools in the Chicago area. Participants will have the opportunity to tailor their own education so that they are in a position to succeed by focusing on their interests and strengths. In the effort to develop an entrepreneurial spirit, the participants work together to build and implement a social impact project that fosters peace, safety, and a stronger sense of community, while pursuing a post-secondary pathway.
We are committed to equipping young adults working towards college completion and employment to be guided through individualized coaching and culturally relevant programming.
Socialization Effort
In an effort to create socialization during the time of COVID and remote education, TA98 creates a safe virtual space for young adults to talk through challenging issues that they deal with on a daily basis such as gang violence, poverty, xenophobia, mental health, and racism. From these conversations, the participants use their pain as inspiration to create a project that would positively affect their community.
We are launching a campaign to raise awareness and tackle the Digital Divide in Chicago. The Digital Divide is a growing issue among most black and brown communities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Rural and underserved communities suffer from not having access to technology, when it is vital for their work, schooling, and daily lives. This inequity forces many people to travel far for an internet connection or simply live without it. Neither of these options are beneficial to anyone.
So we have partnered with Alyssa Naeher from the Chicago Red Stars and the starting goalkeeper for the US Women's National Team to make a change. Coming from a family of educators, Alyssa has a strong drive to give back to students in her community through mentorship and contributions. To conclude 2020, in collaboration with Alyssa Naeher, we are launching a campaign to provide laptops to 100 individual students in Chicago.
TA98 Meaning
Right now, technology is very much needed in underserved communities in Chicago. With rising Covid-19 cases and recent regulations placed by the city, the situation is now so dire that many students are unable to continue learning effectively and will fall behind. When addressed with this problem, we decided to do what we do best, and act immediately. Right now, laptops are the resource that we must provide to our community. Our youth program currently has 20 students who are avidly working on this campaign to give laptops to others. Our students come from neighborhoods across Chicago and some are also in need of tech resources. The digital divide is an issue that affects many including ourselves, but we are dedicated to working towards a solution.
At TA98 we say, “Don't wait to be great.” We believe that everyone has the capability to make a change in their community. We believe in building strong alliances with individuals and organizations in order to help those in need. So as we are following our own pursuit, we have hopes of building a long term partnership with a tech company to create a bigger impact. But we’re not waiting around for that partnership to act on our promise. We are taking matters into our own hands.
We’ve gotten to this point, of serving over 465 students, because we’ve been putting in work even if the odds are against us. We hope you can join our fight.
Please sign up for our weekly newsletter to stay informed on our progress.
https://www.ta98.org/
History of partnerships
Through the help of SER Central States, we have been able to hire a team of students to help work on this campaign. Their $50,000 grant has allowed us our team to work on projects for the Chicago community and help provide resources to those in need.
Our most recent partnership with Alyssa Naeher has been an incredible experience. We want to give a big thank you to Alyssa and the Chicago Red Stars for their support in helping youth. Alyssa has participated in weekly conversations with our team and has been a mentor to our cohort of students who are working on this campaign.
We also want to highlight the Safe and Peaceful Community Fund, for their $3500 grant that helped us launch our Suited For A Cause initiative in 2017. Safe and Peaceful Communities has been a consistent partner in our fight against unemployment for young adults.
More info on TA98 | Partnerships
The Alliance 98 (TA98) was launched in 2018 to fight unemployment rates for young adults 18-24 with funding from the Safe and Peaceful Fund driven by a collective of Chicago philanthropists and foundations. TA98’s staff consists of young professionals in various industries who are passionate about giving back to those in underserved communities. Through their initiatives, TA98 aims to invest in our future and develop a better, more equal tomorrow by empowering young adults. The 465 young adults TA98 has served have been equipped with culturally relevant education and resources, have grown academically, professionally, and personally, and have been given access to meaningful jobs and experiences. With their global alliance of mentors and peers, the participants have been able to connect with entrepreneurs and network efficiently to seek new opportunities.
Since 2018, TA98 has served over 465 young adults, over 50 academic workshops have been conducted, and over 75 young contributors have secured jobs with the skills acquired. And has donated over $250,000 worth of youth development resources since 2017.
Alyssa | Chicago Red Stars Partnership
Alyssa Naeher has partnered with TA98 to bring laptops and wifi to students in Chicago in an effort to provide relief during the time of COVID-19. Starting with a cohort of 30 students that will be supported by TA98 with programs and mentorship for the next year, these 30 young leaders will design a distribution project to help TA98 give out up to 500 laptops to Chicago high school students.
TA98 | Suited for a Cause (Virtual Program) in alliance with Alyssa Naeher
Activist + ally, USA Women's National Soccer Team Starting Goalkeeper and 2019 World Cup Champion Alyssa Naeher has partnered with TA98 to bring technology and professional programming to students in Chicago during the time of COVID-19.
With Chicago Public Schools going remote in the fall, Alyssa recognized that many students will be without laptops, wifi and a healthy ecosystem to succeed in their education. That is when she reached out to TA98 to design a campaign and program to provide solutions to this problem.
Starting with a cohort of 30 students across Chicago, the TA98 x Alyssa Naeher alliance will be integrated into TA98’s program called Suited for a Cause.
Suited for a Cause Overview
TA98’s Suited for a Cause (S4AC) is a career readiness program approached through a youth-centered community-based model. Integrated into public high schools and colleges, S4AC helps young adults develop their professional skills with resume building, interview prep, networking opportunities + practice, and personal + professional development. This teaching is further integrated by each student applying these new skills to their own, personally designed project.
The program begins with a cohort of 30 students across various public high schools in the Chicago area. Participants will have the opportunity to tailor their own education so that they are in a position to succeed by focusing on their interests and strengths. In the effort to develop an entrepreneurial spirit, the participants work together to build and implement a social impact project that fosters peace, safety, and a stronger sense of community, while pursuing a post-secondary pathway.
We are committed to equipping young adults working towards college completion and employment to be guided through individualized coaching and culturally relevant programming.
Socialization Effort
In an effort to create socialization during the time of COVID and remote education, TA98 creates a safe virtual space for young adults to talk through challenging issues that they deal with on a daily basis such as gang violence, poverty, xenophobia, mental health, and racism. From these conversations, the participants use their pain as inspiration to create a project that would positively affect their community.
Co-organizers (4)
Edwin Eng
Organizer
Chicago, IL
Alliance 98 (Ta98)
Beneficiary
Ryland Hormel
Co-organizer
David Rojas
Co-organizer
Joseph-Edward Cerda
Co-organizer