Mayor Lightfoot and First Lady Amy Eshleman Announce My Chi. My Future. Spring Forward Campaign
City launches a week-long series of events and days of service to keep youth engaged during spring break
CHICAGO – Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and First Lady Amy Eshleman today announced the 2022 Spring Forward campaign—a week-long campaign to connect Chicago’s youth to events, programs, and community service activities during Chicago Public Schools’ (CPS) Spring Break, April 8 through 17. Spring Forward will provide hundreds of opportunities for young people at MyCHIMyFuture.org, the website of Mayor Lightfoot and First Lady Eshleman’s signature youth initiative, My CHI. My Future. (MCMF).
"As students enjoy their spring break, the City is offering various opportunities to ensure that young people are engaged and able to access enriching activities," said Mayor Lightfoot. "The Spring Forward campaign along with My CHI. My Future. encourages our communities to connect with the Park District, more than 150 library events, and hundreds of after school programs.”
“My CHI. My Future. is thrilled to partner with networks of caring adults in six neighborhoods to create activities for youth to make a positive impact in their communities this Spring Break,” said First Lady Eshleman. “Our hope is for Spring Forward to become a launching pad for Chicago’s youth to seize the amazing opportunities that are available to them.”
The Spring Forward campaign aims to provide enrichment activities for youth and young adults ages 24 and under through partnerships with multiple City departments and community-based partners. These opportunities include:
- Chicago Park District Camps
- Over 150 Public Library events
- Hundreds of community programs and more.
Additionally, My CHI. My Future. partnered with community-based organizations to create Days of Service in six communities: Austin, Back of the Yards, Bronzeville, Garfield Park, Roseland, and South Shore. The community events will provide teens and families the opportunity to participate in food giveaways, park cleanups, community gardens, and more. The Park District will offer an additional 30 community service events across the city as well.
“For generations, the Chicago Park District has provided our city’s youngest residents with valuable community service and engagement opportunities,” said Interim General Superintendent Rosa Escareño. “We are excited to join Mayor Lightfoot in keeping our youth engaged during Spring Break through week-long camps, park clean-ups and other opportunities that build a foundation for active, healthy living but also instill the importance of being active in their communities and cultivating our city’s next generation of leaders.”
Teens who participate in a day of service in their community will be able to register for the Spring Forward Teen Bash featuring DJ Mike P and special guests, free food, music, and opportunities to get involved over the summer at Navy Pier on April 16.
The Spring Forward campaign is the latest project of Mayor Lightfoot and First Lady Eshleman’s initiative, My CHI. My Future. – a multi-year, youth-focused initiative designed to connect youth across Chicago to meaningful out-of-school experiences. The MCMF family of more than 200 organizations, has been designing the initiative, with a focus on organizing and connecting the opportunity ecosystem in Chicago and galvanizing caring adults, all over the city, to ensure that every young person has a plan for out of school engagement.
To learn more, visit MyCHIMyFuture.org and follow @MyCHIMyFuture on Instagram for updates.
The full Spring Forward Day of Service schedule is as follows:
April 9, 2022:
- Roseland Spring Forward Kickoff led by PeacePlayers, 11 A.M. - 2 P. M.
- Garfield Park Cleanup with The BASE Chicago, 12 – 3 P.M.
- Roseland Spring Break J.A.M. led by Phalanx Family Services, 11 A.M. - 3 P.M.
- South Shore Beautification Project led by Lost Boyz, Inc., 10:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
- Back of the Yards Day of Service, 4 – 8 P.M.
- Roseland Community Garden, Food Giveaway, and Street Cleanup led by T.R.E.A.D., 11 A.M. – 4 P.M.
- Bronzeville Day of Service, 1 P.M. – 4 P.M.
- Austin Day of Service led by Project Exploration, 12 – 4 P.M.
- Roseland Youth-Led Food Giveaway led by Metropolitan Family Services, 9 – 11 A.M.
- Spring Forward Teen Bash at Navy Pier, 1 – 4 P.M.