Fundraiser for Firehouse Community Art Center
Event Fundraiser: Strides for Peace 2025 Race Against Gun Violence
The Firehouse Community Arts Center interrupts the cycle of violence among youth and young adults in North Lawndale through the power of arts and a life-altering curriculum customized for each participant to grow mentally, physically, financially, and emotionally. Our participants are youth and young adults who were perpetrators of the violence in the community and have made the decision and taken the steps to be change agents that bring peace and healing to the community.
Our goal is to raise $30,000 for two 10-passenger vans to expand our outreach; and $20,000 for a Civil Rights Tour spanning Birmingham, Montgomery, Selma, Atlanta, and Memphis. This tour will empower 15 peace ambassadors, fostering a deep understanding of historical trauma and guiding them to choose between perpetuating the status quo or becoming change agents.
Many of our young men and women have never ventured beyond their city limits. This trip is not just a sightseeing tour; it's a life-changing experience that opens their eyes to the wider world, broadens their perspectives, and immerses them in hands-on learning. By stepping out of the classroom and into historical settings, they confront the trauma they've faced and are empowered to make pivotal choices about their role in shaping a better future.
Your donation will directly impact these young lives, giving them the tools, knowledge, and inspiration to stand for justice and equality. Let's together create a ripple effect of positive change that resonates far beyond this tour. Join us in shaping a brighter tomorrow, one where every individual has the power to be a catalyst for meaningful transformation. Donate today and be a part of this incredible journey towards a more just and compassionate world.
Help us transform lives and communities on the West Side of Chicago! We're on a mission to raise $50,000 to organize a Civil Rights Tour and acquire two crucial vehicles that will support our outreach and programming efforts.
About Firehouse Community Art Center
The Firehouse Community Art Center has served as a safe haven for young people in the Chicago area for over a decade and has been coordinating various events and art programs dedicated to preventing and interrupting youth and young adults caught in violence. The Firehouse Community Art Center was birthed from youth and young adults in North Lawndale who attended an all youth and young adult Saturday night Hip-Hop worship service in 2003, started by Pastor Phil Jackson. Youth and young adults came from all over the community and city to engage in the arts. This prompted Pastor Phil and several partners to incorporate The Firehouse Community Art Center as a 501(c)(3) in 2006, and in 2007 they purchased the 100 year old Chicago Firehouse in North Lawndale. The Firehouse now offers year-round, multi-disciplinary cultural arts programming, mentorship, leadership and workforce development centered around the prevention and interruption of violence.