Mission

As a mission, BUILD inspires hope and offers opportunities so youth facing systemic obstacles can achieve positive futures. Since 1969, BUILD has been a second family for the Chicago's marginalized youth, helping thousands of young people facing the steepest challenges-like poverty, involvement in the justice system, and chronic exposure to gun violence and other sources of trauma-become leaders in safer, stronger communities. BUILD's holistic, long-term, relationship-based approach targets the challenges youth face and works to mitigate them, with each program designed to address a different set of youth needs, and wraparound services and individualized support for youth people and their families from caring adult mentors who have walked in their shoes. BUILD now reaches reaching 5,000+ youth and families annually in seven neighborhoods on Chicago's West and South Sides: Austin, East and West Garfield Park, Humboldt Park, Hermosa, Belmont Cragin, and Fuller Park. <br>