Mission Overview
Mission
Our mission is to equip young people from Chicago’s South and West Sides with lifesaving emergency response skills, trusted mentors, and early exposure to careers in healthcare. We focus on strengthening community health from the ground up—giving youth the tools to keep their neighborhoods safer today and empowering them to step into health careers that serve their communities tomorrow.
Goals
Expand lifesaving skills among youth on Chicago’s South and West Sides.
Through our Emergency Response Workshop Program, students learn to recognize and respond to critical medical emergencies—including stroke, cardiac arrest, and life-threatening bleeding. Training includes CPR, defibrillator use, gunshot and stab wound care, wound packing, and tourniquet application.
Increase access to healthcare career pathways for youth in underinvested communities.
Through our Medical Careers Exposure Program and Summer Pipeline Program, students explore a range of health-related careers—from EMT and nursing to radiology and beyond. Youth also learn about dual enrollment opportunities and post-secondary education options to jumpstart their journey into the healthcare field.
Build trauma resilience and conflict awareness among youth most impacted by community violence.
Through our TRAP Violence Program, students develop tools to manage stress and trauma, understand the root causes of violence, and learn how to navigate and respond to potentially violent situations with awareness and safety strategies.
Improve community health outcomes through education, preparedness, and prevention.
By equipping youth with practical skills and health knowledge, we aim to strengthen overall community wellness and address the persistent health challenges that impact Chicago’s South and West Side neighborhoods.
Outreach
We bring our programming directly to high schools across Chicago’s South and West Sides, equipping students with practical emergency response skills and early exposure to healthcare career paths. By investing in young people, we’re helping build a generation of community-minded leaders ready to respond in times of crisis and pursue futures in health-related fields.
In addition to schools, we also deliver our workshops in neighborhood churches, community centers, conferences, and local events. To date, we’ve trained more than 7,000 youth and adults across the city.