Our mission is to give at-risk low income youth positive
alternatives to gangs, drugs, violence, truancy, and the juvenile
justice system. We accomplish this through Tutoring/Mentoring,
Music, Drama, Sports, and Local/Out-of-Town Trips.
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There are six departments within our organization:
Youth, Public Safety, Senior Citizens, Health and
Wellness, Educational, and Economics
(Entrepreneurship). Each play a vital role in
providing a wide spectrum of opportunities and
awareness for the youth, families, and the
community. KOB sponsors the "
Adopt-A-Block-Tour", in which youth travel
(NBCU)
1-800-861-6541
communities. We work with 20 Chicago zip codes interlinked with 20 U.S. Cities. Each
month on tour we travel to those disadvantaged neighborhoods and constructively interact
with youth there to perform: W-work / R-recreation / T-training.
Roseland Community; she sought to find ways to make a difference
in the community, and in the many youth that she came in contact
with daily.
deprived of his/her dreams. Looking at the children that were always
at her home, she saw health professionals, doctors, lawyers,
professional musicians, professional sports figures, politicians, and
actresses, and the list goes on. Her mother, Evangelist Ruth
Jackson, further shared this realization.
to begin thinking about opening up a center that would get these young people off the
streets and involved in programs that would benefit them for the rest of their lives. We accept
children as young as 6 years old to 18 years of age. Program hours are Monday thru Friday-
4 to 8 pm. These are in-school hours. Summer break hours are 10am to 8:30pm weekdays.
Communities across the nation are engulfed with all forms of violence; some say our youth
are a “lost generation”. The members of Kids Off the Block (KOB) think differently. I Diane
Latiker, founder and president of Kids Off the Block (KOB) organization has heard the voices
and they speak of hope and love. Through forms of compassion, love, and guidance this
generation can be led to discovering a spectrum of opportunities and become positive
leaders in our communities.
organization also called the “Social Center”
which was established in September, 2003.
Our mission and commitment is to reach out to
those who have been labeled low to moderate
income “at-risk youth”, engaging and
interacting with them through positive
programs and activities. Our vision is to
engage the youth in after school programs,
weekend retreats, and family/community-
oriented events thus eliminating the influence
of involvement with gangs, violence, alcohol,
drugs and juvenile justice system occurrences.
areas of Chicago. Due to limited resources and space, our program has grown beyond its
capacity and we have 80 youth on our waiting list to participate in the various programs.
There are six (6) departments within our organization: Youth, Public Safety, Senior Citizens,
Health and Wellness, Educational, and Economics (Entrepreneurship). Each play a vital
and key role in providing a wide spectrum of opportunities and awareness for the youth,
families and the community. We offer an after-school program throughout the school
season where students receive homework assistance, tutoring, life skills training, and
entrepreneurship workshops. Our Summer Program exposes youth to retreats, the arts,
sports competitions and special outtings.
In addition, KOB co-sponsors the “Adopt-A-Block Tour”, in which youth travel across the
United States helping local residents improve the quality of life within their communities.
KOB works with 20 Chicago zip codes interlinked with 20 U.S. Cities. Each month on tour
we travel to those disadvantaged neighborhoods and constructively interact with youth there
to perform: W – work / R - Recreation / T - Training. This is done through utilizing a different
zip code or city to adopt a specific block to perform Work, Recreation and Training (WRT); i.
e, shoveling snow for elderly residents in the winter months or mowing lawns for the
disabled/senior citizens in the summer months.
KOB provides positive change by maintaining an environment where youth can feel safe
and secure, creating opportunities for youth to work with and gain access to governmental
operations, explore entrepreneurship training, learn proper emergency techniques (i.e.
CPR, Fire Safety), and live healthy lifestyles.
