September 2005
Kids Off The Block Becomes Co-Sponsor of Adopt-A-Block Tour Along
with National Block Club University                    Thursday, 01 September 2005    
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December 2005
Kids Off The Block Youth Headed for Minnesota for Christmas!   
                                                                                                           Sun Dec 18, 2005  9:59 pm
On Tuesday, KOB youth will be boarding the Greyhound Bus to Minnesota. La'keisha
Faulkner (my daughter) will sponsor them for a week with fun activities. One of the youth
going to St. Paul was told by his mother that she cannot afford to give him anything for
Christmas. He is 16, and has 6 siblings. Along with him doing odd jobs to afford the bus
fare, my family and I pooled our money together so he could go. Keisha and her friends
have also pooled their money to buy him some gifts when they get there.

He is so excited about going, and to me, this is what Christmas is all about. All he has been
talking about is how greatful he is to everyone for making this trip possible. I thank my family
for their support, and I must also say "Thank you" to someone very special. You
know who you are, for sending not one, but four boxes of gifts to KOB youth. Some of the
kids would not have anything if it were'nt for these presents. She is phenominal, and the
kids ask me the funniest question yesterday. They said "can this lady come stay with us", of
course I said no, I understand how they feel. Some of them wrote to her personally last
week to thank her for her support.
Kids Off The Block Blessed by "Secret Santa"!  Fri Dec 23, 2005  9:23 am
Yesterday I received the last shipment of 5 boxes full of gifts for KOB youth. The boxes have
been coming for two weeks, and on Tuesday I started calling kids in to collect their gifts.
They were so excited, they received journals, books, bath accessories, lotions, tote bags,
perfumes. I took pictures of those who got theirs. Today the last remaining KOB members
will come at 4:00. It felt so good issuing those gifts to them.

All year long this "Secret Santa" has been supporting KOB youth. I know God has Blessed
us with this person, in August "Secret Santa" gave the kids a pizza party. They still talk about
it. There are so many other ways, that I cannot name them all.

Thank you Secret Santa & May God Continue to Bless You for Blessing others.
Chicagoans respond to the killing of the 37 year old mother in
Roseland                                                  Wednesday, December 29, 2005 6:30pm-7pm
Who:   Kids Off The Block, Inc, National Block Club University, & residents citywide.

What:   A community prayer vigil, investigation, and possible reward mission.

When:  Wednesday, December 29, 2005       6:30pm-7pm

Where: Primarily at the site: 113 & Edbrooke, but we have 2 other sites working this case
 
  West Side: 2900 block of West Fifth Avenue @ 6:30 pm led by Evg. Norine Hughes
  South Side: 248 block of West 48th Place     @ 6:30 pm led by Rev. Ken Atwood

Why:     To show support and outrage against these acts of violence and to help organize
the residents to prevent this from ever re-occurring.

                                National Acts of Violence against Woman

11/09/2004        Los Angeles        21 yr old Woman         Body found in a suitcase
11/26/2004        St. Louis                3 shot: 1 killed            Woman killed in North St. Louis
12/01/2004        D.C.                      Mother of 4                  Woman killed after getting order of protection
12/11/2004        New Orleans       50 yr old Woman          Woman shot to death walking home
12/21/2004        New Orleans       22 yr old Woman          Woman beaten to death with a hammer
Kids Off the Block Community Service
Kids Off The Block & National Block Club University CEO (Syron Smith) traveled to Detroit,
Michigan for the Adopt-A-Block Tour this past weekend. Teens from Chicago experienced
WRT (Work, Recreation, and Training). We had a great time in the "Motor City". The hotel
was beautiful, and we visited targeted blocks to interact with the residents, passing out
literature and brochures.
The teens were very excited about the trip, as most of them had never been to Detroit. This
year the Super Bowl is being held there and downtown is beautiful since it's new makeover.
While there they were able to enjoy the jacuzzi, visiting with family of one of our youth,
and late night pizza with a good movie.

It was well worth it, I enjoyed it so much because we were not sure if we would be able to
go this time. Thank you NBCU for sponsoring the trip.

Next stop is Milwaukee, WI in February. If you would like to join us or make a donation,
please contact myself at 773-995-9077 or NBCU at 1-800-861-6541. Here is a breakdown
of the expenses incurred for the trip.
August 2004
War on Urban Terrorism                        Friday, August 20, 2004 10:00-11:00 am
Despite a drop in homicides
across America, much still has to
be done in the ongoing war
Against Urban Terrorism. Diane
Latiker, founder of Kids Off the
Block, and Award-winning crime
fighter Syron M. Smith of National
Block Club University has been
working diligently in Roseland to
keep urban terrorism down. The
youth sports league is one of hte
tools we deploy to improve the
quality of life.
Kids off The Block, Inc and NBCU uses basketball to keep
Roseland youth from joining the urban terroist (street gang life)
Who:    Kids Off the Block & National Block Club University

What:   News conference on using basketball to keep youth from gangs, drugs, & violence

When:   Friday, August 20, 2004   10:00-11:00 am

Where:  11623 S. Michigan Avenue (vacant lot)

Why:        To keep young people positively engaged and away from gangs/drugs

Recently violent incidents in Roseland, underscores the need for more positive outlets and
activities fro the area youth and on Friday 20th we will have over 30 youth people outside in a
vacant lot playing in a sports league and preparing to help travel America helping others.  A
beautiful sign of hope, that things are not as bad as they may appear for urban communities.


KOB Archive
KOB Archive
"If you can believe it, you can achieve it"
Kids Off The Block Becomes Co-Sponsor of Adopt-A-Block Tour Along with National Block
Club University (CEO Syron Smith)
CHICAGO, IL, (NAMC) - 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.

Kids Off The Block (KOB), a non-profit 50l(c)3 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.

To date, we have assisted 71 youth in the Greater Roseland communities and surrounding
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