When Chicago Scholars was founded, our objective was to elevate the voices of Chicago’s young and talented people into leadership positions across the city. Since then, we’ve fostered an incredible community of people who support each other, motivate each other, and love each other. Through our Scholars, we have seen that leadership takes many forms, and shines brightest in times of crisis.

Our Scholars, spanning from high school to early career, are stepping up to support their loved ones and those most impacted by COVID-19. Take Cristal, who is leveraging her networks to highlight the unique challenges that low-income, first-generation college students are facing in their transition to virtual learning. Daniel, an alum and Chicago Elementary School teacher, is spending time cooking with his mother. Jeanpierre, a student at Loyola, helped his friends pack and store their belongings during nation-wide college closures. Across the board, we are so proud of our Scholars who are stepping up as leaders and doing what they need to care for themselves and others.

During this COVID-19 outbreak, things continue to evolve rapidly. Amidst this uncertainty, we continue to stay focused on people: getting our Scholars, our staff, and our community through this crisis and into a stable and hopeful future.

To this end, we have expanded our Emergency Lifeline Grant funding and created the Chicago Scholars Response Fund to support our Scholars with emergency funding for expenses like travel, rent, utilities, and technology resources as they and their families adapt to closed college campuses and losses of income associated with industry-wide closures.

Our staff continues to work tirelessly and collaboratively to transition our programming and events into meaningful virtual gatherings. This includes our Scholar Interview Nights, where Chicago-area professionals have the opportunity to help us select our next class of Scholars. You can still sign up for volunteer shifts on our website. Our staff, mentors, and counselors are also helping our Scholars in high school choose the best college for them; keeping our Scholars in college on track to graduation and launching them into fulfilling careers; and continuing to offer our Scholar Alums career and networking resources to ensure they maintain a growth mindset and nurture their leadership skills.

This work is not just about our Scholars but ensuring Chicago as a whole makes it through this crisis stronger and more unified than ever. We are strengthening our ties with community partners to identify and meet the needs of the people we serve. We are working with our corporate and foundation partners to envision how best to provide summer internships – a critical milestone in leadership and career development – in our changing and uncertain workforce. Our Associate Board is identifying ways to transition our UnTied fundraiser to a virtual platform and elevate the leadership of this year’s 35 Under 35. We are reaching out to families to ensure that they have not only knowledge, but access to both local and federal resources. You can view our compilation of resources here.

The true test of a leader is how one responds over time and under pressure. Determining how to respond to uncertainty is, quite frankly, uncertain. All of us face the question: how do you know what to do when you don’t know what to do? At a time when we want to hold those dearest to us close, we are told that we must stay distant, for the safety of them and the public at large. As a mother, friend, non-profit CEO, and proud Chicagoan, I know that our city and its people are resilient and tenacious. We have already seen incredible forms of leadership and solidarity as our Scholars and partners band together to uplift those most in need. Caring for each other is how we emerge stronger and more unified than ever.

Now, more than ever, it’s important for us to band together and support our city’s most vulnerable populations. Below, we have compiled a list of resources to support people and communities most impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, and ways you can get involved. If there are additional resources that we should be including, please directly email our Senior Associate of Communications, Anthony Santa Maria.

EDUCATION:

• Chicago Public Schools Direct Response includes educational materials as well as food distribution for CPS families.

• Sign-on to this letter by Student Debt Crisis, calling for a cancellation of student debt.

• NSPA has compiled these resources for students with disrupted educations, as well as other helpful information.

• NACAC is providing this online tool as a central resource for information about changes in college admission events, deposit dates, and more as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

• Stanford Online High School is hosting a series of webinars on how to effectively lead online classes.

• Learning resources for educators of middle grades.

• Parker Dewey is connecting students with part-time/short-term paid, professional opportunities.

PARENTS/FAMILIES

• Caring for young ones? Keep them entertained and engaged with these free resources

• 70 things to do with kids now that we are all stuck at home.

• Librarians host virtual story time.

• Take your kids to a virtual concert, play, or museum.

GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS:

• Illinois has included COVID-19 related employment gaps in coverage for unemployment benefits.

ADVOCACY EFFORTS

• Tell your representative to increase access to resources for people with disabilities.

• Call on Mayor Lightfoot, Gov. Pritzker, & Cook County Circuit Court Chief Evans to freeze rent.

• The National Juvenile Justice Network has resources for vulnerable populations.

• Racial Equity and Social Justice Resources for activists.

DONATE TO THESE FUNDS:

• Chicago Service Relief for staff of local restaurants, bars, and clubs.

• Mutual Aid Efforts that include national and Chicago-specific volunteer and funding opportunities.

• Chicago Scholars Response Fund to directly support our Scholars’ transportation, housing, and technology needs.

• Here is a list of funds and other links to other relief efforts – spanning tech assistance, employment opportunities, and food access.

IMMIGRANT AND UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITIES:

• Immigrants Rising compiled resources to support undocumented communities.

TRANSITIONING TO VIRTUAL WORK AND EVENTS:

• How to change a physical event to a virtual event

• What it takes to run a great virtual meeting.

FUNDRAISING:

• Resources and updates for funders and organizations in need of additional funds.

DISABILITY COMMUNITY:

• Access living has put together these resources.

MENTAL HEALTH:

• 5 ways to help teens manage anxiety about coronavirus.

• Mental Health America has compiled resources for disease outbreaks.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

• Thrive Chicago has put together resources spanning education, food access, employment and housing assistance, and more.