Unity Day: Beautify and Celebrate with the Englewood Community
Spark’s partner organization, We Grow Chicago, is continually seeking solutions to poverty and disinvestment while empowering the broader community of West Englewood. Thanks to the incredible work of We Grow Chicago, initiatives and programs provide resources and create opportunities for community members. The Inspiration Lab, a computer lab located on We Grow Chicago’s Peace Campus, provides educational support and computer literacy courses for students, entrepreneurs, and aspiring young professionals.
In 2024, we’ll celebrate the eleventh anniversary of Unity Day. Dubbed the “Largest Community Clean-Up in Chicago”, Unity Day brings together community members, Spark supporters, and volunteers from all over Chicago to beautify the West Englewood neighborhood. A long history of systemic racism and disinvestment created a resource desert in Englewood. We Grow Chicago has worked hard to change the narrative, creating a culture where people come together and generate powerful transformations. Unity Day is a tangible way that We Grow cares for its community; promoting a greater message of love, resilience, and hope.
In 2023, twenty-four Spark volunteers joined over 250 attendees on We Grow Chicago’s Peace Campus to begin a day’s worth of partnership, clean-up, and celebration. Julie Cook, a long-time Spark supporter and Secretary of Spark’s Board of Directors remembers “…the amazing group of people who came together for Unity Day. It was so powerful to see everyone’s positive energy and passion to beautify the neighborhood, followed by some fun jump roping, music, and line dancing”.
Spark Ventures provides transportation for our volunteers to the Unity Day site. During the day, from 9am-2pm, we’ll clean-up the greater Engelwood neighborhood, celebrate the impactful, ongoing work at We Grow, and get to know our passionate partner community. This year, volunteers can expect to participate in projects like gardening, painting, and trash pick-up. After, we’ll share stories and memories from the day at a group Happy Hour.
Join us for this year’s Unity Day clean up and celebration on May 4th, 2024. Registration closes on April 19th, so there’s still time to sign up or make a donation to support our Chicago partner. We’re looking forward to another impactful day at We Grow Chicago’s Unity Day!
