We Grow Chicago is Spark Ventures’ Chicago-based partner and serves the greater Englewood community. Founded in 2013, We Grow now consists of five West-Englewood based nonprofits, and focuses on enriching their community through youth programming, food security,...
Read More
Spark’s partnership in Twapia, Zambia provides nutrition, healthcare, educational programming and jobs to their community. Today, Hope Community School supports the needs of over 450 beneficiaries through primary and secondary education systems, meal services, a healthcare clinic,...
Read More
Since Spark’s partnership with Las Tías in Nicaragua began, the women-led organization has grown to include two thriving community centers that provide over 150 youth with meals, education, job skills training, and reliable physical and mental health care. With the help...
Read More
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, international trips to Spark Ventures’ partners have been on hold. Although we were able to connect with our partners over Zoom, we have been excitedly awaiting the day when we could resume our...
Read More
This week, we’re back with Rich Johnson to learn more about his recent trip to visit Hope Community School in Zambia. For the first time since the start of COVID-19 pandemic, Rich had the opportunity to travel back to Spark’s first partner organization....
Read More
Rich Johnson co-founded Spark Ventures in 2007 after a trip to Zambia. Fast-forward 15 years later to the fall of 2022, when Rich had the opportunity to travel back to Zambia and visit Hope Community School for the first time...
Read More
We are thrilled to welcome our newest team member: Martha Vargas! In her new role as Program Manager, Martha is bringing over 20 years of experience as well as a passion for empowering families towards economic self-sufficiency. Let's get to know Martha a bit better...
Read More
In the United States, many of us who attended school share some very specific memories, no matter the time or place. Some of those might be “too much homework”, “sharing snacks at lunch”, or even, “dissecting an owl pellet in science class”. Along with the...
Read More
We are excited to introduce you to our newest team member, Tobi Agurkis, working with Spark part-time as a Marketing Consultant. She joined us in early August and is looking forward to partnering with the team to further Spark’s mission. Here’s Tobi with a little bit...
Read More
In 1989, after the Nicaraguan Revolution, many children were alone and hungry on the streets of León, the second largest city in Nicaragua. A group of eight business women noticed some of these children stealing food from market stalls. Instead of chasing them away, the...
Read More