Kudos to you sir for starting down this road. I've lived and worked in Chicago's Inner city (K-Town, North Lawndale) for the better part of a decade now and it's great to see folks who are looking to give back.
Very glad to see that you have connected with a local organizer and other community officials. The #1 mistake that outsiders make when they come into the community is thinking they know the needs of the community and how best to do things. I've lived here for almost 10 and I still routinely find major blind spots in my understanding. Your community contacts will be invaluable. Not only in finding you a constituency, but also in helping you to set realistic expectations and goals for the program.
For 4 years I ran a program here in the neighborhood using LEGO to teach 3rd graders math skills and it took a while for me to re-callibrate my expectations for participation, enthusiasm, attendance, ability, etc. with the reality of the situation in which my students exist.
I don't have anything to send over and it sounds like you have a good team, but if you need someone to bounce ideas off of or some moral support let me know.
Sincerely,
Karl
