The Transformation Fund

Metropolitan Family Services empowers families to learn, to earn, to heal and to thrive. Part mentor, part motivator, part advocate, since 1857 Metropolitan has been the engine of change that empowers Chicago-area families to reach their greatest potential and positively impact their communities. In 2014, Metropolitan launched the $25 million Campaign to Mpower Families, a bold initiative to scale up our programs to serve more than 100,000 families by 2020. The Campaign will allow for significant investment in the organization’s capital, endowment and future transformation. We invite you to partner with us to invest in lasting improvements to our organization and the more than 93,106 children and families we serve each year.

Example of a Transformation Initiative: Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P)

Between 2015 and 2016, Chicago experienced 58% more homicides and 43% more non-fatal shootings. This surge in gun violence is concentrated in a small number of disadvantaged communities on our South and West Sides. Metropolitan decided in 2016 to take an active role in addressing this issue. We launched CP4P, a multi-intervention model focused on reducing gun violence in collaboration with eight other community-based organizations in nine neighborhoods. Metropolitan is serving as project coordinator, and the partnership is funded by many generous foundations in Chicago’s philanthropic community.

CP4P targets the individuals at highest risk of being perpetrators and victims of gun violence through intensive street outreach – outreach that is led by our experienced community partners and delivered by trained and skilled members of the community. Outreach workers work to de-escalate and prevent violent retaliation, as well as provide intensive case management and facilitate re-entry for those returning from incarceration. In addition, free public programming is provided on summer evenings in all communities, fostering safe spaces and healthy activities for all community members. We are also professionalizing the field of street outreach through the Metropolitan Peace Academy, providing curriculum-based and trauma-informed training to all outreach workers.

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“I’ve been on the board for 30 years and what continues to impress me is how well managed we are, the high quality people, the low overhead and the strength of our endowment. We have great financial expertise on the Investment Committee who have done an extremely good job of protecting our endowment. This has allowed us to meet the growing needs of families, and plan for the future.”

C. Gary Gerst, Board Member, 1984-Present
General Partner, Carr Workplaces