💰 AFTER SCHOOL MATTERS RAISES NEARLY $2.7 MILLION FOR CHICAGO TEENS

730 BOOM RADIO | GOOD NEWS CHICAGO

CHICAGO 💥 Now THIS is the kind of money story we like to report.

After School Matters raised nearly $2.7 million to support Chicago teenagers during its annual gala celebrating the organization’s 35th anniversary.

And this isn’t just money going into a building somewhere with a fancy plaque on the wall.

The funding supports paid after-school and summer opportunities for Chicago teens, giving young people the chance to explore interests, develop skills and work alongside professional instructors in areas including the arts, communications, sports, leadership and STEM.

💥 CHICAGO TEENS SHOWED WHAT THEY CAN DO

More than 500 guests attended the celebration, but the young people were the real centerpiece.

Teens showcased work and skills developed through After School Matters programs, including photography, painting, dance, volleyball and even phlebotomy.

Yes, PHLEBOTOMY.

Meanwhile, some of us were teenagers trying to figure out how to keep our Tamagotchi alive. 😂

But that's exactly why programs like this matter.

A teenager might walk through the door thinking, “I just need something to do after school,” and discover photography, medicine, technology, entrepreneurship or another path that changes what they imagine for their future.

❤️ 35 YEARS OF INVESTING IN CHICAGO'S YOUTH

After School Matters says it has provided hundreds of thousands of program opportunities to Chicago teens since its founding in 1991. The organization works with young people across the city through programs designed to provide hands-on experience while helping participants develop professional and personal skills.

And here's the part 730 BOOM loves:

They're PAID opportunities.

Because teenagers' time, creativity and work have value too.

We spend plenty of time talking about what young people are doing wrong.

So when hundreds of Chicago teenagers are learning, creating, working, performing and building their futures, we need to make just as much noise about THAT.

Nearly $2.7 MILLION raised to keep those opportunities going?

Now that's some GOOD Chicago news. 💛💰

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IT HITS DIFFERENT. EVERY TIME. BOOM! 💥