💙 SOUTH SUBURBAN YOUTH IMPACTED BY GUN VIOLENCE GET A NEW SUPPORT SYSTEM

730 BOOM RADIO | GOOD NEWS CHICAGO

FLOSSMOOR, IL 💥 Here’s some South Side and south suburban news that deserves some attention.

Flossmoor-based nonprofit You Matter 2 has launched Healing, Support & Opportunity, a new initiative designed specifically for middle and high school students who have been affected by gun violence. Patch

And “affected” doesn’t only mean a child who was physically injured.

The program is open to eligible 6th through 12th graders in suburban Cook County who have personally experienced gun violence, witnessed it, lost or had a loved one affected, or live with frequent exposure to violence in their community. Young people do not have to be in crisis, and families aren't required to produce a police report or medical documentation to seek help. YOU MATTER 2

💙 MORE THAN JUST “HERE'S SOMEBODY TO TALK TO”

This program caught our attention because the support can go much further.

Depending on a young person's needs, services can include individual or group therapy, mentorship, transportation assistance, family resources, youth-development programs, community referrals and college, career and workforce opportunities. Patch

Basically, the question isn't only:

“What happened to you?”

It's also:

“What do you need now, and where do you want to go from here?”

THAT is a different conversation.

🌱 30 STUDENTS IN THE FIRST COHORT

A centerpiece of the initiative is the Healing & Support Pathway, a personalized program providing 12 active weeks of coordinated support.

The first cohort begins October 6, 2026, with space for as many as 30 students. Participants will develop individual plans based on their goals and strengths, receive regular check-ins and have a dedicated You Matter 2 support person. Families can also be connected with resources. Patch

And if those 30 spots fill up, that doesn't necessarily close the door. You Matter 2 says eligible young people can still be connected with available services outside the formal cohort, and referrals are accepted throughout the year. Patch

💥 THIS IS WHAT COMMUNITY INVESTMENT LOOKS LIKE

Cook County approved You Matter 2 as one of the organizations eligible for a two-year agreement of up to $500,000 through its suburban Wraparound Services for Survivors of Gun Violence initiative. County documents describe that broader funding effort as an investment in services including mental-health support, mentorship, youth programming and assistance for people directly and indirectly affected by gun violence. Cook County Legistar

We talk about shootings when they happen.

We talk about arrests afterward.

But what happens to the 12-year-old who witnessed it? The teenager who lost somebody? The kid who keeps hearing gunshots and still has to get up for school the next morning?

Those young people have stories too.

This time, the story is about somebody building a system to help them heal, grow and see a future beyond what they've experienced.

Now THAT is good news worth making some noise about. 💙

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IT HITS DIFFERENT. EVERY TIME. BOOM! 💥