Emma Okonji
The African ICT Foundation, (AFICTF) has unveiled a two-year digital inclusion development plan for the continent.
The plan targets policy and infrastructure issues on Internet of Things (IoTs), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data.
The foundation is non-governmental organisation established in 2009. It was recently rejigged to focus on issues that bothers on Africa’s digital inclusion.
The development plan was unveiled at the inauguration of the new Board of Trustees (BOT), chaired by the former Director of Public Affairs of the Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC), Mr. Tony Ojobo, which held in Lagos.
Ojobo, who doubles as the Chairman of the BOT and President of the foundation, in his inaugural speech also declared a state of emergency on internet penetration, adding that Africa needs a declaration of emergency in the area of ICT developments and innovation.
According to him, in the next two years, the foundation would consciously be making efforts towards holistic involvement in research and educational activities that involves setting the policy agenda on technological innovations, information and communication technology (ICT), trade and globalisation and clean energy.
He stated that the foundation would be getting Africa’s private sector support on critical industry issues that affect the growth of Africa’s economy while also working with policymakers to develop and promote policies and ideas, capitalising on the tremendous economic and social benefits that ICT provides for Africans.
Ojobo, noted that AFICTF would be encouraging adherence to high standard of research, empowerment and integrity with an internal code of ethics grounded in analytical rigor, policy pragmatism, and independence from external direction or bias.
He said a key aspect of the development of digital inclusion in Africa would be to promote skills sustainable for the development of African nationhood, reduce the level of illiteracy and poverty in the society as well as engage African youths on information technology (IT) exchange programmes.
Ojobo, noted the need for nations in the continent to be aware of the capabilities that ICT offers in terms of GDP growth and job creation, stressing that access is critical to making this happen, especially in terms of availability and affordability.
“Our leaders need to embrace the use of ICT through its adoption for ease of business and processes required for industrial growth. Technology not applied cannot deliver the desired dividends,” Ojobo said.
He disclosed that part of the foundation’s strategy to achieve its objective, was through partnerships/collaborations, funding, advocacies and sensitisation, as well as capacity building/training, while stressing that true partnerships between governments and non-government actors are essential to addressing a problem as complex as ICT penetration in Africa.
Home foundations can come in different styles depending upon your locale, so if you’re in need of a new foundation, consider the needs of your home. A new foundation can be expensive depending on the scope of the project. On average, a concrete foundation costs around $8,500. On the low-end, a foundation can cost around $6,000 and on the high end, a foundation will run close to $15,000. Total costs will vary depending upon permits, labor and the type of foundation.
With six different types of home foundations possible, cost estimates vary by design. Estimates are based on a 2,000-square foot house.
Monolithic concrete slab foundations are better known as slab-on-grade because they rest directly on the ground and typically get poured all at once. They’re usually cheaper to install and will last a long time. A con of a slab-on-grade foundation is that sewer and drainage pipes get installed before the foundation is poured, so should you have any plumbing problems, you’ll need to cut into the slab to fix it.
Stem wall slabs have a footer poured first and then blocks are laid to form a wall up to the finished slab elevation. It’s considered more stable but takes longer to construct.
Pier and beam foundations are typically found with older homes and elevate the home, which makes it less prone to flooding. But since it’s elevated, pests and critters can gain entry to the crawl space. They can cause damage to the beams over time.
A pier and beam foundation provides less support for floors than a concrete slab and they can suffer from water damage. They are also not as energy efficient as other foundations because warm and cold air can seep into the home.
Cinder block foundations aren’t as popular as poured concrete block walls. Cinder block foundations do have advantages, like being able to hold more weight on top of the foundation. It does require more money in labor costs. On the negative side, they can be more susceptible to bowing and buckling.
A basement foundation secures a house a floor below the ground. It can be unfinished or finished to add living space. Basement foundations tend to suffer from moisture problems and sometimes mold. A sump pump can help address moisture issues.
Adding a basement foundation comes with a significant cost and it can escalate should you choose to finish the basement. But a finished basement can increase living space and increase your home’s value so you’ll have to weigh the cost vs. reward.
An unfinished basement typically costs between $10 to $25 per square foot while that cost increases to $30 to $100 per square foot for a finished basement. A walkout basement will cost closer to $100 per square foot.
Concrete costs between $4.25 and $6.25 per square foot and the average size of a house is about 2,000 square feet. That can mean between $8,500 and $12,500 for concrete alone. Labor typically costs around $2.60 per square foot, which is about $5,200 for a 2,000-square foot house.
A pier and beam foundation can cost more because of the cost of the beams (around $1,000 to $5,000) and piers (you’ll need around eight to 10). Additional costs include:
Many factors go into the estimate for your foundation, but it’s essential to be aware of any additional costs you may encounter before you proceed.
Foundation inspections occur before you pour concrete and after the work is done to help to verify that the new foundation meets all code requirements and will support the weight of your home. They cost about $145 an hour, with most homeowners spending $150 to $1,300 in total.
To allow for proper airflow, prevent moisture or keep critters out, many homeowners will opt to add foundation insulation like skirting and vents around the crawl space or pier and beam foundation. Some will even add spray foam, foam board, or batts between or across the bottom of the joists to add more insulation under the floor. On average, foundation installation costs about $2,000.
Radiant heat is when all pipes need to be laid under the foundation, and the concrete is poured over them. Therefore, radiant heat needs to be completed when the foundation is installed. On average, radiant heat adds $3 per square foot, with most homeowners paying $4,800 to $10,000.
If you start to notice cracks along your foundation or suspect some sagging, you’ll likely want an engineer to come out for a structural report. The report typically costs around $500 and will pinpoint your foundation issues.
Foundation replacements can add up quickly, so expect to pay around $20,000 to $100,000 depending upon the scope of the project. If your home needs to be raised for foundation replacement, you will likely pay between $24,500 to $115,000 to raise and replace the foundation. Raising the house will run between $3,000 and $9,000 alone, then excavation can cost between $1,500 to $6,000.
Constructing a foundation is not a DIY project, though expert DIYers can likely lay down a concrete slab with some help from friends. Since the foundation is the structure that supports your house, the measurements need to be precise and cement placed in the proper position if you live in a climate where you have to pay attention to the frost line.
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For decades, the Indian Law Resource Center has been brainstorming how it could do more to advocate for Indigenous peoples across the Americas. What would transform lives, the center realized, is to undertake a global effort to ensure Indigenous people have property rights over their land — a move that advocates say is a crucial first step to securing greater economic and political power.
Now the center has $20 million to work toward the dream, as part of a sweeping new $90 million racial-equity effort by the Kellogg Foundation, announced Tuesday.
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For decades, the Indian Law Resource Center has been brainstorming how it could do more to advocate for Indigenous peoples across the Americas. What would transform lives, the center realized, is to undertake a global effort to ensure Indigenous people have property rights over their land — a move that advocates say is a crucial first step to securing greater economic and political power.
Now the center has $20 million to work toward the dream, as part of a sweeping new $90 million racial-equity effort by the Kellogg Foundation, announced Tuesday.
In addition to the Indian Law Resource Center, four other organizations around the world will receive grants of $10 million to $20 million for the next eight years with the aim of laying the groundwork for transformative change by 2030.
They include:
While Kellogg announced the program shortly after anti-racism protests erupted over George Floyd’s murder by police, its roots began toward the beginning of the Covid pandemic, which put a spotlight on longstanding racial inequities. It joined a number of foundations that committed tens of millions to fighting for racial justice.
But the foundation said it also wanted to take a different approach to grant making in the hopes that doing so would lead to more substantive change than foundations have typically been able to bring about, says Carla Thompson Payton, vice president for program strategy at Kellogg.
The grant announcement received enormous interest. Soon after Kellogg announced that grants were available in October 2020, it received over 1,400 submissions from 72 countries. Last year, it winnowed those down to 10 and awarded each $1 million planning grant to use over nine months, enough money to allow groups to hire staff members and consultants and take other steps to refine their ideas without straining their current operations.
Grantees say the money and time for planning enabled plenty of back and forth among the foundation, consultants, and those competing for funds.
“This was one of the best pieces of philanthropic work I’ve ever seen,” says Robert Coulter, executive director of the Indian Law Resource Center. He says he has previously declined grants that he felt got in the way of the organization accomplishing its goals — but this was an exception.
Communities United, for instance, used its planning money to get young people involved in crafting its program. During a “graduation ceremony” for the planning group this month, several young participants burst into tears when they found out the nonprofit had been awarded a grant that would allow them to expand their ideas, says Raul Botello, co-executive manager of Communities United.
Botello said the process helped strengthen his organization. Even if the nonprofit had not received the final grant, the planning grant was very helpful, he said.
“Normally, in the relationship between grantees and foundations, there’s a power dynamic where the foundations direct the strategy around funding, but this felt very different,” says Botello. “We are in a much better position organizationally even without the award, because of the investment in our infrastructure.”
As Shawn Kana’iaupuni, president of the Partners in Development Foundation, underwent the application process for grant, she especially appreciated the emphasis on long-term transformative solutions.
“It takes generations to unravel that downward spiral that creates inequity,” says Kana’iaupuni, who described a feeling of “immense joy” and resolve after learning that her group’s effort won a grant. “To know that somebody in philanthropy sees and understands what that looks like was, I think, unprecedented.”
The Partners in Development Foundation will combine its grant with government and local support to develop a center aimed at replacing youth incarceration with a system of justice grounded in Native Hawaiian practices.
“We believe as a community that we can turn these things around by uplifting our Indigenous practices and cultural tool kits,” says Kana’iaupuni. “They become sources of healing and restoration.”
Thompson Payton says that even though Kellogg was eager to get the money distributed quickly so organizations could go right to work, it realized the outcomes would be stronger if applicants had a chance to first refine their work and develop sustainable proposals.
“That’s been a huge lesson for us, including people like myself who want solutions right away,” says Thompson Payton. “We’re recognizing that it took generations to get here. Hopefully it won’t take generations to get out of it, but you do need space for reflection in order to have long-term sustainable solutions.”
JACKSON COUNTY, Mississippi -- The Jackson County Economic Development Foundation (JCEDF) this week presented its recently-completed Strategic Innovation Plan to an audience of community stakeholders, local employers, elected officials, and other citizens.
This presentation reflects more than a year’s worth of research and analysis by the JCEDF, a local advisory committee, and a nationally-recognized consulting firm which assisted the foundation in preparing this plan to grow the innovation economy by capitalizing on existing assets, including the strong defense and manufacturing sectors, the county’s vast natural resources, and high quality of life.
“Jackson County’s long-term approach to economic development has created a thriving economy which enjoys robust defense-related activities, one of the strongest manufacturing sectors in the state, and a high quality of place,” said George Freeland, JCEDF executive director. “We embarked on this project to provide our local community with a strategic roadmap to build on this success, particularly in the innovation sector, because we know that complacency isn’t a viable option for our future.”
While Jackson County has long enjoyed economic success due in part to leaders working together to overcome significant external challenges (such as Hurricane Katrina and a worldwide pandemic), the County does not exist in a vacuum and continues to be mindful of national and global events that have local impacts downstream, such as rising energy costs, inflationary impacts, and supply chain disruption.
With these factors in mind, the foundation hired experts to work with local stakeholders to create a plan to capitalize on existing assets for long-term growth.
In May 2021, the JCEDF conducted a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP). The winning respondent, TIP Strategies, is an Austin, Texas-based national consulting firm established in 1995 whose core competency is economic development strategic planning for public and private sector clients.
The Strategic Innovation Plan released today is guided by three overarching principles:
These principles along with relevant economic research and a “SWOT” (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis conducted by TIP Strategies with feedback from local stakeholders resulted in the development of three main goals listed in the strategic plan:
1. Talent attraction & workforce: Become the hub of the Gulf Coast for innovative talent.
2. Real estate development: Build and revitalize to house the businesses and workers of the future.
3. Industry 4.0: Harness new technologies to advance legacy and emerging industries.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.
A growing number of Americans think the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us. Yet in the District of Columbia, local officials are still clinging to government mandates that disproportionately harm low-income minority students.
The Daily Signal’s Doug Blair pressed Mayor Muriel Bowser on the issue at an Aug. 15 press conference, asking the mayor why the District of Columbia planned to bar unvaccinated students, many of whom are black, from attending school in person.
A conservative advocacy group has filed a new lawsuit seeking to block the Biden administration's efforts to forgive student loan debt for tens of millions of Americans, marking the latest legal challenge to the program.
The suit, filed Monday by the Job Creators Network Foundation, argues the Biden administration violated federal procedures by failing to seek public input on the program. The lawsuit comes as the Biden administration is expected to open its application for debt relief this month.
It's one of a handful of lawsuits that have been filed by conservative business groups, attorneys and Republican lawmakers in exact weeks as the Biden administration tries to push forward with its plan to cancel billions in debt before November's midterm elections. In the meantime, a federal judge is expected to rule on a separate legal challenge to Mr. Biden's student debt plan from six GOP-led states by October 12.
Elaine Parker, president of the Job Creators Network Foundation, slammed the program as executive overreach and complained that it does nothing to address the root cause of rising debt: the "outrageous increase in college tuition that outpaces inflation every single year."
"This bailout is going to affect everyone in this country because of the mass size of the program," she said. "And everyone should have the opportunity to provide their views to the government."
She added: "These universities need to be held accountable for this student debt crisis."
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the program will cost taxpayers $400 billion over the next three decades. Yet another estimate pegs the cost much higher, at $519 billion over a decade, according to the Penn Wharton Budget Model, a group of economists and data scientists at the University of Pennsylvania.
The Job Creators Network Foundation has previously turned to the courts to try to block the Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccine mandate on businesses. It also sued Major League Baseball in 2021 for moving the All-Star game out of Atlanta over objections to changes to Georgia's voting laws. That lawsuit, which cited losses to local businesses, was later dropped.
The new lawsuit is one of a growing number of legal challenges trying to halt the proposal laid out by President Joe Biden in late August to cancel up to $20,000 in debt for certain borrowers.
Six Republican-led states filed suit late last month, accusing the Biden administration of overstepping its executive powers, as did the Pacific Legal Foundation, a Sacramento, California, legal advocacy group. Their lawsuit, filed in federal court in Indiana, calls the plan an illegal overreach that would increase state tax burdens for some Americans who get their debt forgiven.
Meanwhile, a federal judge in Wisconsin last week dismissed a lawsuit from a local taxpayers group, the Brown County Taxpayers Association, that sought to block the program, ruling that the group didn't have standing to bring the lawsuit. The group had argued that Biden's order unlawfully circumvented Congress' power over spending and said the plan was discriminatory because it sought to provide particular help to borrowers of color.
The latest lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas against the U.S. Education Department and its secretary, Miguel Cardona, takes issue with how the plan was developed. It alleges the Biden administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act's notice-and-comment procedures. It also challenges the administration's legal justification for the program.
The suit includes two plaintiffs: one who does not qualify for debt forgiveness because the plan excludes commercially held loans that are not in default, and one who did not receive a Pell grant and is therefore entitled to less debt forgiveness under the plan.
"Behind closed doors, the Department promulgated a new Debt Forgiveness Program that will affect tens of millions of Americans and cost hundreds of billions of dollars," the lawsuit reads. "Instead of providing notice and seeking comment from the public, the Department hammered out the critical details of the Program in secret and with an eye toward securing debt forgiveness in time for the November election."
It also alleges the department "made numerous arbitrary decisions about the Program, including which individuals will receive debt forgiveness, how much of their debt will be forgiven, and which types of debt will qualify for the Program."
"The result of this arbitrariness is predictable: some will benefit handsomely, some will be shortchanged, and others will be left out entirely," it reads.
The case was assigned to U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor, who most notably ruled in 2018 that the Affordable Care Act was unconstitutional. The Supreme Court reversed that decision last year. O'Connor, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, also has ruled against other policies pursued by Democratic administrations. Last month, he ruled that an ACA provision that required coverage of an HIV prevention drug violates a Texas employer's religious beliefs.
Civil lawsuits filed in the federal court in Fort Worth have a 90% chance of going either to O'Connor or Judge Mark Pittman, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, according to a 2020 order of the court.
White House spokesman Abdullah Hasan responded with a statement defending the loan forgiveness program.
"While opponents of our plan are siding with special interests and trying every which way to keep millions of middle-class Americans in debt, the President and his Administration are fighting to lawfully provide middle-class families some breathing room as they recover from the pandemic and prepare to resume loan payments in January," he said in a statement.
The Biden debt forgiveness program will cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for individuals making less than $125,000 a year or households making less than $250,000. Pell grant recipients, who typically demonstrate more financial need, will be eligible for an additional $10,000.
The Biden administration used an act passed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks as legal justification for the program. The law gives the administration "sweeping authority" to reduce or eliminate student debt during times of national emergency, the Justice Department said in an August legal opinion. The administration cited the COVID-19 pandemic as its emergency.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the program will cost taxpayers $400 billion over the next three decades.
The Pacific Legal Foundation, the conservative public interest law firm in California that is backing the lawsuit, asserts that the executive branch lacks the authority to create a new forgiveness policy and is usurping Congress’s power to make law. The suit was filed on behalf of Frank Garrison, an attorney who works for the foundation and lives in Indiana.
Republican state attorneys general and lawmakers have been exploring the possibility of a lawsuit against Biden’s forgiveness plan, which critics have also assailed as fiscally irresponsible. The Job Creators Network pledged to sue the administration once the Education Department guidance has been released.
In its lawsuit, the foundation may have the one thing legal experts said was needed to make a legitimate case: a client with the standing to sue.
Garrison said he has been working toward having his federal student loans canceled through a program that erases the debt of public servants after 10 years of payments and service. Participants in that Public Service Loan Forgiveness program do not have to pay federal or state taxes.
However, Biden’s plan could result in borrowers in several states, including Indiana, being required to pay local tax bills, although they would not be subject to federal taxes.
The president’s forgiveness plan would cancel up to $10,000 in federal student loan debt for borrowers who earn less than $125,000 per year, or less than $250,000 for married couples. Those who received Pell Grants, federal aid for lower-income students, could see up to $20,000 in forgiveness.
Since Biden’s plan would take effect before Garrison’s debt is forgiven through the public service program, Garrison said he expects to pay more than $1,000 in state income taxes for the $20,000 of forgiven debt that he would be eligible for.
“Frank is not only somebody who is harmed by this, but he’s also somebody who believes the cancellation plan is deeply wrong,” said Steve Simpson, a senior attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation representing Garrison. “One really big difference between the program Frank is participating in and the Biden program is that one was passed by Congress.”
When asked about the lawsuit Tuesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that “anyone who does not want to get debt relief can opt out.”
The vast majority of eligible borrowers will have to apply for debt cancellation when the Education Department releases the form next month. About 8 million people, whose income information is already with the department, may receive automatic relief. But they don’t have to accept it.
Adam Minsky, a Boston lawyer who specializes in student debt issues, said Garrison’s claim of harm is “speculative at best” since he is under no obligation to take part in the cancellation program. What’s more, Indiana lawmakers could act to exempt the canceled debt from taxation before Garrison ever sees a bill, Minsky said.
Laurence Tribe, a Harvard University law professor close with the Biden administration, said the foundation’s theory of standing may be “a stretch but not beyond the realm of possibility.” While Garrison could prove that he would be better off if Biden’s plan were never created, Tribe said no one is forcing him to apply. He said the merits of the case are weak because the legal grounds for the plan are solid.
The Justice Department released a 25-page memo last month saying the president’s action is allowable under a 2003 law that gives the executive branch broad authority to overhaul student loan programs. That law, known as the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act, was passed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and gave the president the right to cancel student debt in connection with national emergencies. The White House says the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is a national emergency that more than meets the requirement.
“The HEROES Act is a pretty solid foundation for what Biden has done,” Tribe said.
Still, litigation could halt Biden’s policy just as it was set to go into effect.
Advocates for debt cancellation have been anticipating a legal fight, said Persis Yu, policy director and managing counsel at the Student Borrower Protection Center. She thinks the framework the administration is using to enact the policy is strong enough to ward off legal challenges but said no one can be sure how the courts will handle these cases.
“The courts have been very unpredictable. And all things are political right now,” Yu said, who has advocated for debt relief. “We feel confident the law is on our side, but we don’t have a crystal ball.”
Advocates of Biden’s plan say it would be transformative for the middle class. A exact analysis by the Census Bureau said Black and Hispanic women could benefit the most from the one-time cancellation policy, as both groups hold a disproportionate share of education debt relative to their peers.
“When you look at this student loans relief program, it is going to help tens of millions of people,” Jean-Pierre told reporters Tuesday. “Opponents of the Biden-Harris administration student loan plan are trying to stop it because they know it will provide much-needed relief for working families.”
SOUTH BEND, Ind., Oct. 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Credit Union 1 (CU1)—a leading financial institution with branches across Illinois, Indiana, and Nevada, and the Official Banking Partner of Notre Dame Athletics—is announcing its partnership with the Golic Family Foundation, a charitable organization started by notable Notre Dame alumnus, former NFL player and veteran sportscaster Mike Golic and his family. Together, CU1 and the Golic Family Foundation plan to offer $100,000 in grants to local nonprofits serving the South Bend community and beyond in 2023.
The partnership builds upon the success of the inaugural Golic Sub-Par Classic at The University of Notre Dame, held in June 2022. Credit Union 1 was the primary sponsor for the event, which benefited The Logan Center, Center for the Homeless, Food Bank of Northern Indiana and the South Bend Animal Resource Center.
"South Bend will always be home to our family thanks to the countless memories and milestones we have celebrated here, and we look forward to giving back to the community that helped shape us all," says Golic. "Through the Golic Family Foundation, which will expand on the success of the inaugural Sub-Par Classic, we will raise money for causes near to our heart, and we are excited that this partnership with Credit Union 1 will allow us to provide back in an even bigger way."
In addition to the $100,000 of grants that will be distributed, Credit Union 1 also plans to donate $200 to the Golic Family Foundation each time a new member opens a Fighting Irish Program account, allowing members to participate in giving back to the community.
"In our 65-year history, Credit Union 1 has always been committed to supporting families and communities. As we expand into the South Bend community with our new branch located just minutes from the University of Notre Dame campus, we wanted to ensure that our presence went beyond just serving our local members," says Todd Gunderson, President and CEO of Credit Union 1. "The partnership with the Golic Family Foundation was a natural fit, and we look forward to strengthening our ties with the residents of South Bend and the wonderful nonprofits that serve the community."
Grants will be distributed throughout 2023, but interested organizations can learn more and submit an application now at creditunion1.org/golic.
About Credit Union 1
Credit Union 1 is celebrating 65 years of helping members reach their financial goals. CU1 is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative serving 85,000 members across 14 branches located in Illinois, Indiana, and Nevada. CU1 also serves members nationwide thanks to a highly rated mobile app, 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs, and 5,000 shared-branch locations. CU1's mission is to exceed our members' expectations by delivering innovative financial solutions to help achieve their maximum economic potential. In 2021, CU1 provided $9.9 million in direct financial benefits to members through lower loan rates, high savings rates, and fewer fees than banking institutions.
Contact Information:
Sarah Ryan-Lizee
Director of Communications, Credit Union 1
sarah.ryan-lizee@creditunion1.org
630.439.7984
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Image 1: Mike Golic at Credit Union 1 in South Bend
Mike Golic announces The Golic Family Foundation's partnership with Credit Union 1 at the South Bend, Ind., branch.
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Last year at this time, Communities United, a survivor-led, grassroots, intergenerational, racial justice organization in Chicago set their sights on changing the mental health landscape for youth with the help of Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. The goal was to develop a wholistic plan for youth that moves the mental health conversation from one focused on individual treatment to one that supports community healing.
Their work on that path for years yielded “Healing Through Justice: A Community-Led Breakthrough Strategy for Healing-Centered Communities” — a 10-year road map to foster youth-led strategies on community healing that centers youth leadership in creating institutional change on mental health. The plan placed the medical institution and community organization in a finalist position in the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Racial Equity 2030 Challenge — a global competition announced in 2020, that awarded a total of $90 million to help build and scale actionable ideas for transformative change in systems and institutions that uphold racial inequities. The challenge received 1,453 submissions from 72 countries. In September 2021, the Kellogg Foundation announced the top 10 finalists.
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While traditional medical approaches rely heavily on treatment, Healing Through Justice (developed by Communities United and informed by narratives of hundreds of young people who experienced personal and collective trauma and healing while taking social action to address issues impacting them and their families) focuses on supporting the leadership and action of Black and brown youth in Chicago to create new pathways for recovery, and positive health outcomes for themselves and their communities.
Over the past year, Communities United and Lurie Children’s moved through a process of multiple levels of review and feedback involving peer applicants and multi-disciplined experts from across the world to bring their plan to scale with a $1 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The duo are now the recipients of $10 million by the foundation to turn their plan to practice. The money will be paid out over eight years to coincide with W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s 100th anniversary in 2030.
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Laqueanda Reneau, a Communities United community organizer said the recognition and money shows that others believe in their work and want to support youth.
“When we shared the news with our young people, they were jumping out of their seats screaming,” Reneau said. “This is a global competition that wants to support young people and their leadership. The work that we do encourages youth voices, to say that lived experiences are important and those lived experiences are something that they can create and change if they want to.”
Bezaleia “Bezzy” Reed, 18, a youth leader at Communities United, and sister to the late Caleb Reed, an advocate for racial justice in the education system who died in 2020 from gun violence, said her brother would be surprised and excited about the grant amount awarded to the organization.
“I’m excited to see what’s to come and to be able to continue what we’re doing and to see that we’re being supported. I’m glad people love what we’re doing. Now we know that we’re capable of anything,” Reed said. With a goal of being a teacher, Reed is approaching her one-year anniversary with Communities United. “After his passing, I wanted to get more involved with Communities United because I saw a passion in Caleb and I was interested. I would describe myself as a witness to the work.”
The $10 million grant will be used to: Invest in the development of 3,000 young people as leaders in the community that will inform new strategies for Lurie Children’s and other health systems to support youth-led and community-centered healing; convene a network of community-based partners to support youth leaders and the implementation of new mental wellness strategies; document and evaluate the new model that supports community-led healing to Excellerate health outcomes in communities of color. Dr. John Walkup, chair of Lurie Children’s psychiatry department and principal investigator of the Kellogg proposal, said his hope is that the model will be disseminated to church groups, schools, and youth organizations around the world.
“That’s the dream,” he said. “Some of the first year’s work is to codify this, get it down on paper so that anybody who picks it up and wants to do it understands exactly what it is they need to do it in order to replicate the results. That’s gonna be part of the project too — fleshing it out. It’s got to turn into something that has not just a manual, but guidebooks and strategies that will allow it to be disseminated and be successful elsewhere too.”
The Healing Through Justice initiative builds on the 11-year partnership between Communities United and Lurie Children’s. The work on the Healing Through Justice partnership is a fundamental part of Lurie Children’s’ 2023-2025 Community Health Implementation Strategy. Recently, the pair collaborated on the release of “Changing the Beat of Mental Health,” a youth-led participatory action research project that identified systemic inequities and the normalization of trauma as key drivers of worsening mental health among young men of color.
“It’s youth driven, it’s about racial equity to its core,” Walkup said. “This is a group (Communities United) that’s not doing it for the purpose of this grant. They’ve been doing this stuff forever. They know how to do it. And we’re just taking it up a couple of big notches with the grant. Positive programming takes such a long time to grow. But there’s something about this idea that if you’ve had a hard time in your life and you begin to put your life together and you’re going to do something special in your own life for your family and community because of what’s happened to you, that idea gets so many different kinds of people excited.
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“The power of that idea is highly contagious. Instead of having it happen by accident, we want people to understand that you can make it happen, that you can become intentional with it and really make a difference in this world that way.”
