Beyond the Ball NFP

Project Play claims underutilized space in Little Village by providing recreational activities for kids and their parents. Every Tuesday and Thursday last summer, hundreds of people gathered at 31st and Lawndale to play basketball, badminton, kickball, and wiffleball, and much more. Ropes were jumped, hula hoops revolved and faces were painted. Individuals and families forged a stronger community through shared activity.

The community impact of Project Play has been quite noticeable. A space once dominated by gangs is now controlled by families--the space has been reclaimed for positive use. Though surrounding areas are still tagged by gangs, the graffiti no longer exists in the portions used by Project Play. There is a tangible difference between space that once was gang-controlled and now belongs to the community.The idea for Project Play came from our Bitty Ball picnics, the first of which drew over 1,000 residents who enjoyed a day of food and fun. The open field at 31st and Lawndale provides the perfect place for Project Play. It has long been a hot area for gang conflicts, but Project play will be a part of reclaiming the space for healthy, family use.

Project Play was also honored by Beyond sport as the Most Corageous use of Sport(http://www.beyondsportworld.org/member/discussion/index.php?Id=1150) in a worldwide competition.

Beyond the Ball recognizes that girls and young women are often left to sit on the sidelines, while the young men get attention through sports. Girls are not only a part of all of our programs, we have a specific program just for them.

Beyond the Ball Girls targets the young women of our neighborhood through a variety of projects and experience trips. Many are part of helping Beyond the Ball run programming such as Project Play.

B-Ball on the block (ages 8-19)
Beyond the Ball has partnered with Ceasefire, Enlace Chicago, La Villita Community Church, and YMCA Street Intervention to produce B-Ball on the Block every summer since 2006. B-Ball on the Block is a program designed to bring people out of their homes and into the streets to enjoy food and healthy activities together. Each week of the summer, a different block in Little Village or North Lawndale is closed off to make way for grills, arts & crafts tables, two basketball courts, a dee-jay, and many other activities.

B-Ball on the Block exists to help people cross boundaries. Adults and kids; Blacks, Whites, and Latinos; members of rival gang territories--each can come out and see how much they actually have in common. Creating a common trust and eliminating fear of the unknown has been a great product of B-Ball on the Block. B-Ball on the Block is sponsored by LISC/Chicago.

B-Ball on the block basketball
Beyond the Ball coordinates the basketball portion of B-Ball on the Block. We organize the teams, distribute jerseys, and provide referees for the summer-long league and final tournament. B-ball on the Block also allows an opportunity for youth involved in Beyond the Ball to expand their abilities. Many of our older participants help coach younger teams, referee games, and keep score.

Aside from the local tournament in Little Village and North Lawndale, Beyond the Ball coordinates the Citywide Finals. Programs similar to B-Ball on the block hold tournaments in neighborhoods scattered throughout Chicago, and a Citywide Champion is crowned when those local champions collide at the end of the summer

On Saturday, April 24, 2010, neighborhood residents and volunteers gathered at Ortiz Elementary school at 31st and Lawndale in Little Village. Coinciding with Global Youth Service Day, Beyond the Ball created "Our Little Village", as an effort to jumpstart local residents taking ownership of their neighborhood.

Over 400 people turned out to paint, clean, remove graffiti and beautify Little Village. The crowd was divided into groups to accomplish as much as possible in a four hour time period. Some groups were dispersed to local "Pocket Parks" to plant and garden. Others built new planters, designed as part of an architecture contest, to create beauty in formerly empty lots.

The day provided a great boost to areas around local schools and parks, and the hope is that residents continue to effort around their homes, not just for one day, but on an ongoing basis. Reclaiming our space is a large part of Beyond the Ball's philosophy, and we hope to continue encouraging neighborhood residents to take ownership of their neighborhood.

Many groups helped with our efforts, and we are grateful for their support. City Year, Comcast, Enlace Chicago, New Life Community Church, and Sherwin Williams all helped get Our Little Village going.

Ortiz Elementary School, the primary site for our Bitty Ball program, had its entire interior repainted, and much of the graffiti was eliminated from its outer walls. The adjacent park space was cleaned up and trash was removed. It was a great cooperative effort. Thanks to everyone who came out to support Beyond the Ball and Our Little Village.

This is not a one day effort, though. It is just the one part of a concerted effort to use public spaces for the betterment of our community. Look for more of our programming this summer taking over public spaces for the good of all the people. Project Play will take place every Tuesday and Thursday at 31st and Lawndale and B-Ball on the Block will take over a new block every Friday throughout he summer months.