TBCC Q2 FY26 Impact Newsletter: Stay L.I.T. Edition (October–December 2025)
- truebelieversoutre
- Feb 17
- 4 min read
We closed out 2025 the only way True Believers Community Connections knows how, showing up, staying consistent, and building infrastructure that lasts.
From October through December, we served 1,294 young people across Chicago's South Side through our StayL.I.T. (Living in Truth) , TBCC Blueprint Model. That brings our FY26 total to 2,608 youth served so far. And we're just getting started.
This isn't about pop-up programming or quick fixes. This is about permanent systems, permanent presence, and permanent investment in the Big 7 neighborhoods we call home: Ashburn, Auburn Gresham, Chatham, East Englewood, West Englewood, Greater Grand Crossing, and Washington Heights.
Here's what Q2 looked like on the ground.
The Pivot to Action Continues
We're not just talking about change, we're engineering it. Our Pivot to Action strategy is all about moving from assessment to real-world capacity building, from vision to tangible results.
In Q2, that meant:
Expanding workforce pathways through our Earn-While-You-Learn model
Launching new mentorship circles in East Englewood and Greater Grand Crossing
Delivering wraparound family support services that address immediate needs while building long-term stability
Strengthening our CARF-Accredited programming to ensure every dollar, every hour, and every relationship is backed by gold-standard accountability
We kept our 85% program completion rate intact, because when young people know you're serious, they show up serious too.
October–December by the Numbers
Here's what infrastructure-building looks like in real time:
Youth & Family Engagement:
1,294 youth served across the Big 7
47 new mentorship matches launched
18 workforce training cohorts completed
126 family stabilization touchpoints (emergency aid, resource navigation, case management)
Community Events & Distribution:
3 major resource fairs (winter clothing, holiday meals, back-to-school essentials for spring semester prep)
8 community committee meetings (Youth Committee + Community Circle partnerships)
12 Parenting Support Group sessions
1 holiday giveaway serving 200+ families
Systems Building:
Completed Q2 walkability and safety audits in East Englewood and Washington Heights
Onboarded 14 new community partners
Delivered 6 training sessions for staff and volunteers on trauma-informed care and youth development best practices
We don't do one-time feel-good moments. We build repeatable, scalable, community-owned infrastructure.
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The Big 7: Neighborhood Highlights
Every neighborhood has its own story, its own strengths, and its own gaps we're working to close. Here's a snapshot of what went down across the Big 7 in Q2:
Ashburn: Launched a new after-school credentialing pathway in partnership with local high schools. 22 students enrolled; 19 completed their first module.
Auburn Gresham: Expanded our re-entry support services with 11 young adults accessing job placement, mentorship, and legal aid navigation.
Chatham: Hosted our largest Parenting Support Group cohort yet, 34 parents committed to 8 weeks of peer learning and resource-building.
East Englewood: Completed youth-led walkability audits that informed new safe-route recommendations for school commutes. Data delivered to aldermanic offices and CPS.
West Englewood: Delivered emergency winter aid to 47 families and connected 18 youth to paid training opportunities through our workforce partners.
Greater Grand Crossing: Strengthened our mentorship infrastructure with new volunteer training and matching protocols. 12 new mentor relationships launched.
Washington Heights: Wrapped the year with a holiday giveaway serving 200+ families, coats, boots, toys, food boxes, and connection to long-term supports.
This is what permanent presence looks like. We're not visiting, we're staying.
Holiday Season = Systems Season
A lot of organizations treat the holidays like charity season. We treat it like capacity-building season.
Yes, we distributed coats, boots, diapers, and holiday meals. But we also used every interaction as an on-ramp to long-term support. Families who came for a coat left with:
A mentor contact
A workforce training flyer
A Parenting Support Group invite
Access to our case management team
Because hope isn't a handout. Hope is an infrastructure.
Looking Ahead: Q3 & Beyond
We're entering 2026 with momentum and clarity. Here's what's on deck for the next quarter:
January–March: Full rollout of spring workforce cohorts, with a focus on tech pathways and healthcare credentialing
Mentorship expansion: Adding 30+ new mentor matches across the Big 7
Community listening sessions: Hosting town halls in each neighborhood to co-design our next phase of infrastructure
CARF re-accreditation prep: Strengthening our documentation, evaluation, and outcomes tracking to maintain gold-standard status
And we're gearing up for something bigger: a major Legacy & Leadership campaign launching this summer. More details coming soon, but this is about cementing TBCC as the permanent anchor Chicago's South Side deserves.
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Why This Work Matters
We're not here to run programs. We're here to build the infrastructure that makes opportunity inevitable for young people who've been told they're expendable.
That's what StayL.I.T. means. That's what the Pivot to Action means. That's what CARF Accreditation means: it's proof that we're not just passionate, we're accountable, measurable, and built to last.
When you invest in TBCC, you're not funding a feel-good story. You're funding systems that outlive any single initiative, any single leader, any single budget cycle.
You're funding the kind of infrastructure that changes trajectories, not just days.
Get Involved
We can't do this work without you. Here's how to stay connected and stay engaged:
Donate: Every dollar goes directly into youth development, family stabilization, and workforce infrastructure. Support us here.
Volunteer: We need mentors, event support, and skilled professionals willing to share their time and expertise. Learn more about volunteering.
Attend: Mark your calendars for our upcoming Legacy & Leadership event this July. This is where vision meets investment: and you'll want to be in the room.
Follow: Stay connected on social media for weekly updates, youth spotlights, and behind-the-scenes stories from the Big 7. Use #StayLIT to join the conversation.
Final Word
2025 is behind us. 2026 is here. And we're not slowing down.
We served 2,608 young people in the first half of FY26. We're aiming for 5,000+ by June. Not because we're chasing numbers: but because every single one of those young people deserves infrastructure, investment, and a community that refuses to give up on them.
That's the True Believers difference. That's the South Side standard.
Let's build.
Dr. Carol Y. Collum Founder & Chief Systems Architect Midwest-Regional Standard Bearer
True Believers Community Connections | 459 W. 79th Street, Chicago, IL 60620 | (773) 966-5651 | info@truebelieverscc.org | www.truebelieverscc.org
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