Building A Stronger Chicago: How buildOn Students Lead Through Service Learning

In Chicago’s South and West Sides, areas that face a myriad of challenges, from income inequality to food insecurity and environmental racism, buildOn students are creating positive change through service and leadership. For two decades, buildOn in Chicago has given high school students the ability to address critical issues facing their communities head-on, developing a new generation of leaders committed to igniting a more equitable future.

A Legacy of Impact in Chicago

Since we started our work in Chicago in 2005, buildOn has established impactful partnerships with Chicago Public Schools, creating transformative service learning programs that have engaged thousands of students across the city. Working in neighborhoods where resources are often scarce, buildOn has created a powerful movement of young people dedicated to uplifting their communities.

“I think it’s up to us, the community and people who have more power, to help people get back on their feet,” shares Ciara, a buildOn student at Curie Metro High School. “I think people should take more action in their communities because it not only helps other people, it helps the environment and gives us a chance to come together and do something to help others.”

Through weekly service projects and leadership development, buildOn students in Chicago have contributed more than 500,000 hours of service, addressing pressing issues including:

• Food insecurity and hunger relief
• Environmental justice
• Elder care and intergenerational connections
• Tutoring younger students
• Community beautification and safety

Addressing Food Insecurity Through Service

Food insecurity remains one of Chicago’s most pressing challenges, particularly in the underserved neighborhoods where buildOn operates. According to the Chicago Food Bank, 1 in 5 households and 1 in 4 families with children in the Chicago area are food insecure, with the crisis disproportionately affecting people of color. 

Recognizing this need, buildOn students  in Chicago have developed innovative service initiatives to combat hunger, like helping to stock Love Fridges with healthy food and handing out food packages directly to the people who need them most.

This past summer, students headed downtown to pass out food to new migrants to the city. “Making sure they have food was just one way to show we care and really embody the spirit of a welcoming city,” explains buildOn Engagement Specialist Ahnika Franklin. “The looks of gratitude on the faces of the people who received the food from our students was priceless and the whole reason we did the service. It’s about letting people facing insecurity know that people care for them, and they are not discarded or forgotten.” 

“It’s up to us, the community and people who have more power, to help people get back on their feet.” — Ciara, buildOn Student in Chicago

Tackling Environmental Racism

Chicago’s history of environmental injustice disproportionately affects the same communities where buildOn students live and learn. Through targeted service initiatives, buildOn students in Chicago are addressing these environmental challenges:

These service projects not only improve environmental conditions but also help students learn that they can affect meaningful change in their communities.

Building Leadership Through Service Learning

At the core of our approach is the belief that service learning develops essential leadership skills. The program’s structured methodology helps students identify community needs, develop action plans, implement service projects, and reflect on their impact—creating a continuous cycle of growth and community improvement.

Othello Herbert, a buildOn in Chicago alum (who now works at buildOn!), reflects on this transformative journey: “Public service showed me the power of diplomacy not just between nations but between individuals. It taught me that understanding and empathy are the cornerstones of building bridges.” He credits buildOn with setting him on the path he is on in life.

The Road Ahead

As buildOn continues to grow in Chicago, we’re committed to our core mission of uniting people through service and education while adapting to meet evolving community needs. buildOn in Chicago demonstrates that when young people are given the tools, support, and opportunity to lead, they create powerful change right in their own backyards.

We’re building community. We’re building leaders. We’re building hope. We’re building a stronger Chicago.

Want to help support our programs and build the next generation of leaders in Chicago? Consider making a tax-deductible donation to buildOn today.