Dedicated To Equipping Children & Parents
Our vision is to work with each household member, focusing on their individual growth and success, contributing to a stronger, more resilient community.
Our History
Our founder, Chicago Police Officer Jennifer Maddox, established Future Ties in 2011 during her off-duty hours while working as a security officer at Parkway Gardens.
Recognizing that many young residents lacked a safe space to socialize and were often in need of structured activities, she persuaded the property management team at Parkway Gardens Apartments (Related) to grant access to a basement where she could provide after-school programming for the children.
Thanks to generous contributions from GO Campaign and Beachbody, the program has since grown to operate year-round, facilitated by the purchase of a former Walgreens building adjacent to the low-income housing complex. Jennifer Maddox envisions Future Ties reaching all 1,500 children residing in Parkway Gardens and the surrounding community and she continues to seek funding partners to fully build out the space and expand the program's impact.
Services Offered
Future Ties provides the following services:
- After-school programs for youth (Grades K-5)
- Teen workforce development (ages 16-24)
- Parent mentoring programs
- Building block clubs for residents
- Community outreach (clean and green activities, resource referrals, Playstreets)
- Case Management
- Community Events and pop-ups
After School Program
Our Work
Future Ties provides homework help and after school activities five days per week, as well as a summer camp when school is not in session.
Hundreds of kids participate in Future Ties’s programming each year, which includes field trips to places like the beach and a roller skating rink, arts and crafts, guest speakers, and movie nights. The academic mentorship that Future Ties provides helps young people achieve grades and test scores high enough to be admitted to test-in high schools around the city.
After School
Future Ties provides after-school programming five days per week for about 40 elementary school students. Adult volunteers, as well as young people from the community, serve as role models and tutors for participants.
In the after-school program, children receive homework help and participate in life skills workshops about topics like nutrition and conflict resolution. Participants have access to technology to build their computer skills with the supervision and guidance of adult mentors. Future Ties also uses Scholastic’s ReadAbout® literacy program and project-based learning to supplement what the children are learning in school.
Future Ties also recently launched an after-school program for middle and high school students that has many of the same components as the elementary school program. However, the program for older students includes preparation for college, including SAT and ACT tutoring, and job skills training. Older students will also have access to restorative justice programming, as many participants have been involved in the juvenile justice system, as well as talks on dating and domestic violence and other challenges that teenagers face.
Summer Camps
Future Ties also runs summer programming for elementary schoolers. Kids participate in a wide variety of recreational activities. Last summer, participants took field trips to places like the roller skating rink and the beach, attended sports camp, took tennis lessons, participated in activities at Parkway Gardens, and much more. Middle and high school students serve as counselors, providing positive role models for participants, and giving older children valuable job skills.
Mentorship
Future Ties offers a mentorship program for 8th-grade students at the Dulles School of Excellence, located near Parkway Gardens, as well as for high school teens referred by teachers, school administrators, or Parkway Gardens staff. Referrals are typically based on situations like truancy, poor behavior, or a desire for additional resources, support and job opportunities.
Mentors are selected through our volunteer application process and include Future Ties staff, Parkway Gardens residents, and members of Parkway Christian Church.
Each student meets with their mentor weekly, either one-on-one or in a group setting, to work on a variety of topics such as goal setting, study skills, job training, and career planning. Participants also engage in expeditionary learning field trips during weekends, holidays, and summer breaks to explore Chicago and gain new experiences.
Additionally, high school students and young adults aged 16-24 have the opportunity to secure summer employment through the One Summer Chicago program, providing valuable work experience and skill development.