Dance Marathon is Niles North’s largest student-run organization. Every year, runners, dancers, morale captains and executives come together to raise up to $85,000 for a selected charity. 

This year’s beneficiary is I Grow Chicago. Dance Marathon chose this charity due to the fantastic work that they have done to help combat the effects of the pandemic. 

 “I am inspired to take part in this charity now more than ever because these marginalized communities are being negatively affected due to the ongoing pandemic and awareness needs to be raised especially in light of recent advancements of the Black Lives Matter movement,” senior Aneeka Jain, a member of Dance Marathon’s Special Events committee, said.

I Grow Chicago serves the Englewood community on the south side of Chicago and works to address the root causes of trauma and violence to help the community go from surviving to thriving. 

They help engage the people of Englewood through providing communication connections, skill-building and opportunities. Their biggest values include: kinship, audacious hope, unity, and nonjudgement. 

The charity works to address the roots of trauma such as environmental, intergenerational, and systemic harm in order to help start the healing process. Every year they provide valuable resources and opportunities to over 3,000 individuals in Englewood. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic especially, I Grow Chicago has expanded their mission and has worked tirelessly to provide food, water and other supplies to families across the community because they firmly believe that no life is expendable. 

“I Grow Chicago has such an important mission, and this mission means a lot more during the times of Covid where many people are losing their jobs, and they need charities like I Grow Chicago to help them,” senior Ninawa Odicho, a member of both the Morale and Registration Committees at Dance Marathon, said.

“The fact that America is still racist towards black people makes me so sad and angry. Being part of a charity that helps black people grow and thrive in society can help so many people. Even though there’s a pandemic and I’m not able to go to BLM protests, I can help through I Grow Chicago,” another Dance Marathon member expressed.

Do you want help donate to I Grow Chicago? Here are a couple ways you can help contribute.

• Go to Firstgiving and click “Donate” on the right hand side of the website. 
• This link will guide you step-by-step to make a donation through Revtrak.

Why donate this year?

Senior Ninawa Odicho, a member of the Morale and Registration Committees at Dance Marathon, said it best.

“Not everyone has the same opportunities that Niles North provides, and it’s important to ensure that other communities like the Englewood community also have opportunities,” Odicho stated.

Also be sure to check out both I Grow Chicago and Dance Marathon’s website for more information.