City of Chicago: $8 million; T/MC: $50,000

Here's a link to a press release on the City of Chicago web site showing the Mayor Announcing an $8 million donation by the Wallace Foundation For Citywide Support System for Teen Out-of-School-Time Programs Three Year Grant Will Connect Teens to Programs, Provide On-Line Access. There is no date on this but I believe it was two to three years ago.

Here's the site which was built with that money.

Here's the link to the Interactive Chicago Tutor/Mentor Program Locator which was first launched in 2004. The interactive mapping capacity was built over the past year. We've spent about $50,000 on this since 2004.

The city service provides information on a wider range of youth programs, while the T/MC focuses on volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs. With the city version you can enter a zip code and find programs in that zip code. With the T/MC version you can zoom in and out of the map to not only find tutor/mentor programs in areas as small as a few blocks, based on type of program, and age group served, but you can also see assets such as banks, hospitals, universities, faith groups, etc. who could be helping to mobilize volunteers and donors to support the growth of tutor/mentor programs in different parts of the city.

With the T/MC version you can also create poverty overlays, and school overlays, indicating where tutor/mentor programs are most needed in the city. With this tool, the Mayor, or any leader, can mobilize and point resources to all of the neighborhoods where kids need help, providing the aid and reinforcements that each program needs to provide effective services to youth.

If it was worth $8 million for the city program locator, can a few donors dig in their pockets to provide $50,000 a year to support the Tutor/Mentor Program Locator?