networking?

[Dan Bassill]

Lars,

You asked,  "how is it all synthesized effectively - from gis/arcview to ventana systems - all pretty specialized software!  are each of these contributing corporations recruiting interns from your youth clientele?"

We've built this from scratch, starting in 1993.  The GIS software is donated from ESRI, while interns from Northern Illinois University first installed it on computers donated by IBM in 1996.  Since then we've had a combination of part time staff/volunteers maintaining this. The Ventana link is a volunteer who uses this in his own consulting business.

You also suggested that we've a more unified city and that you'd not have this advantage in Washington in duplicating our template. You wrote, "its a struggle to get the corporations around here to invest at a significant, concerted level in projects that don't receive some kind of national attention."  You continued, "it's almost like, in chicago people will invest for chicago's sake".

Cabrini Connections and the T/MC were not launched as a "city initiative" but by a few volunteers who saw a void and decided to fill it. I was one of those volunteers back in 1992.  We had no money, no political connections, and no foundation or corporate funding connections. We raised $49,000 in 1993 and a bit more each year.  As we built each piece of the T/MC  and our own Kids' Connection Tutor/Mentor Program (see http://chicagotribune.com/link/cabriniconnections) we attracted more attention, and were able to raise more dollars.

We've not had the benefit of anything more than determination, commitment, creativity, and luck in getting to the point where we are now...and we're still without any major benefactors who are guaranteeing that we'll be in business six months from now.

Yet, from this small group we've been reaching out to the city, and the country, with a message just like you and may others are trying to form.  We can help at-risk kids, but we can't do it alone and we can't do it without a continuous flow of dollars, volunteers, visibility, media, and a long list of other resources.

The events we show on our web site were created to bring programs together, and to draw media and supporters to programs at the same time.  Volunteers helped us build these events, and they still do.  Each year as we repeat them we attract more and more programs, sponsors and media coverage.  With the internet and desk top publishing a few people can have a powerful voice, in Chicago, in DC, or in any other community.

If I got up each morning and looked at all the reasons I could fail, I'd go back to bed.  I get up looking for ways to succeed. They are there.

Good luck to you,

Dan Bassill
Cabrini Connections
Tutor/Mentor Connection
www.tutormentorconnection.org