Center of Hope Food Pantry
On March 8, 2025, Justice Victim Advocate Andre Davis and Impact Outreach Worker Kellen Brown (E&E) participated in the Center of Hope Food Pantry, located at the Center of Hope Church, 1109 North Fourth Street, Champaign. Once a month the church holds the food pantry, which feeds 65 families in the surrounding community. Elder Cameron […]
FACE-LIFT’s 1st Annual Youth Leadership Symposium
On Friday, November 22, 2024 staff from Equity and Engagement Department, as well as Chief Tyler of the Champaign Police attended FACE-LIFT’s 1st Annual Youth Leadership Symposium. This event was hosted by LIFT (Leading Individuals and Families to Transformation) Champaign which is the result of an innovative partnership between the Champaign Unit 4 School District […]
Neighborhood Canvassing Building Trust
On November 15,2024, staff from the Equity and Engagement and Neighborhood Services Departments conducted a neighborhood canvass in the area surrounding the 300 Block of Nelson Court. The neighborhood canvass was a proactive step to engage directly with those who may have been impacted by gun violence in the area. By distributing flyers and initiating […]
National Gun Violence Awareness Day
National Gun Violence Awareness Day falls on the first Friday of June. Friday, June 7, 2024, marks the 10th anniversary of this awareness day. Following the death of Hadiya Pendleton in 2013, her friends wanted to commemorate her life by wearing orange, the color hunters wear in the woods to protect themselves and others. Over […]
Period Product Drive
Throughout the month of April, the City of Champaign partnered with a club at Academy High to hold a period product drive. This is the second annual donation drive and it was a huge success! With drop boxes at 7 locations across the Champaign area, as well as an online shop, the club received donations […]
The Beat
The City is thrilled to announce the launch of the downtown entertainment district’s official logo “The Beat.” Unveiled at a Council study session on May 7, 2024, the Beat encompasses all of the downtown entertainment district. Boasting a wide variety of entertainers and programs for the community to enjoy, The Beat will allow community members […]
The Chancellor’s Call to Action to Address Racism & Social Injustice
On April 5, 2024, Community Relations Manager, Janel Gomez, attended a symposium for the Chancellor’s Call to Action to Address Racism & Social Injustice. In 2020, Chancellor Robert J. Jones announced a $2 million annual commitment to support research that examines racism and social injustice. Over two dozen projects have been sponsored by this year’s […]
E&E Intern Wrap-Up
The Equity and Engagement Department was excited to host 4 interns this semester through the U of I’s School of Social Work, Community Learning Lab (CLL). The CLL creates and supports relationships between the community and the students at the University of Illinois in a partnership that is mutually beneficial in the areas of sustainability, […]
8th annual Turkey Giveaway
On November 22, 2023, staff from the Equity and Engagement Department participated in the 8th annual Turkey Giveaway, hosted by A Plus & Dixon Stars. Staff helped distribute 500 turkeys to individuals and families in need for the Thanksgiving Holiday.