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Your Future Real Estate Transaction Can Support Youth Rugby in Chicago

As a member of Investing In Communities®, Chicago Lions Charitable Association can receive funding as a result of any brokered real estate transaction – home sales, home purchases, or commercial leases. As more supporters use this platform, before engaging a real estate agent, Chicago Lions will be able to deliver more life-changing rugby programs for Chicago youth.

Chicago Lions Charitable Association Mission, Vision, and Accomplishments

The Chicago Lions use the sport of rugby to help transform the lives of youth on the Near West Side of Chicago.  The Lions employ a proven social and emotional learning approach to reinforce critical values of social connection, teamwork, conflict resolution, and sportsmanship.  The Lions are a comprehensive “club for life”, offering programming from ages four through adult for, and providing participants with a chance to be involved with the Lions and rugby throughout their lives.  And for those with a particular interest and aptitude for the sport, rugby is an emerging sport in the US with growing opportunities to play collegiately, professionally and internationally. 

Bringing Rugby to Under-served Chicago Youth

The Near West Side of Chicago has historically suffered from under-investment in both youth programs as well as safe, quality physical space for youth sports and recreation.  The area has higher than average levels of poverty and violence.  The Lions seek to address both issues by providing year-round youth rugby programming for boys and girls from ages 4 through high school, and by building the Lions for Hope Sports Complex, a multi-million dollar athletics and community facility in North Lawndale.  

History of Chicago Lions

The Lions were established in 1964 and have grown to become one of the largest and most successful rugby clubs in the US.  The Lions have consistently played for regional and national championships, and have produced dozens of international and professional players over their near 60 year history.  The Lions continue to be a dominant senior rugby club, but in 2011 started to expand their youth and community rugby programs, starting with establishing a boys high school team at Chicago Hope Academy, and progressing to the current comprehensive youth program and in-progress sports complex.   

Programs

The Lions Community Rugby program is a free, after-school program operating at three Chicago public middle schools on Chicago’s West Side.  The Lions use a proven Social and Emotional Learning curriculum developed by Play Rugby USA.  The program runs twice-weekly throughout the school year.  Once a month, the schools come together to play with and against each other, building connections within the community.  Many students have progressed from the Community Rugby program into the Lions Youth programs, and will be able to stay with the Lions through high school and beyond.