Office of Faith Based Initiatives (OFBI)

The Office of Faith Based Initiatives (OFBI), is committed and dedicated to bridging the gaps between Chicago Public Schools and the faith based communities of Chicago.

Our mission is to establish effective partnerships with faith based institutions city-wide. We understand the role of faith based leaders as valuable resources, and know that these partnerships actively engage the community and contributes towards the success of our students and schools. OFBI has several programmatic branches: Safe Haven (more details below), Crisis Training, The Church Adopt-a-School, and Capacity Building Training.

Safe Haven

The Safe Haven program is housed in the Office of Faith Based Initiatives of Chicago Public Schools and provides a “safe haven” for CPS students that is a reliable and no cost alternative place for students and parents during critical high violence periods in the city. The mission of Safe Haven to eradicate bullying and instill practices to combat youth violence and to engage students in workshops that focus on positive conflict resolutions, anger management, anti-bullying, and anti-violence.

Safe Haven is a partnership between CPS and the Faith Community. There are currently over 300 established partners. The program runs in 3 cycles: Afterschool (November - May); Spring Break (March/April); Summer Break (July-August). The program serves over 12,000 students annually.

Safe Haven Sites

Crisis Support

One of the many functions of the Children First Fund is to assist with funeral arrangements for an untimely death of an active CPS student. This operation is housed in the Office of Faith Based Initiatives (OFBI), and the Office of Family and Community Engagement (FACE). Once a crisis alert is issued from the Crisis Response Team, an OFBI Field Coordinator is assigned to contact the family, express condolences, and work with the family and funeral home to assist with financial support.

Qualified families are offered up to a $1500 stipend to assist with funeral cost. All active CPS students are eligible for this fund, including charter, contract, and alternative schools. Inactive students or recent high school graduates are not eligible for the fund.

Adopt-A-School

OFBI values this special partnership that expands community participation and involvement in the development of educational support for Chicago’s students in areas of truancy remediation, social service support and family literacy.

Churches are required to “Adopt-A-School” to make ensure a collaborative effort is established between the community and school to address the challenges that our students and families face in an effort to help them realize their full potential.