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 contribute towards the success of our students and schools. OFBI has several programmatic branches:
- Safe Haven
- Adopt-a-School
- Crisis Support
For additional information, please call The Office of Faith-Based Initiatives at 773-553-2500 or email faithbased@cps.edu.
Safe Haven Programs
CPS partners with faith-based and nonprofit organizations to host the Safe Haven program to provide all CPS students with additional learning time outside regular school hours. Safe Haven after-school programming engages students in academic and recreational activities that fosters the development of peer and mentor relationships to help students stay on track at school.
- Safe Haven operates in three cycles over the course of the year:
- After school: October - May
- Spring break: March or April (One week)
- Summer break: July - August
Safe Haven sites across the city offer reliable and no-cost out-of-school time programming for all CPS students during critical high violence periods. Safe Haven sites serve as contingency sites for unexpected interruptions in a school day(s). Healthy meals will be provided at all locations. Hours of operation may vary by site.
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 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.
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.