College mentor returns to Roseland 'to give out hope'

Chicago Tribune ^ | March 11, 2014 | Lolly Bowean

[Cincinatus' Wife]

".....This week while on spring break, [Cory] Hardiman brought 14 of his college classmates back to Roseland to hit the streets performing community service. The men passed out groceries at a food pantry, visited local elementary schools and churches and walked the streets sharing their personal stories of overcoming defeats in order to make it to college.

They also collected the information of young high school students who they plan to call weekly, connect with on Facebook and social media to encourage them to get their diplomas and go away to college. But mostly the men want to inspire the young boys in Hardiman’s rough neighborhood to do better.

The students’ visit comes just as President Barack Obama has implored black men to become more involved with helping young boys of color make it to the middle class and avoid becoming dire statistics.

“We are calling ourselves ‘hope dealers’,” Hardiman said. “It takes standing up and being bold if you want to change a community. Here, we have young black males who never see educated black men with their sleeves rolled up taking action. They never see us serve. We are here now to give out hope and it’s all for free.”

Hardiman planned the trip on his own after being inspired by a similar project in Philadelphia, he said. He rallied on his campus to get his fellow students to trade their break to come home with him. Then he raised enough money to pay for their bus rides. He convinced a local church to house them in dorm-style rooms that normally serve as a homeless shelter and give them transportation for the week...."

[Red Badger]

So, they kicked out the homeless people while hope dealing?................

[pieceofthepuzzle]

Know this neighborhood very well. Tragic in many ways. I applaud any effort to put it back on track. Obama was a community organizer close to this neighborhood (in Altgeld Gardens) and to me it clearly doesn't appear that it has made much of an impact that he is President.

No child should have to worry about being shot walking home from school. That is a fear in this neighborhood.

[AppyPappy]

There is a LOT of money backing this project. They need dog-and-pony shows like this to keep the funds coming. Escalades and Rolexes don’t come cheap.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-college-mentor-returns-with-14-colleagues-to-offer-hope-to-roseland-community-20140311,0,4340261,full.story

He seems earnest and motivated, qualities he apparently always has had.

[ScottinVA]

Hope for.... what?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Hope for.... what?

That there is a world and a life different from generational hopelessness and personal destruction.

Read it.