Gary Comer Youth Center

What Gary Comer Youth Center does

Gary Comer Youth Center (GCYC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2006 in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, operating as the anchor program of the Comer Education Campus. Founded by Gary Comer — the late founder of Lands' End — and stewarded by his son Guy B. Comer and Board Chair Greg Mooney, the organization delivers free youth development services to approximately 2,000 youth annually drawn from 72 Chicago area schools. Programs span after-school academic enrichment, college preparation, career exploration, STEM and environmental science education, visual and performing arts (including sound studio, broadcast newsroom, dance, and visual arts spaces), summer and school-year internship/job placement, and health services delivered through a co-located Access Community Health Network clinic.

The physical platform is a purpose-built, 80,000 square foot facility designed by John Ronan Architect and augmented by a 1.75–2 acre Youth Education Garden along the S. South Chicago industrial corridor. Facility capabilities include computer and technology labs (with 3D printer), sound and recording studios, a broadcast newsroom, dance studios, a two-story visual arts space, an 8,000 square foot rooftop garden, a 600-seat auditorium, gymnasium, and recreation spaces. The campus is multi-tenant: GCYC shares the site with Gary Comer College Prep (a Noble Network charter high school, opened 2008), Gary Comer Middle School (opened 2011), the Chicago Public Library 5th Ward Branch (the first library branch in Grand Crossing, opened 2011), UtmostU (college success initiative, launched 2015), and Xchange Chicago (tech-career pathways program).

The business model is donation-and-grant funded; no fees are charged to youth members. Revenue streams comprise individual donations (online, in-kind, and check), foundation and corporate grants (Comer Science & Education Foundation as primary anchor, plus Best Buy Foundation, Builders Initiative, Chicago Community Trust, The Lumpkin Family Foundation, Nike Social & Community Impact Fund, and Rossotti Family Foundation), and government funding (City of Chicago Department of Family & Support Services, Chicago Department of Public Health, Illinois Department of Human Services, and TRIO programs). Tracked impact outcomes include 95% positive academic attitudes among youth members, alumni earning college degrees at three times the national rate, more than 500 youth placed in internships and jobs annually, and 1,000+ Green Teens program completers since inception.

Name

Gary Comer Youth Center

Legal name

Gary Comer Youth Center, Inc.

Website

https://comereducationcampus.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Gary Comer Youth Center is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free after-school, college-prep, STEM, arts, and career-readiness programming to approximately 2,000 youth annually in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood as the anchor of the multi-tenant Comer Education Campus ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth-to-Adult Bridge & College Readiness (Noncredit) (EDAAAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD), STEM & Coding Learning Centers (Robotics, Programming, Engineering) (EDANAHAF), College & Career Exploration Camps (Pre-College Samplers, Pathways) (EDAMALAN)

Keywords

• Youth development services
• After-school programs
• College preparation programs
• Career exploration programs
• STEM arts education

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible contributions from individuals supporting youth programs. The center accepts online donations, in-kind donations (school supplies, dormitory supplies, sports equipment, technology equipment, garden supplies, office supplies, culinary supplies), and check donations.
2. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Funding from various foundations including Comer Science & Education Foundation, Best Buy Foundation, Builders Initiative, Chicago Community Trust, The Lumpkin Family Foundation, Nike Social & Community Impact Fund, Rossotti Family Foundation, and others.
3. Government Funding: Support from City of Chicago Department of Family & Support Services, Chicago Department of Public Health, Illinois Department of Human Services, TRIO programs.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Gary Comer Youth Center provides free after-school, summer, and college- and career-readiness programming to youth in Chicago's Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood. Its core offerings include academic enrichment, college preparation, career exploration, STEM education, arts and creative programs, summer internships, and agricultural learning through the Youth Education Garden, all delivered on-site at the Comer Education Campus.

Product overview

Gary Comer Youth Center operates as a nonprofit youth development organization within the Comer Education Campus. The ecosystem includes the core Gary Comer Youth Center (after-school programming and career exploration), Gary Comer College Prep (charter high school), UtmostU (college success initiative), and Xchange Chicago (career pathways program). The Youth Education Garden supports agricultural learning. These programs work together to provide holistic youth support from academics through career readiness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gary Comer Youth Center (GCYC) Core Programs Free after-school, summer, and college- and career-readiness programs for K-12 youth and young adults in Chicago's Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood, including academic enrichment, career exploration, STEM learning, arts education, and paid internship placement, delivered on-site at the 80,000 square foot youth center facility.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves 2,000 youth annually from 72 Chicago area schools
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Access Community Health NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates a medical clinic at the Comer Education Campus, providing health services to youth and the community since 2011.
• Noble Network of Charter SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates Gary Comer College Prep, a Noble Street Charter School located adjacent to the youth center. Opened in 2008 with first freshman class.
• After School MattersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner providing after-school and summer enrichment opportunities for youth.
• Xchange ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCampus partner creating equitable economic opportunities through tech training, real-world experience, and pathways to high-growth careers for local talent.
• UtmostUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCampus partner supporting successful degree attainment and career preparation for young adults. Launched comprehensive college support initiative in 2015.
• DePaul UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner providing programming and educational opportunities for youth center members.
• Second CitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides improvisational theater and comedy programming for youth creative development.
• Guitars Over GunsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic education program partner providing guitar instruction and mentorship for youth.
• Chicago Public Library - 5th Ward BranchmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLibrary branch opened at the campus in 2011 as the first branch in the Grand Crossing neighborhood.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Year Up: National nonprofit providing workforce training, internships, and college pathways for young adults from underserved communities. Comparable in the career-pathway and talent-to-employer pipeline component (overlaps with Xchange Chicago).
• i.c.stars: Chicago-based nonprofit providing technology workforce training and job placement for young adults from low-income communities. Directly comparable in the tech-training and career-pathway focus that overlaps with Xchange Chicago.

Direct peers

• After School Matters: Chicago-based nonprofit offering after-school and summer apprenticeship programs in arts, technology, sports, and communication for Chicago teens. Closely comparable in mission, geography, and program mix (currently a partner of GCYC for programming delivery).
• Communities In Schools of Chicago: Chicago affiliate of Communities In Schools providing integrated student supports (academic, social-emotional, college/career) inside public schools. Comparable in wraparound youth-support model for underserved Chicago students.
• Noble Network of Charter Schools: Chicago charter school network that operates Gary Comer College Prep on the GCYC campus. Directly comparable in serving the same youth demographic with college-prep charter model; partnership co-locates both organizations.
• KIPP Chicago Schools: Chicago charter school network serving predominantly low-income students on the city's South and West sides with a college-prep focus. Comparable in mission (college access for underserved youth), grant/funder base, and outcomes orientation.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago: Chicago affiliate of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, providing after-school programming, academic enrichment, and career exploration for youth in underserved neighborhoods. Directly comparable in target population, free programming model, and grant/donation funding base.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago: Regional YMCA operating branches across Chicago providing youth development, after-school care, STEM, swim, and arts programs. Comparable in mission and target demographic; operates at a broader scale with multiple facilities rather than a single anchor campus.
• Big Shoulders Fund: Chicago-based nonprofit supporting Catholic schools serving low-income students through scholarships, programs, and infrastructure. Comparable in serving Chicago's underserved youth with a donor/grant-funded model and a focus on college readiness.

Regional players

• Chicago Children's Center for Behavioral Health: Heartland Alliance's Chicago Children's Center provides integrated youth services including behavioral health, education support, and wraparound services for underserved Chicago youth. Comparable in providing holistic youth-development and educational support services in the same metro.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ComerCenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/garycomeryouthcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/comer-education-campus
• Instagraminstagram.com/garycomeryouthcenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Gary Comer Youth Center