Chicago Lawndale AMACHI Mentoring Program

What Chicago Lawndale AMACHI Mentoring Program does

Chicago Lawndale AMACHI Mentoring Program (Chicago LAMP) is a 501(c)(3) Illinois nonprofit founded in 2007 by Dr. Betty J. Allen-Green, headquartered at 3508 W. Ogden Ave. in Chicago's North Lawndale neighborhood. The organization delivers youth mentoring and social-emotional support services to children and adolescents ages 4 to 18, with a particular focus on youth impacted by parental or family incarceration and those at risk of dropping out or re-entering the juvenile justice system. Programs include One-to-One Mentoring, Group Mentoring, Blended Mentoring, Dropout Prevention, Recidivism Reduction, Restorative Justice (peacemaking circles), Parent/Caregiver Workshops, and Enrichment & Recreation activities. Since founding, Chicago LAMP reports serving over 1,500 youth and operates through formal partnerships with 10 elementary and high schools in North Lawndale, including Chalmers School of Excellence, Collins Academy, Crown Fine Arts Academy, Gregory Elementary, Herzl School of Excellence, Dvorak School of Excellence, and Johnson School of Excellence.

The organization's delivery model is relationship-driven and in-person, with no significant proprietary technology infrastructure. Mentors are recruited from local universities (DePaul, UIC, National Louis, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology), faith-based organizations (Greater Galilee Baptist Church), and civic groups, and are matched with mentees through a formal application process that includes background checks. Program participation is supplemented by enrichment field trips (Brookfield Zoo, Six Flags, DePaul Art Museum), cultural activities, and community clean-up events. Reported outcome metrics include a 100% high school graduation rate among mentored youth, 95% average attendance, a 60% reduction in misconduct, 90% one-letter-grade improvement in math or reading, and a 35% drop in detention referrals at Chicago public schools where peacemaking circles were implemented.

Chicago LAMP is funded primarily through grants from foundations including Springboard Foundation, Steans Family Foundation, Lawyer's Lend-A-Hand, Polk Brothers, and The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust, alongside corporate donors such as J.P. Morgan Chase and government sources including the Cook County Department of Commerce, Chicago Department of Family Support Services, and the ICJIA Youth Employment Program. All youth services are provided free of charge; the organization accepts individual donations at tiered levels ($5 to $50+) and in-kind contributions to support transportation, meals, enrichment activities, parent workshops, and program operations.

Name

Chicago Lawndale AMACHI Mentoring Program

Legal name

Chicago Lawndale AMACHI Mentoring Program

Website

https://chicagolamp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Chicago Lawndale AMACHI Mentoring Program is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2007 that delivers mentoring, dropout prevention, recidivism reduction, and restorative justice services to youth ages 4-18 in Chicago's North Lawndale neighborhood through school-based and community programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Mentoring and Community Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs (EDAJALAL), Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA)

Keywords

• Youth mentoring services
• Community based mentoring
• Dropout prevention programs
• Restorative justice circles
• Recidivism reduction support

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: Chicago LAMP relies primarily on grants from foundations and government programs to operate programs including mentoring, dropout prevention, recidivism reduction, and restorative justice services.
2. Donations: The organization accepts in-kind and monetary donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to support program operations and youth services.
3. Corporate and Foundation Partnerships: Partnerships with organizations like Steans Family Foundation, Springboard Foundation, and others provide programmatic and financial support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Chicago Lawndale AMACHI Mentoring Program (Chicago LAMP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, community-based mentoring and youth development services to children and youth ages 4-18 in Chicago's North Lawndale neighborhood. Its core offerings include one-to-one mentoring, group mentoring, a blended mentoring model, a dropout prevention program, a recidivism reduction program for juvenile justice-involved youth, restorative justice peacemaking circles, parent/caregiver workshops, and cultural enrichment activities. The organization is modeled after the National AMACHI Program, originally serving children impacted by parental incarceration and expanded in 2009 to all North Lawndale youth.

Product overview

Chicago Lawndale AMACHI Mentoring Program (LAMP) operates as a single unified nonprofit offering centered on youth mentoring services. The core programs include One-to-One Mentoring, Group Mentoring, and Blended Mentoring, which combines multiple approaches. These are supported by specialized programs including Dropout Prevention, Recidivism Reduction, Restorative Justice, and Parent/Caregiver Workshops. The organization also provides Enrichment & Recreation activities. All programs aim to serve youth ages 4 to 18 in North Lawndale, with a focus on children impacted by incarceration and those at risk of dropping out.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• One-to-One Mentoring
• Group Mentoring
• Blended Mentoring
• Dropout Prevention Program
• Recidivism Reduction Program
• Restorative Justice
• Parent/Caregiver Workshops
• Enrichment & Recreation

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% graduate from high school and enroll in college
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Chicago Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary school partners include Chalmers School of Excellence, Collins Academy, Crown Fine Arts Academy, Gregory Elementary School, Herzl School of Excellence, Dvorak School of Excellence, and Johnson School of Excellence. School counselors and administrators identify children to participate in programs.
• Sinai InstitutesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner providing support services to youth and families.
• Greater Galilee Baptist ChurchsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFaith-based partner contributing to mentor recruitment from the local community.
• DePaul UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner contributing student mentors and volunteer support to the mentoring program.
• University of Illinois - ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner providing student mentors and volunteer engagement.
• National Louis UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner contributing mentors through programs like Alexis Strong's initial involvement as a mentor.
• The Chicago School of Professional PsychologysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner providing professional psychology student volunteers and support.
• GoodCitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivic organization partner supporting youth and community programs.
• Chicago Department of Family Support ServicessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner providing family support services and referrals.
• Lawndale Christian Development CorporationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal CDC partner supporting community development and youth services.
• Better Boys FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth development organization partner in the community.
• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority IncorporatedsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSorority partner providing volunteer support and community engagement.
• GadsHill CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization partner serving North Lawndale.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bright Star Community Outreach: Chicago nonprofit serving youth through mentoring, tutoring, and family support services on the South Side. Comparable model blending one-to-one mentoring, tutoring, and enrichment activities for at-risk urban youth.
• After School Matters: Chicago nonprofit providing out-of-school programming, apprenticeships, and enrichment for teens. Comparable target demographic (Chicago teens) and program mix (enrichment + skill-building), though focused on older youth.
• Youth Guidance: Chicago-based nonprofit providing school-based mentoring and youth development programs (e.g., Becoming a Man, Working on Womanhood). Directly comparable in-school mentoring model and at-risk youth focus in Chicago.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago: Largest one-to-one youth mentoring nonprofit in the Chicago area, matching adult volunteer mentors with youth. Directly comparable delivery model and target population (at-risk youth in Chicago neighborhoods).
• Chicago Youth Programs: Long-running Chicago nonprofit providing mentoring, tutoring, and cultural enrichment to underserved youth. Comparable youth development mission and program mix in a Chicago community setting.
• UCAN (Uhlich Children's Advantage Network): Chicago-based youth services agency offering counseling, mentoring, and restorative justice programs for at-risk and justice-involved youth. Comparable in serving justice-involved youth and operating BARJ-style restorative justice programming.
• Better Boys Foundation: Listed Chicago LAMP partner and a North Lawndale-area youth development organization offering mentoring, sports, and enrichment. Comparable community-based youth programming model in the same geography.

Broad incumbents

• Metropolitan Family Services: Large Chicago-area social services agency offering youth mentoring, counseling, and family support. Comparable in youth mentoring and family support services but operates a much broader portfolio.
• National AMACHI Program (Public/Private Ventures / Amachi Expansion): The national umbrella mentoring program on which Chicago LAMP is modeled. Comparable in mission (children of incarcerated parents) but operates at national scale across 250+ cities, making it a broader incumbent in the same program family.

Emerging players

• MetroSquash: Chicago nonprofit combining academic tutoring, mentoring, and enrichment for underserved youth. Comparable in combining mentoring with tutoring and enrichment activities, though with a more specialized squash/sports focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ChicagoLAMP
• Facebookfacebook.com/471711769613738
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chicago-lawndale-amachi-mentoring-program

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Chicago Lawndale AMACHI Mentoring Program