The Bloc Chicago
The Bloc Chicago is a nonprofit founded in 2016 on Chicago's West Side that delivers free boxing, mentoring, academic support, and food pantry services to roughly 100 youth, supplemented by BlocFit adult fitness, $40 personal training, and corporate event revenue.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Bloc Chicago does
The Bloc Chicago is a nonprofit youth development organization founded in 2016 and headquartered on Chicago's West Side. It delivers free programming to approximately 100 youth, combining boxing instruction, mentoring, academic support, and broader community services including a food pantry launched in June 2020. The organization was founded by Jamyle Cannon, a 2009 National Collegiate Boxing Champion and Teach for America alumnus, and its brand has been elevated by recognitions including CNN Hero, the 2022 Luminary Award, 4-Star Chicagoan, and Economic Game Changer designations.
The business model is a hybrid nonprofit construct. The core youth offering is provided at no cost to participants, with funding sourced from philanthropic donations and a diversified corporate sponsorship roster that includes State Farm, Springboard, Seabury, Marshall, Laureus, and Euromonitor. To diversify away from donation dependency, The Bloc has layered in three earned-revenue lines: BlocFit adult fitness subscriptions, personal training sessions priced at $40 each, and "Punches with Purpose" corporate events that monetize the facility for B2B team-building and engagement. There is no indication of a proprietary technology platform, digital product, or AI/ML capability; the organization's assets are physical (gym/facility), human (coaching and program staff), and reputational (mission-driven brand and founder profile).
Operationally, The Bloc employs between 11 and 50 staff and has expanded its reach via a school partnership model, exemplified by the Johnny Arrington Jr. collaboration, which broadens the youth recruitment funnel beyond neighborhood walk-ins. The combination of in-kind service delivery, recurring adult fitness revenue, episodic corporate events, and a multi-donor sponsorship base defines both its resilience and its structural reliance on continued philanthropic support.
The Bloc Chicago firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Bloc Chicago
- Legal name
- The Bloc Chicago
- Website
- https://theblocchicago.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Bloc Chicago is a nonprofit founded in 2016 on Chicago's West Side that delivers free boxing, mentoring, academic support, and food pantry services to roughly 100 youth, supplemented by BlocFit adult fitness, $40 personal training, and corporate event revenue.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Bloc Chicago industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Development Services
- NAICS
- Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Professional Organizations (81392)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Boxing & Kickboxing Fitness Classes (HSADABAF)
Keywords
Where The Bloc Chicago is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Bloc Chicago business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: The nonprofit relies on donations from supporters and sponsors to fund operations and youth programming. Donations provide the resources and opportunities necessary for youth to thrive at no cost to enrolled fighters and their families.
- Adult Fitness Programs (BlocFit): High-intensity boxing fitness classes offered to adults with membership purchases through their online portal. Classes run Monday-Thursday at 9AM, 12PM, and 7PM, and Saturdays at 9AM and 2PM.
- Personal Training Sessions: One-on-one personalized training sessions with current and alumni fighters at $40 per session, available on Saturday mornings and afternoons.
- Corporate Events (Punches with Purpose): Team-building events for corporate groups of 10+ people led by elite fighters. Revenue generated through event booking fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | BlocFit Group Classes Membership |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 1-on-1 Personal Training |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Punches with Purpose Corporate Events |
| Freemium | Annual | Youth Program (Free) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Bloc Chicago product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Bloc Chicago operates a free youth boxing program that integrates athletic training with character development, mentoring, academic support, and a food pantry to serve approximately 100 youth on Chicago's West Side. The organization also runs BlocFit, an adult boxing-based fitness program with group classes, personal training, and youth memberships, and offers Punches with Purpose, a corporate team-building experience. A separate train-the-trainer school initiative delivers boxing and fitness curriculum to partner schools.
Product overview
The Bloc Chicago is a nonprofit boxing organization offering a single integrated youth enrichment program centered on boxing training combined with character-first development. The core offering is the free Youth Boxing Program serving approximately 100 youth, augmented by academic support services, mentoring, and a food pantry. Adult programming includes BlocFit (group and personal boxing fitness classes) and Punches with Purpose (corporate team-building events). All programs operate from their Chicago West Side facility.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BlocFit: High-intensity boxing fitness classes led by alumni of The Bloc. Includes group classes Monday-Thursday and Saturday, as well as 1-on-1 personal training sessions.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% high school graduation rate since 2016
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Bloc Chicago
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Bloc Chicago technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Bloc Chicago partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Youth Guidance (Becoming a Man Program)coreJohnny Arrington Jr., Boxing Program Partnership Manager, came to The Bloc by way of Youth Guidance's BAM program. This connection enables referral pathways and program alignment for youth development.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Bloc Chicago competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- BoxUnion: Boutique boxing fitness studio with subscription-based group classes, similar in target customer and class format to BlocFit's adult group classes.
Broad incumbents
- 9Round Fitness: Franchised circuit-style boxing/kickboxing fitness concept with monthly memberships, comparable to BlocFit's recurring subscription model and corporate team-building potential.
- After-School All-Stars: National nonprofit providing free after-school programming to youth in underserved urban communities, comparable in funding model (corporate/foundation sponsors) and free youth service delivery to The Bloc.
- Title Boxing Club: National franchise offering group boxing fitness classes and personal training with a subscription model, directly comparable to BlocFit's adult boxing fitness offering and pricing structure.
- Rumble Boxing: Premium boutique boxing-inspired group fitness concept with subscription-based classes led by trained fighters, comparable to BlocFit's adult classes led by alumni fighters.
- Boys & Girls Club of Chicago: Established youth development nonprofit serving Chicago youth with mentoring, academic support, and enrichment programs; comparable target demographic, funding sources, and community-based delivery model.
- CKO Kickboxing: Established group boxing/kickboxing fitness franchise offering adult HIIT-style boxing classes with membership pricing, comparable to The Bloc's BlocFit adult fitness revenue line.
Direct peers
- EverybodyFights: Boxing-inspired fitness brand offering group classes, personal training, and corporate events, directly comparable to BlocFit classes and The Bloc's Punches with Purpose corporate team-building offering.
- Eastside Boxing: Nonprofit boxing club providing youth boxing training, mentorship, and community programming to underserved youth in an urban neighborhood, mirroring The Bloc's free youth model and community roots.
- Detroit Boxing Gym: Nonprofit boxing and youth development organization in Detroit serving at-risk youth with free programming, mentoring, and academic support. Closest direct analog to The Bloc's mission, structure, and community-based boxing model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Bloc Chicago social profiles
Digital presenceThe Bloc Chicago financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Bloc Chicago leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
The Bloc Chicago funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Bloc Chicago M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Bloc Chicago
What does The Bloc Chicago do?
The Bloc Chicago operates a free youth boxing program that integrates athletic training with character development, mentoring, academic support, and a food pantry to serve approximately 100 youth on Chicago's West Side. The organization also runs BlocFit, an adult boxing-based fitness program with group classes, personal training, and youth memberships, and offers Punches with Purpose, a corporate team-building experience. A separate train-the-trainer school initiative delivers boxing and fitness curriculum to partner schools.
Is The Bloc Chicago a public or private company?
The Bloc Chicago is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Bloc Chicago founded?
The Bloc Chicago was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Bloc Chicago based?
The Bloc Chicago is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Bloc Chicago make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are adult Fitness Programs (BlocFit), personal Training Sessions and corporate Events (Punches with Purpose).
Who are The Bloc Chicago's main competitors?
BoxUnion is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are 9Round Fitness, After-School All-Stars, Title Boxing Club, Rumble Boxing, Boys & Girls Club of Chicago and CKO Kickboxing. Direct peers are EverybodyFights, Eastside Boxing and Detroit Boxing Gym.
Does The Bloc Chicago have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Bloc Chicago.
What industry is The Bloc Chicago in?
The Bloc Chicago's product category is Youth Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSADABAF, Boxing & Kickboxing Fitness Classes. Its NAICS code is 611620 and its SIC code is 7997.