My Block, My Hood, My City
My Block My Hood My City is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 that operates youth development, block club, and civic engagement programs across the city's South and West side communities, funded by corporate sponsors, foundations, and individual donors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What My Block, My Hood, My City does
My Block, My Hood, My City (legal entity: Role Model Movement Inc, NFP) is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 by Jahmal Cole, headquartered at 47 W. Polk St., Ste. 100-260. The organization's mission centers on youth development, community development, and civic engagement, with a primary service footprint across Chicago's South and West Side neighborhoods and an explicit citywide reach goal via the Live 77 Initiative covering all 77 community areas.
The organization's core programs include the Explorers Program (youth development), the Block Club Program (100+ active block clubs), Downtown Day (annual event targeting 1,000 youth), #SaveStreetball, Be a Part of the Light (in its 8th year), Senior Services, the Live 77 Initiative, and the Kitchen Table Discussions podcast. A feature-length documentary and recurring annual events (Hoodie Ball gala, now in its 4th year) support brand visibility and fundraising.
The business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue stack: individual donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, merchandise sales, and event-based fundraising. Named institutional supporters include Mars Wrigley, Meta, Molson Coors, United, Wells Fargo, Wintrust, Google, Chase, Abbott, Advocate Health Care, BCBS IL, ALDI, the MacArthur Foundation, the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, and the Pritzker Pucker. A newer $2,500 Corporate Volunteering fee-for-service offering signals incremental commercialization of the sponsor relationship. The organization operates with a lean 1-10 employee staff led by CEO Jahmal Cole and CFO Brandon Kowalski, with no publicly disclosed financial filings or AI/ML capabilities.
My Block, My Hood, My City firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- My Block, My Hood, My City
- Legal name
- Role Model Movement Inc, NFP dba My Block My Hood My City
- Website
- https://formyblock.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- My Block My Hood My City is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 that operates youth development, block club, and civic engagement programs across the city's South and West side communities, funded by corporate sponsors, foundations, and individual donors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
My Block, My Hood, My City industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Development Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI)
Keywords
Where My Block, My Hood, My City is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
My Block, My Hood, My City business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting the nonprofit mission. Monthly giving program called 'The Ripple Effect' provides recurring revenue.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners provide financial sponsorship for events and programs, including Exploration hosts ($1,500 contribution), Block Clean Up participation ($2,500), and event sponsorships. Listed sponsors include Mars Wrigley, Meta, Molson Coors, United, Wells Fargo, Wintrust, Google, Chase, Abbott, Advocate Health Care, and foundations including MacArthur and Robert R. McCormick.
- Merchandise Sales: Online merchandise store selling branded apparel (hoodies, t-shirts, hats, accessories) with prices ranging from $10-$100. All proceeds directly support My Block My Hood My City programming.
- Grant Funding: Funding from grant-making organizations including foundations (MacArthur Foundation, Robert R. McCormick Foundation, Pritzker Pucker) and corporate grant programs.
- Event Fundraising: Annual Hoodie Ball gala with individual tickets ($225), tables, and sponsorship opportunities. Raised over $30K in paddle raise at 2026 event.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free Youth Participation |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Exploration Host Contribution |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Corporate Block Clean-Up |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Hoodie Ball Gala Tickets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Merchandise Store |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
My Block, My Hood, My City product offering
Product offeringCore offering
My Block, My Hood, My City is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs youth development programs, community-building initiatives, and civic engagement activities for residents of underserved Chicago neighborhoods. It also offers paid corporate volunteering experiences and sells branded merchandise to support its mission.
Product overview
My Block My Hood My City (M3) is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of community programs and services rather than a unified technology product. The core offerings include the Explorers Program (after-school youth development), Downtown Day (annual downtown exploration event), Block Club Program (community safety initiative), #SaveStreetball (basketball court renovation), Be a Part of the Light (holiday decoration initiative), Senior Services (heat relief and snow removal), Live 77 Initiative (neighborhood exploration), and Kitchen Table Discussions Podcast. Additional offerings include Hoodie Ball (annual fundraising gala), corporate volunteering opportunities, speaking engagements, Lunch and Learn presentations, monthly giving program (The Ripple Effect), and merchandise retail. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Explorers Program Free youth development and community engagement program for Chicago youth.
Quantifiable outcome
- Block Club areas have seen a reduction in gun violence since joining the program; M3 Block Clubs have seen a greater reduction in gun violence than the rest of Chicago
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use My Block, My Hood, My City
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
My Block, My Hood, My City technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
My Block, My Hood, My City partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Chicago White SoxcoreOfficial Career Exposure Partner. Youth Explorers program partner providing career exposure opportunities for youth.
- Shedd AquariumcorePrevious Downtown Day host business. Provides educational and recreational experiences for youth participants.
- Navy PiercorePrevious Downtown Day host business. Provides cultural experiences for youth from South and West Sides.
- Wendella BoatsminorPrevious Downtown Day host business offering recreational experiences.
- Anti-Cruelty SocietyminorPrevious Downtown Day host providing recreational and educational experiences.
- 360 Black MagazineminorPrevious Downtown Day partner supporting Black community engagement.
- Shake ShackminorPrevious Downtown Day host providing culinary experiences for youth.
- Ramova TheatrecoreFeatured on Kitchen Table Discussions podcast (Episode 5: Bridgeport). Hosts A Tiny Ripple of Hope documentary 5th anniversary screening. Located in Bridgeport neighborhood.
- University of ChicagocoreData & Evaluation fellows from UChicago developed the '4 Pillars of Youth Resilience' pre/post participation survey used to measure Explorers Program impact.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
My Block, My Hood, My City competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
My Block, My Hood, My City social profiles
Digital presenceMy Block, My Hood, My City compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
My Block, My Hood, My City financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
My Block, My Hood, My City leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
My Block, My Hood, My City funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
My Block, My Hood, My City 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 My Block, My Hood, My City
What does My Block, My Hood, My City do?
My Block, My Hood, My City is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs youth development programs, community-building initiatives, and civic engagement activities for residents of underserved Chicago neighborhoods. It also offers paid corporate volunteering experiences and sells branded merchandise to support its mission.
Is My Block, My Hood, My City a public or private company?
My Block, My Hood, My City is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was My Block, My Hood, My City founded?
My Block, My Hood, My City was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is My Block, My Hood, My City based?
My Block, My Hood, My City is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does My Block, My Hood, My City make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships, merchandise Sales, grant Funding and event Fundraising.
Does My Block, My Hood, My City have an API?
No public API is recorded for My Block, My Hood, My City.
What industry is My Block, My Hood, My City in?
My Block, My Hood, My City's product category is Community Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAD, Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAIACAI, Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.