Mission

Learn. Live. Lead.


We work with children and teens in urban neighborhoods where the challenges of daily life severely affect their ability to pursue healthy and happy childhoods. We develop programs where kids can feel safe, be engaged in wholesome activities, build healthy relationships, expand their self-worth, and develop the life skills they need to move confidently toward a better future.

Working to Re-Write the Future


What we’ve learned from our years in ministry is that to help kids overcome obstacles you’ve got to do two things: live in the communities you serve, and work to build strong, healthy, and enduring relationships. By immersing ourselves in their world, and developing relationships that are both supportive and challenging, ICI helps countless kids expand their view of themselves and recognize their own value and potential. As a result, kids are both freed to imagine a new and better future and given the resources they need to make it happen.

Mission

Our mission is to present the living Christ, primarily to unchurched, inner city children and youth, to disciple them and integrate them into a local church.

History

Inner City Impact has served the city of Chicago since 1972. It was in that year that Bill and Sandy Dillon decided to change the course of their lives by developing after-school and camping programs to serve inner city kids. In its second year, ICI was already beginning to extend its reach, partnering with Moody Bible Institute and giving college students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in urban ministry. ICI’s approach was so successful that, in 1986, the ministry was expanded to include Logan Square, and by the time the nineties came around, the 20 full-time staff and constant flow of volunteers was making it possible to reach hundreds of children. Since then, the ministry has grown to include summer day camps and sports leagues, has established itself in Cicero—another of Chicago’s neighborhoods—and has celebrated 50 years of ministry. Today, ICI has a new Chief Executive Officer in the person of long-time staff member, BJ Bechtel, and continues to see its programs thrive and grow in some of Chicago’s toughest neighborhoods.

Financials

We are proud of our fiscal stewardship standards. We always strive to make the most of the resources entrusted to us by our partners. Every donation goes directly to helping make ICI a stronger, more dynamic and effective force in the communities we serve.

  • We are charter members of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.
  • Every year we receive an independent financial statement audit.
  • ICI recruits and mobilizes over 500 individual volunteers each year.
    • Volunteers include youth/college groups, small groups, and individuals.
    • Each year the ministry receives over 17,000 hours of volunteer support.