Why Not Go For Yours?!

Everyday we hear about all these organizations that are trying to help kids, but you never remember them because of how many are out there. Well I found a foundation that actually stuck with me, the Go for Yours foundation by Erika McCall. This foundation is paving the way for upcoming foundations in the city of Chicago.

First off, this foundation has a catchy name, Go For Yours, which drew myself in because the name stuck with me. After I did some research I found out that this foundation was everything the city of Chicago needs and more!

There is all this violence going on daily in the City of Chicago and nothing we do seems to stop it: Increasing police force? Stricter gun laws? Eliminating gangs? We hear about these everyday but yet nothing seem to be put into action. But with Erika McCall and the Go For Yours Foundation we may be able to change the lives of the youth one person at a time.

Erika McCall created the Go For Yours Foundation to help our youth fulfill their dreams, goals, and desires in order to build hope and a future. This is not something you hear from a regular non-profit foundation.

Where does the foundation come from? This foundation stems from the book, Go for Yours, a compilation of stories about black youth who overcame the odds stacked against them in order to make their dreams come true. Now what’s the best part? It’s that Erika created this book so that young people have something they can relate to.

She tells stories about famous people that these kids can relate to, and has quotes from songs they listen to on a regular basis. Music plays a huge role in our community, but the media has placed unnecessary blame on our current Chicago artists for the violence and destruction in our neighborhoods. This is not just a boring history book!

Most importantly the Go for Yours foundation has started creating these mentoring programs, mainly located on the south side of Chicago, where pilot programs have recently been launched at Julian High School with plans to integrate students from Chicago Public Schools.

If you know anyone who is struggling to achieve their dreams, feeling down about themselves, or just really needs someone who believes in them, participating in the Go For Yours foundation is a must for them!

If we can start to improve the smallest things, like letting teens know they have so much going for them, than we MAY be able to change this epidemic of gun violence in Chicago.

Just like Erika says, “If you can dream it then you can be it, so why no Go For Yours?

LETS MAKE THIS A TREND EVERYONE!

Improving Our City, One Step At A Time

By: Andrea Swanson

It is with my sincere hope that you are ready to participate in something quite epic. As a donor, I am in utter awe of the state of Chicago, our “great” city.

With the constant daily reminders in the news about how dangerous and bad the city of Chicago has gotten, something needs to be done that can change the lives of these vulnerable children. These unfortunate circumstances that surround us have allowed our youth to be misguided, leaving them with little to no hope for their future.

From the tragic death of innocent 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton who was shot and killed in gang crossfire while standing with friends inside Harsh Park to the death of innocent 17-year-old Tyrone Lawson who was shot and killed after a fight broke out following a high school basketball game between school rivals; Simeon and Morgan Park.

While the community is devastated about the number of lives we have lost due to violence, the action taken to keep young people has been unrealistic and quite frankly a waste of money. We must do something to stop this tragic, and I mean TRAGIC, violence.

It is my belief as a major supporter of the Go for Yours Foundation that majority of the stop the violence campaigns has done nothing but bring praise to the word “violence” and focus solely on the negativity that has flooded the streets of Chicago.

I chose to donate to the Go for Yours Foundation solely based on the way founder Erika McCall approaches these tragic events. She believes in helping at-risk youth create goals that will ultimately lead to success.

And today, it is almost impossible to find someone who is willing to take on this kids who think that they have nothing to look forward to because nobody cares about them. This is one of the main reasons why these vulnerable kids turn to gangs because it gives them a feeling of acceptance and family.

Erika uses her book, "Go For Yours" as a tool to create a roadmap for success. She has also created programs like... 

Go For Yours Like A B.A.W.S.E!

A program that is in direct response to the growing number of African American males, who engage in activities that prevent them from reaching their highest potential. The program empowers young black males ages 14-18 to make decisions that lead to a bright future. The program even pairs them with influential black male mentors, so that they will begin to understand that a boss is a man who possesses characteristics of responsibility, integrity, and spirituality.


If this foundation doesn’t sound like something you would want to donate to than honestly im not sure what you want the city of Chicago to do about this growing violence. If we can help Erika change the lives of youth than we may be able to control this violence happening in our great city! Come on everyone; take the chance to be apart of changing our city!!

Erika McCall & GFY!

"Go For Yours" is a guide for ambitious, faithful and progressive individuals who yearn to break conventional models of living by reaching for their dreams no matter their age, background or years of work experience. After reading the stories and examples of people who carried a certain attitude in order to follow their dreams, you will be encouraged to go after whatever it is you are passionate about.  If you can dream it, you can be it so why not "Go For Yours"?