Nicor Gas Foundation commits $175,000 to help reduce juvenile delinquency in suburban Cook County

The Nicor Gas Foundation committed $175,000 to the Cook County Southland Juvenile Justice Council (S.J.J.C.) to support its violence prevention, reduction and restorative sustainability plan to benefit youth who have experienced trauma in the south suburban Chicago area.

This gift will support efforts to provide greater access to mental wellness support and in-depth restorative justice practices, as well as training for local schools to address chronic absenteeism and truancy.

"At the Nicor Gas Foundation, we are committed to advancing social justice in the communities that we serve, including equity in education and criminal justice," said Meena Beyers, vice president of Business and Community Development at Nicor Gas. "By giving to the Cook County Southland Juvenile Justice Council, we are able to help combat juvenile delinquency and truancy in our schools, fueling a brighter future for local students."

With support from the Nicor Gas Foundation, S.J.J.C. will also continue to provide additional resources, programs and training for youth in south suburban Cook County that have experienced trauma due to violence, disinvestment, economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. This donation will also support the enhancement of restorative justice practices to combat the systemic racial divide that commonly leads to incarceration.

"We are honored to be the recipient of such a generous commitment from the Nicor Gas Foundation," said Jaclin Davis, executive director of Cook County Southland Juvenile Justice Council. "This support will allow S.J.J.C. to continue to work in tandem with our local school districts to reduce chronic absenteeism and truancy and enhance our restorative justice training, practices and curriculum component, while ensuring our dedication to providing access to mental wellness services to the youth and families of the Southland is an immediate priority."

To date, S.J.J.C. in partnership with Midwest Family & Community Resources has provided mental wellness services to 391 youth & families. Additionally, the nonprofit has trained over 700 youth, community partners and school administrators in restorative practices.

To learn more about Nicor Gas' commitment to the community, visit www.nicorgas.com/community.