Peace Grants awarded to 23 Chicago groups

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Young people in Chicago are going to benefit from nearly $350,000 in "Peace Grants."

The grants were awarded by a partnership between the city and the Emerson Collective. The aim of the grants is to keep kids safe and productive this summer.

The Bella Cuisine Kids Cooking Club was among the 23 winners. The group lets CPS students work alongside police officers to cook nutritious meals.

Nearly 300 proposals were reviewed by the Youth Advisory Council, comprised of six college students from across Chicago.

"Having a role in the Peace Grant program is important to me not only because many of these projects will benefit the neighborhood I grew up in, but also because I know that all of these projects will allow youth just like me from around the city to make a difference," said Terrance Mills, a member of the Youth Advisory Council from Bronzeville and current sophomore at DePauw University. "The projects I believe will be most beneficial are those that bridge positive relationships between youth and community leaders-including police officers-because this will help youth have more confidence in the very people who are responsible for keeping them safe."

The grants will run through the end of the year. The full list of the grant recipients is below:

1. Bella Cuisine Kids Cooking Club, Englewood

2. Between Friends, Rogers Park

3. Bright Star, Douglas

4. BUILD, Inc., Austin

5. The Community Builders, Douglas

6. Coder Space, Hyde Park

7. Curie High School, Brighton Park

8. Demoiselle 2 Femme, NFP, Englewood

9. DMI Information Processing Center, Inc., Austin

10. Ebenezer Community Outreach, Garfield Park

11. Free Lunch Academy, Chatham

12. Gary Comer Youth Center, Greater Grand Crossing

13. Girls Like Me, Douglas/Grand Crossing

14. The Gray Matter Experience, Chatham

15. Harambee Chicago Foundation, Humboldt Park

16. HILA, Austin

17. I am Able, North Lawndale

18. Just Christ Ministries, Greater Grand Crossing

19. Percy Julian High School, Roseland

20. St. Agnes of Bohemia, South Lawndale

21. UCAN, North Lawndale

22. Union League Boys & Girls Club, West Town

23. The Voices and Faces Project, Englewood