Awards
- IMPACT Award – Best 1:1 Mentoring Program in Illinois (Illinois Mentoring Project, January 2016)
- Notable Leadership Award for service and devotion to the Latino community (Latin American Professionals Impacting Society, 2015)
- Thomas A Demetrio Award for Excellence for mentoring program of the year (Lawyers Lend a Hand to Youth, 2014)
- Community Partner of the Year award (Youth Outreach Services, June 2013)
- Faith Based Partner of the Year (CeaseFire Illinois, 2011)
Press
Benny and Jorge and the quest for peace in Little Village (Chicago Tribune, 2017)
- Breaking Chicago’s Cycle of Violence and Murder (CBN News, 2016)
- Mark Interviews Matt DeMateo of New Life Centers (Interview on Let’s Talk, 2016)
Chicago police, Little Village athletes play softball for peace (Fox 32 Chicago, 2015)
- In 2012 & 2013, ULS was asked by Cook County Juvenile Probation to train other Chicago churches on how to implement a gang intervention mentoring program
- In January 2012, ULS was featured in PA Professional, a national Physician Assistant magazine for the work we do with our girls program
- In 2011, Art Guerrero, a dedicated ULS mentor and lead court advocate, was featured in the award winning documentary, “The Interrupters”
- In 2011, ULS was featured in the Chicago Sun Times as a program that is continuing the fight against violence despite budget cuts
- In 2011, ULS was selected as the lead Reentry Program Organization in Little Village for the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative by IVPA (Illinois Violence Prevention Authority) to work with youth on parole.
- In 2010, ULS was contracted by Chicago Public Schools to provide mentoring to Farragut High School Students through the Culture of Calm Program
- In 2009, ULS was featured in the Casey Foundation’s CONNECTS policy issue and commended the program for its work among gang involved youth
- Since 2009, ULS has been invited to lead workshops on gang intervention mentoring by CCDA, JDAI, and other cities across the country
- In 2009, ULS was featured during ABC 7 Chicago News’ Stopping the Violence segment as an important piece in the city wide anti-violence efforts