Come celebrate all the community organizations and resource providers making a positive impact on young people and families in Greater Grand Crossing at Gary Comer Youth Center (GCYC) 7200 S. Ingleside Ave. this Friday, August 9 from 3 to 7pm for our annual Greater Together Block Party!

You don't want to miss the best community block party on the South Side featuring live performances and open mic hosted by Guitars Over Guns, bouncy houses, a climbing wall, bumper cars, horse rides, games, sports, free haircuts and braids, gaming truck, raffles, and much more! Community partners like 5th Ward Alderman Desmon Yancy, CHAMPS Mentoring, Gyrls in the H.O.O.D, Operation Neighborhood Safety, Urban Male Network, Habitat for Humanity, Nike Community Store, Center on Halsted, and many more will be providing free resources and celebrating all afternoon together! We'll be giving away free backpacks and school supplies while they last! Register for The Block Party to secure your backpacks to pickup, get FREE Food, and enter to win our grand prize including a staycation at The Study Hotel at UChicago, cool merch, fun prizes, and much more.

As always, we are pleased to provide community resources from our partners including South Side Community Health Organization and some of their 13 hospitals and clinics.

Our highly-skilled Comer Crops Crew will be giving farm tours including a visit with our chickens and stroll through our fruit orchid and bee hive. Just like every Friday (and Tuesday) until November, our Farmer's Market will be selling fresh produce, herbs, flowers, honey, and giving out lots of free samples from our award-winning harvest.

Our talented apprentices will be sharing their latest hearty and health culinary treats including deluxe BBQ, disaposa-inspired sides, and more!

PLUS! All families can get their GCYC year-long youth membership for only $20 (50% off) providing access to our wide range of enrichment programming including youth leadership, art and music, academic success, urban agriculture at our farm, rooftop garden and hydroponics lab, culinary arts in our professional kitchen and cafe, sports on our soccer field and indoor gym and much more!

Membership includes a free daily meal, one-on-one tutoring, mentorship, and special events at no extra charge.

• Sports and physical activities on the soccer field

• Inflatable bouncy houses, rock-climbing wall and bumper cars

• Haircut truck and professional hair-braiders

• Gaming truck

• Horseback riding and petting

• Arts and crafts

• Facepainting

• Double Dutch and hopscotch

• Live Entertainment/open mic with Guitars Over Guns

• Comer Crops Youth Farm Farmer's Market