Our lives depend on our neighborhoods. But we lack high quality information about where to go for the resources we need most. MAPSCorps engages youth to close the information gap so we can access the resources we all need to do good, stay well and live long.
Mission
We train youth to produce high quality data about community assets that everyone can use to improve the human condition.
Meaningful Youth Employment
High school students are employed as community data scientists. We train youth to apply scientific method and mobile technology to capture data about all the public-facing businesses and organizations serving their community. MAPSCorps provides the first paid employment experience for half of participating youth.
Community Vitality & Visibility
Our data boost local economies by making sure every public-facing business and organization is on the map. We’ve mapped more than 25,000 businesses and organizations in Chicago and New York City.
Get assets that everyone can use!
500+ Meaningful, Active, Productive work experiences for local high school youth and college-age mentors since 2009
History
Meaningful, Active, Productive Science in Service to Communities
MAPSCorps is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based on Chicago’s South Side where the idea was born. The organization grew out of the South Side Health and Vitality Studies, led by the research laboratory of Stacy Tessler Lindau, MD, MAPP, at the University of Chicago.
Dr. Lindau’s interdisciplinary lab uses an asset-based, community-engaged approach to engineer solutions to injustice. Beginning in 2009, in collaboration with a broad range of community stakeholders and university researchers, this work gave life to the MAPSCorps program, now in its eighth consecutive year providing meaningful work experience and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Health) training to high school youth.
In 2016, MAPSCorps became an independent nonprofit, with successful programs covering nearly half of Chicago and several ZIP codes of Harlem and the Bronx in New York City. In summer 2016, MAPSCorps will expand in Chicago and New York City and to Niagara Falls, NY and Nash and Edgecombe Counties, NC. MAPSCorps also helped inspire the Local Asset Mapping Program in the Liberties area of Dublin, Ireland.
Published Research
Comments From the South Side of Chicago on New Haven’s Inspiring Initiative - American Journal of Public Health
Are your asset data as good as you think? Conducting a comprehensive census of built assets to improve urban population health - Journal of Urban Health
Our Communities
Our first priority is to close the information gap and shine light on assets in higher poverty communities.
MAPSCorps promotes health and economic vitality by producing an annual census of high-quality data that everyone can use. MAPSCorps data are being used by doctors, nurses, social workers, community planners, teachers, governments and residents.
Engaging youth as data scientists to improve the human condition.
Our Partners
We partner with local youth employment agencies and community-based organizations to provide meaningful work experience for the youth and high quality data for the communities they serve.
Community partners recruit and supervise the high school youth, provide the daily meeting space during the summer census, and serve as local champions of the program.
Closing the information gap while providing meaningful employment experience for youth.
Impact
Youth
MAPSCorps students become confident and capable communicators and meet high standards as they develop basic job skills. Youth are challenged to demonstrate personal integrity and apply their best critical thinking skills to the scientific, health, and civic engagement components of the MAPSCorps experience.
Community
MAPSCorps produces an annual census of high quality data about all the businesses and organizations in a community. These data are used by healthcare professionals, policymakers, researchers, leaders, entrepreneurs, residents and others for better health, well-being and economic vitality.
NowPow
MAPSCorps is the data engine for NowPow, LLC, an information technology, social enterprise company co-located with MAPSCorps on Chicago’s South Side. NowPow uses MAPSCorps data to connect the caring community (doctors, nurses, social workers, case managers and others) to information about community resources. NowPow provides a revenue stream for MAPSCorps.
Learn MoreCook County Land Bank
MAPSCorps partners with the Cook County Land Bank to inventory the condition of vacant and distressed properties in Chicago. The Land Bank uses the information to promote redevelopment and reuse of the properties to revitalize communities.
Learn MoreVoices for Youth Count
MAPSCorps partners with Voices of Youth Count (VoYC) to collect information about homeless youth and homeless encampments on the south and west sides of Chicago. Information collected by MAPSCorps is intended to supplement other VoYC activities designed to capture the experiences of runaway and unaccompanied homeless youth.
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