ROGERS PARK — Students in Rogers Park are taking the stage this week to raise money for teens and young adults struggling with homelessness.
At 5 p.m. Thursday, Chicago Math and Science Academy's concert band is holding its annual "Change For A Cause" music fundraiser at its 7212 N. Clark St. location.
A $5 entrance fee partially benefits Stand Up For Kids! — a Georgia-based organization that helps people aged 25 and younger who are unaccompanied by adults gain access to housing and other necessary resources like mentoring and counseling.
The event marks the band's fifth year of performing for a cause. Last year the group raised $1,000 for The Water Project, which promotes access to clean drinking water.
Students begin researching and planning the organization they want to pair with at the start of the school year. They then voted among finalists before selecting a cause to receive a portion of the program's proceeds.
For many who participate, the band class is the first time many of the students experience playing an instrument, the school said.
