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Mike Powell is a lifelong wrestler, coach and educator. In 2018, Mike transitioned from coaching into the Executive Director role at Beat the Streets Chicago. His time as a state and national champion coach informs the wrestling programming at Beat the Streets. His time as an award winning teacher informs the enrichment programming at Beat the Streets. In less than five years at Beat the Streets Chicago, he has grown the organization from less than $100K in revenue and fewer than 500 wrestlers to the largest youth wrestling organization in Illinois, with $2MM in revenue and over 2,500 wrestlers. In 2020, he oversaw a successful $2MM capital campaign that led to the acquisition and renovation of the Beat the Streets Wrestling and Enrichment Facility in Chicago’s Garfield Ridge neighborhood. A National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee, Coach Powell has spent his career as a witness to the power of excellent wrestling and meaningful enrichment activities to help transform the lives of Chicago youth. Coach Powell graduated from Indiana University where he was a NCAA Division 1 All-American wrestler. He holds a Masters Degree in Education (M.A.T.) from National Lewis University.
We're so grateful for IICF for helping to bring smiles, connections and fun to the pediatric cancer patients and survivors we served during our wintertime camp programs. Together we are creating memories, friendships and hope that will fuel them all year.
Blessings in a Backpack is grateful for the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation’s generous donation of $112,885 that provided 28,220 bags of weekend nutrition to 5,260+ food insecure kids across 32 programs in Illinois and Ohio.
