PRITZKER PAVILION FROM AUGUST 31st THROUGH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3rd.

>>> THE NONPROFIT SAFER FOUNDATION PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO CITIZENS RETURNING FROM INCARCERATION LIKE JOB PLACEMENT, TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING.

MUCH OF ITS WORK IS MADE POSSIBLE THANKS TO THE SECOND CHANCE ACT WHICH WAS CHAMPIONED BY U.S. REPRESENTATIVE DANNY K. DAVIS.

LAST WEEK SAFER FOUNDATION UNVEILED A MURAL HONORING DAVIS FOR WHAT THE SECOND CHANCE ACT HAS DONE TO HELP CITIZENS SUCCESSFULLY REINTEGRATE INTO THEIR COMMUNITY.

>> STAY SAFER FOUNDATION CELEBRATED THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF OUR AGENCY LAST YEAR AND PART OF THE CELEBRATION WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HONORED CONGRESSMAN DANNY DAVIS.

HE'S THE CONGRESSMAN FOR THE 7th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.

THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

THIS DISTRICT HAPPENS TO BE ON THE WEST SIDE OF CHICAGO.

ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE RELEASED FROM PRISON IN ILLINOIS COME BACK TO THE WEST SIDE OF CHICAGO THAN JUST ABOUT ANY OTHER COMMUNITY IN THE STATE.

WHAT'S SIGNIFICANT HERE IS THAT CONGRESSMAN DANNY K. DAVIS SPONSORED A BILL IN CONGRESS CALLED A SECOND CHANCE ACT.

THAT BILL WAS PASSED IN 2008 WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT AND THAT BILL HAS PROVIDED OVER $1 BILLION IN FUNDING FOR REENTRY PROGRAMS FOR SERVICES FOR PEOPLE IN PRISON, IN JAIL AND WHEN THEY COME OUT TO COMMUNITIES.

IT'S BEEN AN OPERATION FOR ALL THESE YEARS AND HELPING PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY RIGHT HERE IN CHICAGO.

SO THE SAFER FOUNDATION HAS BEEN A RECIPIENT MULTIPLE TIMES OF THIS SECOND CHANCE GRANT PROGRAM.

THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO SOMETHING TO RECOGNIZE HIM, TO THANK HIM ON BEHALF OF NOT JUST THE FOLKS IN CHICAGO, BUT PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE WORK THAT HE DID.

THIS MURAL IS ABOUT INVESTING IN PEOPLE AND ABOUT BEAUTIFYING THE SPACE AND IT'S SYMBOLIC OF THE HOPE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE PORTRAIT ITSELF, YOU CAN SEE THAT HE'S KIND OF LOOKING UPWARDS TO THE SKY AND SOME PEOPLE ASKED THE QUESTION WELL, WHY ARE THE WHITES OF HIS EYES NOT WHITE, BUT THEY'RE BLUE?

BUT THE ARTIST SAID THAT'S A REFLECTION OF HIM LOOKING AT CLEAR SKIES, BLUE SKIES, THE FUTURE BEING BRIGHT AND PROMISING.