I finished this book and gave thanks that there are women like Diane Latiker in the world. She is awesome and has made such a difference to the lives of young people in her community. It isn’t all beauty and success but ultimately her journey is full of hope and promise. Mrs Latiker started inviting difficult kids into her home to hear what the issues were in her neighbourhood with guns and drugs and violence. She then made efforts to help and actually change things rather than just give lip service to the issues.

The changes involved sport and education and listening. The difference was phenomenal but then so is Diane Latiker. One particularly feared teenager appeared at the basketball court and swore while playing. She sent him away. The other kids were astonished that she stood up to him. He came back the next day and swore, she sent him away. Eventually he came to her and apologised saying everyone in his home and area swore and it was just a reflex. She stood her ground and he stopped swearing around her. The small changes added up and she partnered with other charities and big organisations - L’Oreal especially come out of this well - and appears on TV and all sorts. But under it all she succeeds in having the young people see they have alternatives to prison or death or poverty.

The world is a better place for having people like Diane Latiker in it and I applaud her.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review

Kids Off the Block is a stirring inside look at what it means to say, "Yes," to God even when it doesn't make sense. Diane Latiker's story of faithfulness, perseverance, and resilient compassion is an inspiration to anyone who thinks they can't possibly make a difference. Honest, hopeful, and gut-wrenching at times, Latiker's memoir is as transparent as it is compelling, and it serves as invitation for all of us to take that one step toward even one person who needs to know he/she is loved.

My son was born in Chicago so I've always had a heart for that area. When I got to read this book, I couldn't help but cry tears of happiness to see what this woman did for Chicago. Her one act of obedience in the call God had on her life literally is changing Chicago bit by bit. It's a story of encouragement, reminding people that no matter how small their acts of kindness, of change, may seem, it leaves a MUCH bigger impact that you might imagine.

Definitely a book I suggest to friends, family and those who are wanting to make a difference in their city or state.

The inspirational story of how God used one woman to help countless kids who otherwise would be lost to society. Inspiring, life changing and unforgettable. Just read it. Simple as that! Recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley and Baker Books for ARC.

Kids Off the Block
The Inspiring True Story of One Woman's Quest to Protect Chicago's Most Vulnerable Youth
by Diane Latiker


Baker Books
Christian
Pub Date 01 Sep 2020



I am reviewing a copy of Kids off the Block through Baker Books and Netgalley:






Diane Latiker asked herself what could she do when she watched the teens in her Chicago neighborhood succumb at an alarming rate to gangs and gun violence.





Her answers started small, by inviting ten kids into her living room to talk about their struggles and dreams. But it grew over the years.






With the help of God, her family, and many other people along the way, Diane's Kids Off the Block morphed from a personal crusade to do what she could into a nationally known program that has helped more than 3,000 at-risk Chicago teens.





If you are looking for a powerful, energizing read. The story of a woman who became tired of sitting behind their keyboards, as they watched their world crumble away, and decided to do something about it.





I get Kids off the Block five out of five stars!



Happy Reading!

Diane has a fantastic voice and her passion is so clear. I want to hear more about neighbors helping neighbors and what kind of neighborhoods are struggling with different things than I do. Statistics can give us some perspective on what’s happening in other communities. Stories help us connect with those statistics. Behind the numbers and graphs are the lives of real people and that is where we learn what and how we can make a difference in the world. Please read the words Diane is sharing, the stories that become more than statistics

One woman's quest to try to keep kids from Chicago from making the wrong decision when it comes to life and death situations. She opened up a center, much to the chagrin of her husband, but prompted by God and her Mother to assist in saving the lives of our youth. This woman is the true definition of a hero. This was truly a remarkable and inspiring book

Diane Latiker's devotion to the at risk youth in Chicago is nothing short of heroic. She goes into detail about the issues she continuously has to deal with when attempting to assist the youth. This is a great read and proves that one person can truly make a difference.

What would you do if your kid was hanging around with a questionable group of kids? Most of us would probably keep our kids away from bad influences and protectively forbid our kids from spending time with them. Not Diane Latiker. When she saw many in her daughter's peer group getting involved with drugs, gangs, and street crime, she invited the kids into her home and spoke to them--and, importantly, listened to them. In Kids Off the Block: The Inspiring True Story of One Woman's Quest to Protect Chicago's Most Vulnerable Youth, Latiker tells the story of how she went from being a concerned mom to Miss Diane to a nationally recognized model for outreach to urban youth.

Word quickly spread that Miss Diane's house was warm and welcoming, that she offers help with homework, pick-up basketball, and lots of snack, and that it was a respite from the pressures of the street. Soon 10 kids turned into hundreds. She grew in her ability to lead and manage these kids, and never was willing to give up on any of them. One of the things I love about Latiker's story is that she doesn't sugar-coat it. This isn't a feel-good Disney-fied version of life in Chicago. These are kids who live in poverty, who are pressured to join a gang or be relentless bullied, and for whom dealing drugs seemed to be the only option for a better life. In plenty of cases, she made progress with a kid and then the draw of the streets was too much. Some kids whom she grew to love ended up dead, victims of a life they couldn't escape.

Latiker looked around her, reached out, and made a difference in countless lives. Her example is a great reminder that when trouble surrounds us, whatever neighborhood we live in, one can cower or flee, but a better answer is to love our neighbors, take time to get to know them, and help them each to see the potential they have. After more than a decade of loving the kids in her neighborhood, many have found a life outside of gangs and drug dealing. Some even help her mentor the younger kids. Her story will inspire you to embrace those around you who the world would write off.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

#Kids off the Block # by Diane Latiker is a true story. #Kids off the Block# is an inspirational nonfiction Christian story. # Kids off the Block# is a nonprofit organization started by Diane Latiker. This organization is in a troubled Chicago neighborhood. There are many gangs and troubled kids in that neighborhood. She opened her home to influence and help these kids be successful and not go down the way of the gangs. The kids did their homework with her . They shared their troubles with her. She fed them. She became very close to so many of these kids. Many of the kids were involved in gun violence and drugs. She helped more than 3,000 at risk kids. This story is so very inspiring. She felt God called her to help these kids and set up this nonprofit organization. She showed the kids she believed in them. She won the CNN Hero award. It is wonderful Diane is making a difference in our troubled world. Thank you to netgalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book. I commend Diane for all she has done and all she is continuing to do for these troubled kids in Chicago.

Gosh this book had me in tears and exhilarated all at the same time. Diane is amazing. God is AMAZING and He did it through her. Through her love, her sacrifice, her dedication. What a powerful story of just doing what you can where you are. I am SO GLAD I read this and learned about her and KOB. What an inspiration!