Better Makers — Celebrate Fundraising Successes and Nonprofit Supporters and Champions

“Better Makers” articles are post-event recaps that showcase the essential highlights of your fundraising event, including event title, venue, date, funds raised, organization and event leadership, host committee members, emcee, celebrity appearances, honorees, entertainment, and major sponsors. Submissions should include all of this key information, along with engaging, high-quality photographs from the event.  A strong […]

by Better Staff

Educate, Enrich, Empower: Carole Robertson Center's E3 Gala Raises $269K For Programs

When we invest in Chicago’s youngest learners, we invest in this city’s brightest potential. In this spirit, the Carole Robertson Center for Learning hosted its annual celebration— now called the E3 Gala —in honor of our mission to educate, enrich and empower children and families. At its core, E3 is a celebration of the Carole Robertson […]

by Carole Robertson Center for Learning | Partnership

Hester Cares: How Hester Painting & Decorating's Commitment to the Community Goes Beyond the Customer

Steve Hester, Jeff Hester and their team at Hester Painting and Decorating are all about paying it forward.  Founded in 1968 by Tom Hester, the company — which serves both commercial and residential customers — has beautified spaces for many Chicago-area homes and businesses, including schools, healthcare facilities, hospitality providers and tech companies. They were […]

by Donna Berry Glass | Partnership

Spread the Word and Save Lives: Donate to Support Organizations Fighting the Fentanyl Crisis and Your Donations Will Be Matched

Fentanyl has been called the single deadliest drug threat our nation has ever encountered. It is, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. The staggering numbers show that in 2021 alone, 107,375 Americans died of drug overdose and poisoning, with 67% of those deaths involving synthetic opioids […]

by Better Staff

Fire Chief Tracey Steffes' Action and Expertise Saved Thousands, Earning Him the 2022 Red Cross Firefighter Hero Award, Sponsored by Wintrust

Fire Chief Tracey Steffes of Morris, Illinois, is the 2022 Red Cross Firefighter Hero Award recipient. Chief Steffes has dedicated his life to his community, serving first as a volunteer fireman for the city of Morris before eventually becoming fire chief. In June 2021, Chief Steffes faced his biggest challenge as the leader of the […]

by Jessica Braun Gervais

Better Makers: Breakthrough’s Annual Benefit Raises $900K to Build Opportunities in Garfield Park

Nearly 300 guests gathered at Walden for Breakthrough’s 2022 Annual Benefit on October 20 to celebrate the organization’s 30th anniversary. The event raised more than $900,000 for Breakthrough’s programming and resources.  The mission of Breakthrough — a 2022 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award Winner — is to develop a safe and stable community within Garfield […]

by Jessica Braun Gervais