As the holidays get underway, many of us look for ways to make someone else’s season a brighter. And there’s science behind why that makes us feel so good. Research shows that acts of generosity — from gift giving to financial support — increase happiness more than spending on ourselves.
At Better, we’re dedicated to simplifying the act of giving by highlighting organizations that turn donations into measurable social impact. Their work reflects the broader momentum behind thoughtful philanthropy today — from venture philanthropy models that strengthen nonprofits from within to impact investing strategies that fuel long-term community change.
The nonprofits in this 2025 Better Guide to Giving have collaborated with the Make It Better Foundation to create positive, data-driven outcomes in the communities they serve. We’ve invited them to share how contributions of all sizes translate into meaningful results, and we’re proud to amplify their efforts to make the world better.
Learn more about how your nonprofit — or one you champion — can partner with the Make It Better Foundation.
The Joffrey Ballet
Classically trained to the highest standards, The Joffrey Ballet expresses an inclusive perspective on dance that reflects the diversity of America through its Company Artists, extensive repertoire, Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet, and Community Engagement programs.
Considered one of the premier dance companies performing today, the Joffrey plays a vital role in the dance community as one of the largest dance companies and dance education providers in Chicago and the greater Midwest region.
The Joffrey Ballet advances the art of dance through bold performances, transformative education, and meaningful community engagement. As they look ahead to next year, they’re excited to expand access to the Academy programs, deepen partnerships with Chicago Public Schools, and present innovative new works on stage.
General operating support from individual donors is vital to sustaining the Joffrey’s artistic excellence and ensuring our programs remain accessible to all. Gifts to the Annual Campaign help Joffrey inspire audiences, nurture emerging talent, and bring the joy of dance to communities across Chicago.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides a Joffrey dancer with a pair of pointe shoes—essential for every performance. These shoes support strength, artistry, and precision. Help sustain the beauty and discipline of ballet by directly supporting the tools artists need to bring magic to the stage.
$500 funds an American Sign Language interpreter, making Joffrey performances accessible to Deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences. Your gift promotes inclusion and ensures everyone can experience the emotion and artistry of ballet. Support the commitment to accessibility and equity in the arts.
$1,000 gift supports the Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet’s world-class faculty by funding production and performance needs. Your generosity empowers educators to inspire and train the next generation of dancers. Invest in the future of ballet through excellence in education.
2Blades
2Blades is a nonprofit agbiotech company that advances agricultural innovations from the lab to the field. They develop and deploy durable disease resistance in crops to reduce losses, improve productivity, and strengthen global food security.
Working through partnerships with leading research institutions and industry collaborators, 2Blades leads programs across the globe targeting some of the world’s most destructive crop diseases affecting soybean, potato, corn, wheat, and other key crops.
With crop diseases and pests causing up to 40 percent of global yield losses each year, and agriculture under increasing pressure to feed a growing population, 2Blades focuses on developing crops with durable, built-in resistance. By delivering more resilient harvests and reducing dependence on chemical inputs, 2Blades contributes to a more sustainable and food-secure future for farmers and consumers.
2Blades’ mission is to strengthen the global food supply against pre-harvest losses. Over the next year, 2Blades will advance key programs and capacity-building efforts in Africa. They will expand their Soybean Rust and Corn Mycotoxin programs to combat devastating fungal diseases that devastate harvests, threaten food and feed safety, and cause billions in annual losses. These programs seek to deliver safer, more resilient crops for farmers worldwide, including smallholders in Africa. Additionally, the Late Blight Potato Program continues to develop and deploy durable resistance to one of the most destructive crop diseases in history.
Amid global challenges to agricultural research and development, 2Blades is investing in people and partnerships to keep progress moving forward. They are expanding scholarships for African scientists pursuing graduate training and growing their MasterClass program for postdoctoral researchers in leadership and entrepreneurship.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
A gift of $100 to $500 helps supply essential lab materials that are critical for conducting research.
A gift of $1,000 contributes to hands-on training for African scientists through 2Blades’ capacity-building initiatives. It can help fund participation in specialized workshops, provide remote mentorship, or cover research materials for graduate students studying plant and molecular biology.
A Safe Haven Foundation
The single word “homelessness” can be misleading, often suggesting it affects only a specific group. In reality, it is a multifaceted issue affecting individuals and families regardless of gender, age, race, or ethnicity. Its causes are myriad, meaning there is no one solution. It requires a range of treatments, comprehensive support structures, and an invested team that cares about uplifting their community. A Safe Haven Foundation is just that — a dedicated and committed team, using on-the-ground experiences and evidence-based practices to support the most vulnerable population.
A Safe Haven’s continuum of care supports individuals and families in crisis in the Greater Chicago Area through housing, case management, education, job training, workforce development, and clinical services. They understand that homelessness, justice involvement, and poverty are interconnected with substance use disorders and behavioral health challenges. Their programs work together to empower those in need as they strive to end homelessness throughout Chicago.
A Safe Haven Foundation’s mission is to restore hope and opportunity to individuals in crisis by providing treatment, housing, support services, and career pathways. They prioritize the individual, knowing that every person has their own story and path to recovery.
In February 2025, A Safe Haven Foundation opened a Primary Care Clinic at their central location. They aim to enhance access, improve systems, and achieve better outcomes for Primary Care services. They recognize the critical need for primary care among their client population, particularly for Medicaid members who are experiencing homelessness and substance use disorders. To address this need, A Safe Haven aims to establish a value-based care model specifically designed for these individuals. With support from the funding community, they can provide holistic, coordinated care that meets this vulnerable population’s complex medical, social, and behavioral health needs, utilizing our existing resources.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
A gift of $100 will provide an adult experiencing homelessness with a bed, three healthy meals, and individualized case management services for one full day.
A gift of $500 will provide 10 families experiencing homelessness who are residing in our transitional housing shelter a full week of nutritious and delicious meals and snacks.
A gift of $1000 will provide two families with bedroom, kitchen, and living room furniture and Fresh Starter Kits that include linens, dishes, cleaning supplies, and other household products as they transition into permanent housing.
Donate to A Safe Haven Foundation
After School Matters
After School Matters’ mission is to provide Chicago high school teens with after-school and summer opportunities to explore and develop their talents while gaining critical skills for work, college, and beyond. ASM offers high-quality, out-of-school time programming in the Arts, Communications and Leadership, Sports, and STEM. By providing teens access to professional instructor-mentors serving as positive adult influences, state-of-the-art educational resources, stipends for participation, and safe places to pursue their passions, ASM programming enables Chicago teens to discover their future and meet their full potential.
ASM provides more than 26,000 opportunities to teens each year, offering more than 1,600 different programs at more than 350 locations across the city. Nearly 95 percent of ASM teens identify as people of color, and 3 out of 4 live in high-poverty community areas. ASM teens have higher school attendance, graduation, college enrollment, and college persistence rates than their non-participating peers.
In 2024, After School Matters purchased a 36,000-square-foot facility at 1065 N. Orleans in the Cabrini neighborhood and began renovations in January 2025. The renovations have turned it into a collaborative teen-centric space that offers a black box theater, gymnasium, state-of-the-art culinary kitchen, art studios, STEM labs, innovation lab, skilled trades lab, and outdoor spaces for urban gardening. The new building will serve up to 1,500 teens each year.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$50 provides guitar strings for a music program.
$100 furnishes tools for a jewelry-making program.
$250 provides one stipend for a diverse learner in a school-year program.
$500 provides round-trip transportation for a field trip for one ASM program.
$1,000 covers supplies for a teen art program.
Donate to After School Matters
Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. Their vision is a world without Alzheimer’s and dementia.
The Alzheimer’s Association works on a national and local level to provide care and support for all those affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Their education programs for the general public, both online and in person, feature information on topics such as diagnosis, warning signs, communication, living with Alzheimer’s disease, and caregiving.
As the largest nonprofit funder of Alzheimer’s research, the Association is committed to advancing vital research toward methods of treatment, prevention, and ultimately, a cure. The Association is the leading voice for Alzheimer’s disease advocacy, fighting for critical Alzheimer’s research and care initiatives at the state and federal levels.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides one care consultant to assist a caregiver in distress.
$500 covers the costs associated with a one-hour community education program.
$1000 sponsors an early-stage advisor to speak at a conference and share their experiences and coping strategies.
Donate to Alzheimer’s Association
The American Red Cross
The American Red Cross is committed to preventing and alleviating human suffering across the country and around the world. It shelters, feeds, and provides comfort to individuals and families impacted by disasters, while supplying nearly 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply. Beyond disaster response and blood services, the Red Cross empowers communities by teaching critical skills such as CPR, first aid, and water safety, helping people save lives every day.
Internationally, the Red Cross distributes humanitarian aid and offers vital support to veterans, active military members, and their families, providing both practical assistance and emotional care. This essential work is made possible by a dedicated network of volunteers and the generosity of the American public.
In 2025, the climate crisis continued to take a devastating toll on communities across the United States. As disasters grow more frequent and severe, people nationwide turn to the American Red Cross for relief, care, and hope in the face of crisis.
On average, the Red Cross responds to more than 65,000 disasters across the country each year, from hurricanes, wildfires, and floods to countless home fires that upend families every day. These events are part of a growing trend: the organization now responds to nearly twice as many large-scale disasters as it did just a decade ago. Volunteers from the Illinois Red Cross have been on the front lines, providing shelter, meals, and comfort to thousands of people affected by this year’s storms, floods, and fires, while also continuing to care for families at home recovering from local emergencies such as home fires.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$1000 covers the cost of providing emergency preparedness training to 100 children.
$500 provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 25 people affected by disasters.
$250 can help keep 50 people warm with blankets after a disaster.
The American Writer’s Museum
The American Writers Museum in downtown Chicago is the nation’s first and only museum celebrating American writers and their work, and its influence on history, culture, and daily lives. Modern, interactive exhibits spotlight writers from throughout American history. Public programs with contemporary authors promote today’s writers, and the Write In youth education program inspires the writers of the next generation, using specially-designed curricula and the museum itself as a resource.
Everything in the museum, from touchscreens to typewriters, encourages visitors to learn and feel inspired. With more than 400 five-star reviews and a 2024 Traveler’s Choice Award on TripAdvisor, the AWM is realizing its vision to become the recognized center for the celebration of American writers and writing. The AWM is funded almost completely by contributions from individuals and grants.
The AWM’s mission is to excite audiences about the impact of American writers— past, present, and future— in shaping our collective histories, cultures, identities, and daily lives. In 2026, the AWM will host programs related to the new special exhibit, American Prophets: Writers, Religion, and Culture, on view throughout 2026. AWM will also host the 2026 American Writers Festival, a free, day-long event featuring contemporary writers in all genres as well as other related activities.
The AWM will continue to grow the reach of its Write In youth education program by hosting field trips and expanding curricula that can be accessed online by teachers anywhere. All in-person and online educational experiences are subsidized for qualifying schools in low-income areas, thanks to donor support.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
A gift of $100 provides a three-month supply of typewriter ribbons
A gift of $500 brings in a classroom of Chicago-area students from a low-income community to the museum for a free field trip.
A gift of $1,000 serves 100 students with an intensive, 8-week online curriculum that supports classroom writing instruction.
Donate to American Writers Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago is committed to sharing collections and inspiring an expansive, inclusive understanding of human creativity. Visitors enjoy landmark exhibitions, engaging public programming, in-gallery learning, and onsite art-making opportunities. The museum offers robust free access programs for Illinois residents, students, educators, and more.
The Art Institute of Chicago shares its singular collections with Chicago and the world. They collect, care for, and interpret works of art across time, cultures, geographies, and identities, centering the vision of artists and makers. They recognize that all art is made in a particular context, demanding continual, dynamic reconsideration in the present.
The Art Institute of Chicago is a place of gathering; they foster the exchange of ideas and inspire an expansive, inclusive understanding of human creativity. The upcoming exhibitions include a major retrospective celebrating the unbounded creative practice of American architect Bruce Goff, a display of Matisse’s extraordinary images of Jazz, and an exhibition dedicated to the uncompromising and fearless Mary Cassatt. The Art Institute is continuing to build out in-gallery programs, with writing workshops and mindfulness tours. As school group attendance continues to grow, the Art Institute is refining and growing offerings for youth, students, and caregivers.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides support for artmaking materials for a free teen studio workshop, such as Experimental Weaving or Painting Personal Landscapes
$500 supports a free community artmaking activity, available at public celebrations like Switch on Summer.
$1000 supports two school buses to bring CPS students to the museum for a student-centered, interactive guided tour.
Donate to Art Institute of Chicago
Associated Colleges of Illinois
Every driven, talented student should not have to choose between meeting their basic needs and earning a degree to pursue their dreams. A gift to Associated Colleges of Illinois directly impacts first-generation and low-to-moderate income students, helping them persist, graduate, and build brighter futures.
Associated Colleges of Illinois (ACI) champions student success by supporting its member institutions in expanding access, improving persistence outcomes, and preparing future leaders to thrive in their careers and communities throughout Illinois. They empower first-generation and low-to-moderate income students to earn their degrees, unlocking the path to economic mobility. Through targeted programs, ACI fosters persistence and degree completion. Donor support provides emergency financial aid, scholarships, and professional development that help students overcome barriers and succeed.
ACI proudly promotes the value of its member schools while partnering with organizations like Braven and Parker Dewey to enhance career readiness. Together, they equip students with the tools they need to learn, persist, and secure strong first jobs after graduation.
All funds raised directly support students. If a program reaches full funding, they allocate your generous gift to another program to help as many students as possible.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 repairs a student’s broken cell phone or laptop. This simple fix means the difference between falling behind and thriving in school and career preparation.
$500 helps a student walk into class prepared and confident. This amount covers the cost of textbooks and school supplies, empowering them to fully engage in their education and reach their academic potential.
$1,000 delivers immediate financial assistance to protect a student’s well-being, health, safety, and ability to stay in school after a crisis. You become a lifeline during their most vulnerable moments.
Donate to Associated Colleges of Illinois
Ballet 5:8
Ballet 5:8 is a female- and minority-led ballet company dedicated to creating world-class dance that grows from faith and welcomes every community. Founded in 2012, Ballet 5:8 creates and performs original works that explore the beauty and complexity of the human experience, fostering empathy and hope. In the year ahead, Ballet 5:8 will continue to tour nationally, provide scholarships for pre-professional dancers, and expand community engagement programs that make transformative art accessible to all.
Ballet 5:8 sparks conversation of life, faith, and human dignity through powerful storytelling and breathtaking dance— challenging assumptions about who ballet is for, where it belongs, and what it can say.
Each season, Ballet 5:8 presents original works that illuminate the human experience and invite dialogue on timely and timeless themes.
In the coming year, Ballet 5:8 will debut an exciting new full-length ballet inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe, blending literary depth with breathtaking choreography. They are also launching an endowment campaign to ensure long-term sustainability and support for artists, productions, and community programs. Additionally, Ballet 5:8 is pursuing the development of a permanent home, a space that will serve as both a creative hub for artists and a welcoming destination for the community.
Through these initiatives, Ballet 5:8 continues to expand its impact—using the power of dance to spark conversation, inspire imagination, and cultivate hope.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 underwrites one bilingual ballet class, including teacher salary and curriculum, helping break language barriers and share the joy of movement with students who might not otherwise have access to the arts.
$500 provides a need-based scholarship for one semester of dance classes for a 6-year-old at School of Ballet 5:8, opening the door for a young dancer to grow in skill, confidence, and creativity.
$1,000 strengthens Ballet 5:8’s future by contributing to the endowment fund and permanent home campaign, ensuring a lasting foundation for artists and audiences for years to come.
Batavia Mothers’ Club Foundation
Batavia Mothers’ Club Foundation is run entirely by local moms volunteering their time to improve the lives of children in the community.
The foundation members volunteer their time at community events, organize yearly coat and winter gear drives, and create fundraisers like the annual Pie Bake Off, Bunco, and Fox Trot 5k/10k run. Last year, Batavia Mothers’ Club Foundation distributed more than $15,000 to local nonprofits and teachers who are working to improve the lives of local kids.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 helps to spread the word about fundraisers by covering printing costs for posters and fliers.
$500 makes the holidays bright by supporting the local United Way Adopt a Family program by purchasing gifts for three kids.
$1000 supplies diapers and baby necessities for the local Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry and Clothes Closet.
Donate to Batavia Mothers’ Club Foundation
Big Shoulders Fund
For nearly four decades, Big Shoulders Fund has tackled the pressing challenge of educational inequity. With a steadfast commitment to creating opportunities, the organization has empowered hardworking and talented children from under-resourced communities and families with limited financial means to pursue brighter futures.
Over the years, Big Shoulders Fund has expanded its focus from being solely a provider of scholarships, operational support, and capital funding to addressing the broader needs of children, schools, and neighborhoods. In 2020, the organization launched Big Shoulders Fund Plus— a transformative plan to take on a leadership role for 38 of its network schools across Chicago’s most underserved neighborhoods through a 10-year, more than $100 million commitment. The goal is not just to strengthen schools, but whole communities, and prepare students for life-long success.
Big Shoulders Fund is an independent charitable organization that serves schools with demonstrated need, which provide a quality, values-based education for students, thereby contributing to stronger communities. Big Shoulders Fund is unique in that it has an endowment and other income to support administrative expenses. One hundred percent of funds currently raised support four major areas — scholarships and enrichment, operational improvements, academic programs, and leadership development.
Big Shoulders Fund is dedicated to investing in interventions and supports that empower students to explore their passions, develop skills and competencies that will support their long-term success, and gain the resources and tools to help students pave paths forward to achieve their dreams.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100: Essential classroom supplies, books for the classroom library, a small whiteboard, and dry-erase markers
$500: Specialized kits for hands-on science experiments, a set of classroom printers, and a set of headphones for learning activities
$1,000: scholarship and tuition assistance, after-school programming including STEM, arts, and literacy, instructional coaching for teachers
Brushwood Center
Brushwood Center works toward a future of resilient and connected communities, both human and ecological, where all lead healthy and thriving lives.
Brushwood Center works collaboratively with community partners, artists, health care providers, and scientists to improve health equity and access to nature in Lake County, Illinois, and the Chicago region. They engage people with the outdoors through the arts, environmental education, and community action. Brushwood Center’s programs focus on youth, families, Military Veterans, and those facing racial and economic injustices.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides materials for Brushwood Center’s “Nature Explorer Backpack” project, an annual initiative that distributes backpacks to more than 1,300 youth in high-need communities to empower them to explore the outdoors.
$500 covers bus transportation for a field trip to Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods for the educational programs. Brushwood brings youth across Cook and Lake Counties to experience nature and the arts.
$1,000 supports Veterans through Brushwood Center’s therapeutic nature-based workshops in photography, music, painting, and more throughout the year. This donation helps cover the cost of supplies, cameras, teaching artists, and equipment.
By The Hand Club
By The Hand is a Christ-centered, after-school program that takes kids by the hand and walks with them from kindergarten through college, loving and nurturing them—mind, body, and soul.
By The Hand began in 2001 with 16 children from Cabrini-Green. Since then, they have witnessed transformation within the lives of kids—and within the organization. Thanks to the countless people who started with one step, one gift, one prayer, one student, By The Hand now serves more than 2,000 kids from Cabrini-Green, Altgeld-Murray, Austin, North Austin, and Englewood.
This year, By The Hand launched Bowen Harvest, a hydroponic container farm yielding four acres of produce in just 500 sq. feet annually, and opened a permanent structure for Austin Harvest, a student-led fresh food market, bringing hope and healing to the community. By The Hand’s newest club, a 150,000 sq. ft. facility, part of North Austin Community Center’s 10-acre campus, plans to serve 250 students and their families this year.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 nourishes 35 students with one dinner
$500 provides college students with travel assistance and emergency support
$1,000 gives three students Chromebooks with access to literacy software
C. G. Jung Center
The C. G. Jung Center, a nonprofit organization located in Evanston, Illinois, is dedicated to fostering spiritual and psychological growth and well-being. The Center provides a supportive environment for individuals seeking deeper self-understanding and personal development through clinical services and public programs.
The June Singer Clinic for Psychotherapy offers affordable, Jungian-based therapy for individuals seeking healing and a more conscious sense of purpose. The Clinic accepts BCBS PPO and Choice plans. For self-pay clients, they offer a sliding scale fee based on income, dependents, and other financial obligations, ensuring that quality care remains accessible to all.
The C. G. Jung Center Public Programs provide a wide range of educational opportunities open to everyone. Through year-round workshops, lectures, ongoing groups, and artistic performances, participants can explore Jungian ideas and their relevance to everyday life. The Center also offers a bimonthly professional consultation group for volunteer and staff therapists.
The Center’s mission is to offer affordable, Jungian-oriented psychotherapy and provide education on Jungian thought, practice, and related topics. Jungian depth psychotherapy goes beyond addressing immediate personal challenges. This therapeutic approach seeks to uncover and explore the deeper psychological and spiritual dynamics that may underlie those difficulties. Dreams and other imaginative methods often play a vital role in this process, guiding individuals toward insight, problem-solving, and a more conscious sense of life’s meaning and purpose.
In keeping with the overall mission of the Center, the Clinical Services division strives to help individuals strengthen, renew, or restore their connection to the deeper self—fostering a transformative journey toward greater meaning, consciousness, and wholeness.
Key initiatives for 2026 include expanding the scope of clinical services, improving social media presence, and maintaining the quality of the programs.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 helps enhance the design and quality of program flyers and posters
$500 allows the Center to engage a media consultant to expand reach on social media
$1,000 helps retain the highly skilled professionals who provide clinical services
Donate to The C. G. Jung Center
C24/7: Father’s Arm’s Ministries
Since the beginning, C24/7 believed that true transformation happens through relationships —not just programs. What began as a small Bible study in an apartment has grown into a ministry where youth and families experience hope, healing, and the love of Christ every day. God has shown that faithful relationships can break cycles of poverty, trauma, and isolation. The community behind C24/7 walks alongside people —loving, serving, and staying present through the highs and lows.
C24/7 is a non-profit organization dedicated, through the power of Jesus Christ, to improving the lives of children and young adults in the North of Howard neighborhood by providing the necessary tools, security, and environment they need to thrive academically, economically, socially, and spiritually.
Today, C24/7 stands at a pivotal moment. With the launch of VISION 2030 Capital Investment, C24/7 is boldly stepping into the next phase of its mission: building the C24/7 House of Hope —a two-story, 14,673-square-foot facility. This space will be a hub of relational care and intensive services that allow the organization to go deeper with the families it serves. This next step is about creating space that matches the scale of need in the community. It’s about addressing a growing need with more profound, life-giving support.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
This year, C24/7 aims to grow its After School Program to reach 70 youth, grades K-12.
$1,000 provides a month of meals for the After School students.
$500 provides a monthly stipend for teen workers.
$250 helps provide education technology for the students.
$100 provides grocery support for one family.
$25 provides school supplies for the students.
Donate to C24/7: Father’s Arm’s Ministries
Changent
Changent is a national organization with a community focus — partnering with communities to support children and families facing significant barriers to health and well-being and build a more comprehensive continuum of care. Together with community partners, Changent offers scalable, data-driven programs—Child First and Nurse-Family Partnership — that support the long-term health and well-being of children and families.
Changent believes that it’s possible to strengthen systems of care to better meet the needs of every child and family. Child First provides mental health intervention and support services through a proven home visiting model that builds and strengthens relationships between caregivers and their children. Nurse-Family Partnership equips first-time moms with the support and information to create better futures for themselves and their babies. Because when every family has the resources they need to thrive, health outcomes are improved for generations to come.
Changent champions the health and well-being of families and children by improving health outcomes through data-driven programs that are grounded in decades of research. During a time of so much uncertainty, Changent is committed to ensuring the resilience of local partners and the young families they serve.
Last year, Changent served nearly 60,000 families with more than 600,000 home visits. They are committed to ensuring families always have someone in their corner. Child First and Nurse-Family Partnership home visitors empower children and families with the resources and support that help them access comprehensive services, build trust and connections, and strengthen their stability. Changent is breaking cycles of trauma and poverty and building healthier, more resilient futures.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$25 provides a crucial service like a prenatal wellness screening from an NFP Nurse Home Visitor.
$50 allows a Child First clinician to complete two parental depression screenings.
$500 funds travel to Washington, D.C. for one Parent Ambassador to speak with legislators and advocate on behalf of other families served by Child First and NFP.
Chicago Architecture Center
The Chicago Architecture Center celebrates Chicago and inspires people everywhere to explore the importance of design in their communities. Key 2026 initiatives include the annual Engineering Fest, CAC’s free premier family event, where young people imagine and design the worlds they want, need, and deserve. Also popular is the Girls Build! Program, where participants explore Chicago’s built environment, gain architecture and design skills, and learn from women who are leading the way in STEAM fields, all in a gender-affirming environment.
Through We Build, CAC introduces students from 6th to 8th grade to architecture and design. The 15-month Teen Fellowship provides Chicago youth with a unique opportunity to build foundational architecture skills. The Trades Pre-Apprenticeship Experience, designed for young adults aged 18 to 24, is conceived to jumpstart a successful career in the building trades.
Donations fuel the CAC’s mission to educate and inspire through engaging programs and exhibitions. By contributing to the CAC, you help to continue enriching lives through the celebration of Chicago’s rich architectural heritage and empowering citizens to take part in shaping a vibrant future for Chicago.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 covers two tickets for low-income students to experience the CAC Architecture River Cruise for the first time, during which they’ll learn about the architects who created Chicago’s magnificent buildings—and the stories behind them.
$500 covers tuition for a Teen Fellow to take a Digital Lab course, part of a two-year intensive program for Chicago Public Schools students interested in architecture, engineering, construction, and urban planning.
$1000 supports supplies for summer camp programming for 10 students. Free summer camp sessions include Girls Build!, Teen Fellows, Teen Saturday Studios, and the Newhouse Competition, now in its 44th year.
Donate to Chicago Architecture Center
Chicago Public Library Foundation
Chicago Public Library Foundation is the exclusive fundraising partner of the Chicago Public Library — launching, growing, and sustaining lifelong learning programs for Chicagoans of all ages, from providing homework help to students, creative and leadership opportunities for teens, and supporting Chicagoans on their digital learning journey with one-on-one coaching and assistance.
More than 2,300 individual, business, and foundation partners help the Chicago Public Library Foundation advance literacy in all forms, connect communities, and support a more informed and engaged city, both online and across the city’s 81 branches.
The Library Foundation accelerates the potential of Chicago’s public library by investing in resources that transform lives and communities through three impact priorities: closing the academic opportunity gap, activating connection and creativity, and bridging the digital divide.
A key initiative for 2026 is the activation of 81 Club, a groundbreaking initiative that automatically provides library accounts to all Chicago Public School students. In partnership with the Library, the Foundation aims to ensure all students can participate in the different learning programs the Library offers, maximizing their library card at home, in school, and in the branches.
Early results from research conducted by the University of Chicago’s Chapin Hall showed that the 81 club has a broad reach among those students who most benefit from Library access, including lower-income youth and English-language learners.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 funds one afternoon of homework help with a Teacher in the Library.
$500 empowers 40 teens with year-round digital media, creative, and leadership experiences.
$1,000 delivers 40 sessions of digital literacy support with a Cybernavigator.
Donate to Chicago Public Library Foundation
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
For nearly 40 years, Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) has invited all to share powerful stories that connect and inspire communities across three stages, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world. A Tony Award-winning institution, CST is a home for new works expanding the theatrical canon, as well as Chicago’s leading theater for Shakespeare.
With initiatives like Bard Core, a free program that assists teachers in classroom techniques for Shakespeare, and SLAM, a multi-faceted program reaching more than 150 students focusing on Shakespeare text in action, CST is proud to bring Shakespeare’s classics into today’s world. Situated on Navy Pier, ‘the people’s pier,’ Chicago Shakespeare believes theater is for all and aims to break barriers for accessible, live theater both at home and around the globe.
Chicago Shakespeare Theater creates and advances art to reveal the diversity, power, and mystery of the human experience. Their bold, visionary productions and programs sit at the cultural crossroads of Chicago, giving voice to stories that bridge countries, cultures, communities, and generations.
Chicago Shakespeare Theater develops extraordinary productions, featuring Shakespeare and other classic performances, world premieres of exciting new theater, and international works; creative learning, offering robust education programs that support teachers and students in their literacy journey; and community partnership, making arts programming accessible to more Chicagoans while elevating the voices of artists of color.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides three tickets for the $30 Under 30 ticket program for young professionals.
$500 allows an entire classroom to attend a student matinee, providing hands-on access to professional live theater and classroom resources to promote discussion and collaboration.
$1000 sponsors a Shakes in the City performance in one of the 20+ partner communities across the city, bringing an adapted Shakespeare show to their local park and enhancing pre-existing programming in their neighborhoods
Donate to Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Cinema/Chicago
Cinema/Chicago is the nonprofit organization behind the Chicago International Film Festival and seven other public programs, including Summer Screenings, Community Cinema, and the CineYouth Festival.
Cinema/Chicago enriches the community through year-round programming devoted to international and independent cinema. They strengthen communication and inspire empathy among people of diverse cultures through artistic, educational, and creative development programs that promote discovery and discussion and inspire new visions of the future.
Alongside the Chicago International Film Festival, Cinema/Chicago presents programs like Summer Screenings, Community Cinema, and the CineYouth Festival, spotlighting young filmmakers under 22. In 2026, Cinema/Chicago will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its Black Perspectives program with year-round events leading up to the 62nd Festival, expand accessibility offerings across more programs, and add two new youth engagement events — reaching new audiences, uplifting diverse voices, and demonstrating the power of cinema to educate, inspire, and connect communities.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 supports Festival operations, helping present unforgettable film experiences for Chicago communities.
$500 brings one free screening to the Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago History Museum, Kennedy-King College, or the National Museum of Mexican Art, making cinema accessible to communities citywide.
$1,000 provides accessibility accommodations for one Festival film, including captioning, ASL interpretation, audio description, or sensory-friendly spaces.
$2,500 covers travel and hospitality for one filmmaker, allowing them to connect directly with audiences and share their story.
City Year Chicago
City Year Chicago (CYC) is a youth development organization that recruits AmeriCorps Members (ACMs) to commit to a year of service in Chicagoland schools. Their 220 ACMs are working in 32 schools and serving more than 14,000 students across Chicago in the 2024-2025 school year.
ACM partners with teachers to help students remain on track to graduate, focusing on the core indicators of student success. In the 23-24 school year, 59 percent of students tutored by ACMs met or exceeded one year of growth in English Language Arts, and 54 percent met or exceeded one year of growth in mathematics. Additionally, 88 percent of students stayed on track in English Language Arts with a C or higher, and 90 percent of students stayed on track in mathematics with a C or higher.
The mission of City Year Chicago (CYC) is to advance educational equity and empower under-resourced communities by providing learning environments that maximize student potential, while developing and deploying the next generation of civic-minded change agents.
The primary goal of CYC is to help students remain on track to graduate via the Whole School, Whole Child model, a research-based program focusing on the “ABC indicators” of student success— Attendance, Behavior, and Course Performance in English and math. Corps members provide one-on-one and small group support for students in academics, attendance, and social-emotional learning. ACMs also plan and implement incentive activities that provide positive reinforcement for students showing improvement. City Year teams plug into existing attendance, behavior, and afterschool initiatives, and facilitate family engagement events.
The secondary goal of CYC is to support AmeriCorps members (18-24 years) so they have a plan for college or career after their year of service.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides supplies and educational materials for tutoring sessions, allowing AmeriCorps Members to deliver impactful, individualized support to students
$500 provides holistic wellness support to enhance AmeriCorps Members’ well-being and mental health
$1,000 directly supports Learning and Development Days for AmeriCorps Members
Community Youth Network
CYN Counseling Center has supported Lake County and surrounding communities for nearly 50 years with practical, accessible mental health care for children, teens, adults, and families. Their therapists provide individual, family, and couple counseling, school-based therapy, crisis intervention, parent education programs, restorative practice support in schools, and specialized services for families involved with child welfare. CYN offers many services in English and Spanish, and most clients receive free or significantly reduced-cost care.
CYN serves thousands of people each year in their Grayslake center and in several schools across Northern Lake County. Clients come for support with anxiety, depression, trauma, stress, relationship concerns, and emotional or behavioral challenges. They also offer youth mentoring, groups for teens, and programs that help parents strengthen communication and create safer, more stable home environments. CYN works closely with partners to expand access to mental health care where it’s needed most.
In 2026, CYN will focus on growing its school-based therapy program, increasing group offerings for teens, expanding parent education in both languages, and strengthening collaborations with schools and community partners to reach families earlier and more effectively. CYN aims to make mental health support easy to access, responsive to community needs, and grounded in practical care that helps people move forward.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$1,000 provides 14 counseling sessions each year for an individual who would otherwise go without care.
$750 provides 9 weeks of summer therapy for a student who would otherwise lose access when school is out.
$500 provides 6 weeks of intervention for someone in crisis.
$250 offers three trauma counseling sessions for a domestic violence survivor.
$150 provides one full family therapy session.
$75 offers surge protectors for six homes in the Intact Families program.
$50 provides materials for two parents in the Nurturing Families Program.
$25 provides supplies for a child’s art therapy session.
Donate to Community Youth Network
Conservation Corps North Bay
Conservation Corps North Bay (CCNB), the oldest local nonprofit youth conservation corps in the country, is a paid job training program that helps young adults navigate barriers to achieve their career goals. Since its founding in 1982, CCNB has helped thousands of young people earn their high school diplomas and valuable job training skills, while providing meaningful service to the environment and community members in Sonoma and Marin counties.
The young people enrolled in CCNB are working hard to take the next step on their path to a sustainable career. Not only are they gaining paid experience and earning certifications on special projects like preserving local natural habitats and collecting recyclable materials, but they are also affecting positive change and learning about the environmental impact humans have had on communities. All corpsmembers receive individual support in career exploration, soft skills training, identifying job openings, mock interviews, and submitting applications.
CCNB’s mission is to develop youth and conserve natural resources for a resilient, sustainable, and equitable community. CCNB’s model is designed to meet the needs of vulnerable youth facing multiple barriers to employment: obtaining a high school diploma, learning English, gaining work and job readiness, and accessing critical services, including housing, childcare, transportation, and healthcare. Despite the systemic barriers that many corpsmembers face, they exhibit significant strength and determination to accomplish their goals.
CCNB’s comprehensive suite of services is a year-round initiative that acts as a launching pad for corpsmembers, preparing them to enter a living-wage career and become active members of the communities in which they live. This year, CCNB aims to continue the goal of 70 percent of successful corpsmembers in a positive placement after exiting CCNB, such as employed, in school, or in a job training program, and earning an average of $21 per hour.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides breakfast for eight crews of corpsmembers before a day of work in the field on projects such as fire fuel reduction and habitat restoration.
$500 buys a new pair of work boots for five corpsmembers who are working to preserve natural habitats, collect and properly dispose of e-waste, or reduce acres of fire fuel on private and public land.
$1,000 covers tuition for supplemental courses at local community and junior colleges.
Donate to Conservation Corps North Bay
Conservation Nation
We provide grants and funding to a diverse group of emerging and established conservationists from underrepresented communities who are working to protect threatened species around the world. Through our Earthkeepers Network, we offer professional development and capacity-building support to help them thrive. These conservationists are then featured in our free, online lessons, giving students from underserved communities the chance to see themselves reflected in conservation careers. Our education programs go beyond the classroom, helping students get outdoors, build confidence in nature, and begin a lifelong connection to the natural world.
Conservation Nation lifts barriers to build a more inclusive, representative, and stronger community of conservationists and young wildlife champions. Through support and capacity building for field conservationists, and free, online conservation lessons for students, Conservation Nation hopes to inspire the next generation of planet champions and reach 500,000 students with lessons in the next year, and provide up to five additional grants to conservationists working around the world.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides a set of classroom books, microscopes, or bionoculars for a Conservation Nation Academy school.
$500 provides a teacher stipend to support professional development and support for Conservation Nation Academy lesson integration into the middle school curriculum.
$1,000 funds field trips for two Conservation Nation Academy schools to get students into nature.
Cradles to Crayons Chicago
Cradles to Crayons provides children in homeless or low-income situations with the essentials they need to thrive – at home, at school, and at play. They do this through their three-part, community-based model. First, they collect new and gently used donations of clothing, shoes, outerwear, diapers, hygiene items, and more at 70+ locations throughout Chicagoland. Next, they welcome volunteers of all ages and abilities to help sort, quality check, and prepare donations for distribution. Finally, they partner with 65+ social service agencies across the region to distribute these items to the kids and families who need them. This fiscal year, Cradles to Crayons Chicago will distribute at least 349,000 packages of essentials to Chicagoland families – or more than 2.3 million items!
Cradles to Crayons works to provide Chicagoland children with essentials such as seasonally appropriate clothing, shoes, hygiene items, winter coats, snow boots, diapers, wipes, school supplies, and more. Through a collaborative network of social service agencies across the region, Cradles to Crayons provides services free of charge, helping ensure kids in low-income situations have all the items they need to thrive.
Cradles to Crayons’ Everyday Essentials initiative provides essential items year-round to the kids who need them. This season, the Gear Up for Winter initiative will provide 50,000 winter coats to local families, in addition to warm clothing and pajamas, hats and gloves, snow boots, and more. During the summer, Cradles to Crayons distributed 100,000 brand-new backpacks full of new school supplies through the Ready for Learning initiative so that kids have the supplies they need for a successful school year.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$15 provides a child with a high-quality, warm winter coat
$100 distributes seven coats to local children experiencing poverty
$500 provides 33 coats
$1000 provides 67 coats
Donate to Cradles to Crayons Chicago
Crushers Club
Crushers Club is a violence prevention non-profit located in the Englewood community on the south side of Chicago. Their mission is to be the strongest alternative to gangs by providing the support and tools needed to restore individuals’ paths and rebuild their communities.
The core values of Crushers Club are love, ownership, respect, and discipline. They serve young men 12 to 19 who are involved or at risk of being involved in the justice system. They are a youth-operated, workforce-centered program that offers workforce employment and training, mentoring, Tax Prep classes, construction, boxing, culinary, and welding programs. In the last 12 months, Crushers Club employed more than 129 young men who worked more than 29,000 hours and earned combined wages of $450,000, which resulted in the lowest recidivism rates to date.
The mission behind Crushers Club is to be the strongest alternative to gangs and the streets. They replicated the gang model without the guns and crime. They compete with the streets on a wage basis. Their goal for next year is to employ more than 200 high-risk teens and expand their model to other communities through a Crushers certification program.
Crushers Club is funded by Cook County, the State of Illinois, and many other funders and individuals. They are in the top 1 percent of non-profit financials with only 9 percent of funding going to admin and 90 percent going directly to programming. Crushers Club always has a waiting list of about 50 young men, and their goal is to expand to meet ongoing demand.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides water for 55 young men for a month
$500 pays for gas for a month of transportation
$1000 provides food for a month of programming
Fenix Family Health Center
Fenix Family Health Center provides compassionate, barrier-free care to low-income, uninsured, and Spanish-speaking residents of Lake County, Illinois. Their mission is to ensure equitable access to high-quality healthcare, so every patient has the opportunity to thrive.
Fenix integrates primary care, behavioral health, and social support to address the whole person. In 2025, they opened a midwifery-led prenatal clinic with Endeavor Health and expanded their on-site dental suite to improve access to affordable oral care. They are also deepening mental health and community outreach efforts—offering art- and nature-based therapy, chronic disease management, and family resource navigation for those facing food or diaper insecurity. Together, these initiatives reflect the Fenix Family Health Center’s vision of transforming healthcare access and building healthier, more resilient communities across Lake County.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides essential medications, lab tests, and a same-day primary care visit for an uninsured patient—ensuring that no one is turned away due to cost.
$500 funds a full month of prenatal visits for an expectant mother, including care coordination and health education to promote a safe and healthy pregnancy.
$1,000 supports a week of integrated medical and behavioral health services at Fenix, connecting families with mental health counseling, chronic disease management, and vital social resources like food and diaper assistance.
Donate to Fenix Family Health Center
Fresh Start Surgical Gifts
Fresh Start Surgical Gifts is a California-based organization that helps children with physical deformities get the medical care they need to live happy, healthy childhoods. They serve those who cannot afford or access this highly specialized, expensive treatment due to being uninsured, under-insured, or geographically isolated.
Fresh Start Surgical Gifts transforms the lives of disadvantaged infants, children, and teens with physical deformities caused by birth defects, accidents, abuse, or disease through the gift of reconstructive surgery and related healthcare services. Fresh Start provides medical care for these children during their Surgery Weekend Program. Each eight-week Surgery Weekend Cycle includes an intensive two-day Surgery Weekend at one of the Fresh Start Clinics in the US, where qualified volunteer medical professionals provide extensive reconstructive and neurosurgical procedures. These operations and additional medical care are at no cost to the patients and their families.
The Surgery Weekend Program provides more than 800 reconstructive surgeries, dental procedures, laser treatments, speech therapy services, and various other procedures and consultations to approximately 350 children annually.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
Financial contributions fuel volunteer work during the Surgery Weekend Program, transforming every dollar into life-changing medical care for children who need it most. Fresh Start Surgical Gifts can leverage the donated medical care against the cash donations to create a multiplier effect.
Every dollar donated to Fresh Start provides $3.50 in medical care, and 100 percent of donations help fund direct costs from the Surgery Weekend Program. No amount of funds goes toward overhead costs.
Donate to Fresh Start Surgical Gifts
Garfield Park Conservatory & Gardens
The Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance is a non-profit organization that provides educational programming, events, and resources to Conservatory visitors. The Alliance was founded on the principle that a revitalized cultural institution and its resources could positively impact the quality of life for residents in Chicago’s West Side neighborhoods, predominantly Black and African American communities where historic disinvestment has impacted all aspects of community life.
The Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance’s mission is to change lives through the power of nature. Every donation or purchase of a GPCA Membership supports nature access and education on Chicago’s West Side. Contributions support the Urban Roots Teen Environmental Justice Program— 16 hours of free family programming every week— and capital improvements at the Conservatory & Gardens.
The goal of the Alliance is to become the most inclusive campus for nature education in the US. Next year, the Alliance will welcome thousands of families to the new EMG Children’s Garden, which features 6,000 square feet of indoor play space immersed in a lush, tropical garden. They will also open the Child Wild Exploration Garden— four acres dedicated to outdoor nature play. Their lobby is also undergoing a major renovation to improve visitor amenities, including more accessible options to meet the needs of all visitors.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 supports the purchase of seedlings used to grow fresh produce, which is then donated to community partners and pantries.
$500 provides hive supplies for our Head Beekeeper, who maintains more than 10 active hives on our campus with free beekeeping demonstrations for visitors.
$1,000 supports the hourly compensation of an Urban Roots Teen for their work at the Conservatory.
Donate to Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance
Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative
Support community-driven health equity in West Garfield Park, where residents face a 16-year life expectancy gap.
Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative works to improve the health, wellness, and quality of life for residents of West Garfield Park. Their flagship initiative, the Sankofa Wellness Center, represents the first major new construction in West Garfield Park since the 1960s. This transformative development creates a walkable wellness ecosystem along the Madison-Pulaski corridor, addressing decades of systemic disinvestment.
Key components of the collaborative supports, as a convener, include the MAC arts and cultural center, “The K” social innovation hub supporting resident-owned businesses, and the Westgate Community Grocer Initiative tackling food desert conditions. Through community-driven planning and the ongoing Quality of Life Plan process, the Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative is ensuring residents lead this transformation. Their collaborative approach brings together 14 founding organizations to create access to healthcare, economic opportunities, healthy food, and cultural programming—empowering the community to reclaim its future.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 supports community engagement sessions in the Quality of Life Plan process, ensuring resident voices shape the Village’s development. Your contribution helps facilitate asset mapping workshops where neighbors identify community strengths and needs, creating community-driven solutions.
$500 provides wellness programming at the Sankofa Village Wellness Center, providing preventive health services, fitness classes, or health education workshops that have been historically inaccessible to West Garfield Park residents.
$1,000 supports entrepreneurship development through “The K” social innovation hub, helping a resident launch or grow their business along the Madison-Pulaski corridor. This investment creates economic opportunities and helps resident-owned businesses develop, own, and occupy real estate in their own community, building generational wealth and neighborhood stability.
Donate to Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative
Girls in the Game
Girls in the Game provides sports, health, and leadership programs to girls across Chicago and beyond. Girls in the Game primarily works with girls of color on the south and west sides of Chicago, providing critical all-girl programming to girls living in low-income neighborhoods. Girls in the Game uses Sports-Based Youth Development (SBYD) principles, using sport as a tool to develop positive outcomes in girls’ lives. Through their programs, participants can try a variety of sports like soccer, lacrosse, yoga, and volleyball, while also learning about important health and leadership topics like self-advocacy and positive body image. By trying new sports in a welcoming environment, girls build confidence, make new friends, and develop leadership skills — skills that help girls excel in the outside world.
Since 1995, Girls in the Game has operated with the mission of helping every girl find her voice, discover her strength, and build confidence through fun and active sports, health, and leadership programs. This year, Girls in the Game will head into their 30th year of service, looking for additional ways to empower girls to speak up, stand out, and inspire future generations. Funding this year will go toward After School programming, Sports and Leadership Summer Camp, Teen Squad and Teen Club programming, and one-day programs. A newer initiative this year is looking at ways to engage Girls in the Game alumnae between the ages of 18-24, providing ongoing opportunities for professional development to serve young women after they have graduated high school.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 pays for 10 girls to attend one day of Girls in the Game’s After School Programming, where girls learn lessons on topics like body image, personal safety, and personal hygiene in a welcoming environment.
$500 pays for one year of scholarship money for a Teen Squad participant, helping them to save money for their future education.
$1000 pays for an entire Girls in the Game Regional Clinic, providing a safe place for girls to go when school is not in session to connect with coaches and other participants.
GO Campaign
GO Campaign believes every child deserves the right to opportunity. Opportunity to education, to medical care, to shelter, to food and clean water, to enrichment, to a fair chance in life. Founded in 2006, GO Campaign improves the lives of vulnerable children around the world by partnering with Local Heroes to deliver local solutions.
GO Campaign identifies and strengthens high-impact, grassroots projects aimed at changing lives and transforming communities, one child at a time. By seeking out and partnering with deserving local heroes worldwide, Go Campaign cuts out the red tape and directly assist grassroots organizations to provide children with critical services and resources. They offer support and raise awareness about these small, highly impactful organizations that might not otherwise come to your attention.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
On average, it only takes $35 to change a child’s life — to help them go from surviving to thriving.
Goodman Theatre
Goodman Theatre, Chicago’s oldest and largest not-for-profit theater, has won international renown for the quality of its productions, the depth and diversity of artistic leadership, and the excellence of its many community and educational programs. Under the guidance of Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, the Goodman is committed to producing both classic and contemporary works, giving full voice to a wide range of artists and visions. Central to that mission is the Goodman Artistic Collective, a diverse group of outstanding theater artists whose distinctive visions have given the Goodman an artistic identity of uncommon richness and variety.
By dedicating itself to three guiding principles—quality, diversity, and community—Goodman Theatre seeks to be the premier cultural organization in Chicago, providing productions and programs that make an essential contribution to the quality of life in our city. In the 2024/2025 Season, the Goodman will produce works including Chicago premieres, Broadway hits, and major revivals.
In the Education and Engagement space, the Goodman will have in-person programming for the School Matinee Series, serving more than 3,000 CPS High School students and teachers; GeNarrations, sparking creativity in more than 350 adults aged 55+; and summer direct-service programs for Chicagoland teens.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$1,000 provides support for young people in our PlayBuild and Musical Theatre summer intensives, where participants learn to build an ensemble, develop a story, and bring it to the stage.
$500 supports two playwrights through the New Stages Labs or new Stages Residencies as they develop a new play and present it to an audience.
$100 sponsors one artist in GeNarrations, a workshop sparking dynamic storytelling in adults aged 55+.
Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association
Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association (GLASA) strives to ensure no one sits on the sidelines. The GLASA mission is to empower and support youth, adults, and injured military Veterans who have a primary physical or visual disability through inclusive adaptive sports programs. GLASA has been serving the community for 25 years and supports athletes through resources, services, and 24 adaptive sports programs to empower the athletes to reach their highest potential in all pursuits of life.
GLASA is an athlete-first organization committed to excellence. GLASA is celebrating 25 years of inclusive programming and services for the adaptive community. Looking to the future, they help to expand programming and services both locally and in areas underserved for the adaptive community, extend partnerships to drive engagement and awareness, and establish a community home, a gathering space to foster community across our programs, athletes, staff, family, volunteers, and coaches.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$5,000 could provide team travel to regional and national competitions for one adaptive sport.
$4,000 could purchase one piece of customized adaptive equipment for a GLASA athlete.
$3,000 could cover the facility cost for one adaptive sport for a year.
$2,000 could provide one month of staff, equipment, and support for Veterans programs.
$1,000 could provide a full set of equipment for one sled hockey athlete.
$750 could cover the cost for GLASA to provide Camp Trek for one child with a disability to try adaptive sports for the first time.
$500 could provide necessary adaptive team apparel for one sport, like swim caps, jerseys, and more!
$250 could provide a one-year scholarship for one athlete with a disability to participate in unlimited GLASA programs.
$100 could purchase adaptive equipment for one sport, like balls, pucks, and more.
Donate to Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association
Greater Good Science Center, UCB
The Greater Good Science Center (GGSC) helps people discover connection, purpose, and well-being with tools grounded in cutting-edge research. Through their free articles, online courses, and popular Science of Happiness podcast, GGSC makes it easy to bring more kindness, resilience, and gratitude into everyday life.
GGSC resources empower teachers, parents, mental health professionals, and community leaders to build stronger relationships and bring people together. By sharing practical, science-based tools, they help individuals and communities thrive and work toward a more compassionate world—one where empathy, understanding, and belonging grow.
GGSC translates cutting-edge research into practical tools that foster well-being, empathy, and resilience. In the coming year, they plan to expand support for teachers with more workshops, community meetings, and online courses to help them build compassionate, connected classrooms. The new Parenting for the Greater Good workbook and workshops will offer strategies to support parents’ mental health and help them raise emotionally resilient children. GGSC will also grow programs for higher education leaders, teaching science-based skills to help them bridge divides and tackle today’s most pressing challenges by creating constructive dialogue on their campuses.
GGSC’s new multi-year projects exploring the roles of Forgiveness and Love in personal and social well-being will continue to help individuals and communities thrive. From educators and parents to community leaders around the world, the GGSC empowers people to create a better society for the greater good.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 can provide free science-based resources—like articles, podcast episodes, and toolkits—to people seeking practical strategies for emotional resilience and connection.
$500 can support online workshops and community meetings, equipping educators, parents, and leaders with tools to build more compassionate classrooms, families, and communities.
$1,000 can help grow initiatives like the Bridging Differences Fellowship, empowering participants to bridge divides and promote understanding across communities.
Donate to Greater Good Science Center, UCB
H.O.M.E
Housing Opportunities and Maintenance for the Elderly (H.O.M.E.) has championed as well as operated intergenerational affordable housing in Chicago for more than 40 years. The mission of H.O.M.E. is to help seniors remain independent and part of their community by offering intergenerational living and by providing a variety of housing support services.
H.O.M.E. operates housing support programs for seniors out in the neighborhoods: a home repair program for low-income homeowners on the south and west sides, a shopping bus for senior buildings, and moving assistance. Serving more than 600 predominantly older people annually in a supportive environment that recognizes their gifts as well as their needs is H.O.M.E.’s particular expertise.
In addition to continuing to provide its award-winning housing and programs, H.O.M.E.’s key initiatives for 2026 include ensuring the sustainability of its Upkeep & Repair Program, which is the only fully-staffed home repair program serving low-income seniors in Chicago; building the Fix Our Homes Illinois coalition, led by H.O.M.E., to expand home repair resources statewide; and producing an “Intergenerational Housing Manual” so other groups can replicate H.O.M.E.’s award-winning model.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$30 supports an activity — a Juneteenth celebration, Pride party, and more — for senior residents in our intergenerational housing
$60 funds an outing, like a theater or museum visit, for residents of our intergenerational housing
$120 helps H.O.M.E. provide 12 seniors with safe transportation to the grocery store on the south and west sides of Chicago
$600 underwrites the cost to help a senior move into safer, more accommodating housing
$1,000 covers labor, materials, and service fees for a major plumbing, electrical, or other repair for a senior homeowner, helping the homeowner stay independent and safe
$5,000 helps cover costs related to an apartment, meals, and activities for an older adult in one of our intergenerational buildings.
Harris Theater
The Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance is Chicago’s primary residence for music and dance, connecting diverse audiences with outstanding artists from across the city, the nation, and the world.
Founded specifically to serve Chicago’s vibrant community of small to midsize performing arts organizations, the Harris Theater is home to 30 Resident Companies performing in a wide variety of genres and cultural traditions. In addition to supporting these Resident Companies through a deeply subsidized rental rate and expert support from our staff, the Harris Theater Presents series brings the highest caliber artists from every corner of the world to Chicago to tell stories of human experiences from a multitude of perspectives through music and dance.
Woven through each aspect of our work are Community Engagement programs that ensure programming reaches as many Chicago community members as possible. The Education Residency Initiative builds pathways for youth to study the arts via masterclasses and artistic residency initiatives, and they partner with local Community Partner organizations to make programming accessible to patrons of all income levels through the Access Tickets program.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 underwrites four children and their family members from one of the Community Partner organizations attending a Harris Theater performance at no cost through our Access Tickets Program.
$500 provides free bus transportation to a Harris Theater performance for one of the Community Partners’ student groups through the Transportation Program.
$1,000 supports a free masterclass for Chicago students led by the world-class visiting artists performing on the Harris Theater stage through the Education Residency Initiative.
Have Dreams
Have Dreams is a local organization with a global impact. This Chicago-area autism resource organization, with locations in Park Ridge and Evanston, serves children, teens, and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Have Dreams’ mission is to help individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) learn, function independently, and socialize so that they may realize their full potential and develop into contributing members of their communities.
Founded in 1996, Have Dreams offers lifespan programs and services for individuals across the entire autism spectrum, employment and clinical counseling services, and a suite of autism-specific training and educational programs for parents, educators, and other professionals.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 will fund a parent/caregiver support group session
$500 will provide more autism-specific best practice trainings for teachers and other professionals
$1000 will provide workforce training program scholarships for individuals with autism enrolled in the Have Dreams Academy
Igniting Minds
Igniting Minds fuels academic success and expands opportunity for Chicago students through culturally relevant mentoring, tutoring, and college and career readiness programs. Igniting Minds works with peer mentors, college students, and young professionals who share relatable lived experiences, provide consistent academic support, role modeling, and real-world guidance. When students have access to opportunities, their world expands, and they begin to envision brighter futures for themselves.
Igniting Minds helps break the cycle of poverty by supporting students beyond the classroom through meals, mentoring, and academic enrichment. Research shows that students who are not proficient readers by third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school, and a high school dropout is 63 percent more likely to live in poverty. Access to academic support changes that trajectory.
In the coming year, Igniting Minds is strengthening their Sponsor a Student program. When you sponsor a student, you make it possible for them to receive weekly mentoring, academic enrichment, and guidance. Donations help students improve their grades, build confidence, and believe in what’s possible for their future. Students receive one-on-one tutoring three times a week, focusing on literacy and math skills, the building blocks of academic success.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides one week of academic tutoring & support. This support helps the student stay on grade level, build academic confidence, and experience success in the classroom.
$500 sponsors a student for one month with weekly mentoring and academic enrichment activities, plus healthy study snacks during each session, helping them stay focused and motivated.
$1,000 sponsors a student for an entire semester with ongoing weekly mentoring, three tutoring sessions a week, and access to learning materials and online academic platforms that reinforce school-day instruction.
Ignatian Spirituality Project
The Ignatian Spirituality Project (ISP) invites individuals in recovery from homelessness and addiction to encounter God’s love, hope, and healing through spiritual companionship that transforms lives. Across more than 20 cities, ISP offers overnight retreats and ongoing spiritual reflection circles where participants rediscover dignity, belonging, and purpose.
Each retreat offers time away in a safe, welcoming setting — a chance to rest, reflect, and share one’s story. Spiritual reflection circles extend that experience year-round, providing a rhythm of connection, prayer, and honest conversation that helps recovery take root.
In the year ahead, ISP will continue forming alumni leaders, supporting volunteer teams, and lifting up the sacred stories that reveal how healing happens in relationships.
Across the Ignatian Spirituality Project (ISP) network, people rebuilding their lives from homelessness and addiction find spaces of belonging where hope takes root and recovery deepens. Through retreats and ongoing reflection circles grounded in Ignatian spirituality, participants encounter God’s healing love and rediscover their own sacred stories.
ISP will continue to strengthen this spiritual recovery movement by expanding alumni leadership, deepening volunteer formation through the new Learning Lab platform, and sharing more stories that reveal how transformation unfolds in the community. Guided by their core values — Lived Experience Matters, Recovery Is for Everyone, Invitation Opens Doors, Transformed People Transform Others, and God Is Still Speaking — ISP will continue building a national community of love where each person’s healing ripples outward into families, neighborhoods, and renewed purpose.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$1,000 helps underwrite an overnight retreat for five participants.
$500 powers the work that makes a retreat possible, from team support to volunteer and alumni formation.
$100 supports four spiritual reflection sessions at a shelter.
Donate to Ignatian Spirituality Project
Illinois Holocaust Museum
Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center honors the survivors and victims of the Holocaust and other genocides by sharing powerful personal stories that inspire courage, resilience, and hope. Through cutting-edge technology, world-class exhibitions, and authentic artifacts, the Museum transforms history’s darkest chapters into timeless lessons in humanity.
Since opening in 2009, the Museum has impacted hundreds of thousands of visitors, students, educators, law enforcement professionals, and volunteers. In the 2024–2025 school year alone, 50,759 students and chaperones visited on school field trips, with nearly 40 percent supported by the Museum’s Scholarship program. Beyond its walls, nearly 10,000 students engaged with Teaching Trunks filled with artifacts, lesson plans, and survivor stories, while more than 300 educators enhanced their expertise through professional development workshops. The results speak volumes: 89 percent of educators reported that students gained a deeper sense of empathy and understanding— proof that learning from the past can transform the future.
Illinois Holocaust Museum’s mission is to Remember the Past, Transform the Future, and preserve the legacy of the Holocaust. The Museum honors the memories of those who were lost and those who survived by teaching universal lessons that combat hatred, prejudice, and indifference.
As antisemitism and hate continue to rise, the Museum is advancing its mission through major new initiatives. In Skokie, a comprehensive renovation of the Museum is taking place to modernize the building to welcome more visitors of all ages and abilities, featuring a new visitor center, state-of-the-art auditorium, and dedicated spaces for reflection and connection. Meanwhile, the recently opened Illinois Holocaust Museum presents Experience360 in downtown Chicago, expanding the Museum’s reach, bringing its powerful educational mission to new audiences in the heart of the city.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 underwrites admission and transportation for student field trips.
$500 sends a Mobile Virtual Reality Trunk into a classroom.
$1,000 supports ongoing training for educators on the history and lessons of the Holocaust.
Donate to Illinois Holocaust Museum
Ingenuity
Ingenuity exists to ensure that every Chicago Public Schools student has access to high-quality arts education, regardless of neighborhood, background, or learning environment. Since 2011, the work of Ingenuity has centered on building the conditions that make strong arts learning possible across the district.
Ingenuity works with CPS leaders, arts organizations, educators, and community members to create a system where schools have the support, infrastructure, and resources needed to offer consistent and meaningful arts instruction. Their approach is grounded in data and research that identify inequities and guide resources to where they are needed most. Ingenuity strengthens the field through shared learning and collaboration between schools and arts partners, and advocates for funding and policies that prioritize arts as a core part of public education. Through the Creative Schools Fund, Ingenuity also provides direct investment to CPS schools so students can experience rich and diverse arts programming in their classrooms.
In the year ahead, Ingenuity will deepen their commitment by launching an annual State of the Arts report, advancing their data and research tools, and investing directly in CPS schools through the Creative Schools Fund. They will also host institutes and citywide convenings to strengthen Chicago’s arts education ecosystem, and continue partnering closely with CPS to implement and begin shaping the strategies that bring the Arts Education Plan 2.0 to life.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 funds one hour of immersive arts programming with guest artists. This experience enriches in-school time by inspiring students through engaging workshops and demonstrations, igniting their creativity and passion for the arts.
$500 creates unforgettable memories through a field trip to a local museum or theater. This invaluable real-world arts experience allows students to connect with the arts outside the classroom, broadening their horizons and deepening their appreciation for culture.
$1,000 equips arts programs with essential hardware and equipment for performances and classes, including laptops, iPads, and 3D printers, all of which significantly enhance the educational experience by providing students with the tools they need to bring their creative visions to life.
Kenilworth Union Church
Kenilworth Union Church is an ecumenical church community. The church gathers to worship in search of God’s guidance and inspiration, and goes out to love and serve God and others. Independent of any particular denomination, the church’s identity comes from its devotion to God. The church actively supports outreach efforts for children, youth, and family ministries, and caring ministries across all life’s struggles and uncertainties.
Following God’s commandment to love our neighbors, Kenilworth Union is committed to serving the greater community in meaningful ways. Through the Outreach program, Kenilworth Union focuses on supporting children and their education, emergency services, physical and mental health, and agencies that provide a range of services to a particular impoverished community.
Each year, Kenilworth Union makes small grants to more than 30 not-for-profit benevolence agencies. In addition, their volunteers participate in various service programs, projects, or events at many of the supported agencies, all of which are selected during a formal annual process. The Kenilworth Union Holiday Gift Fund helps supplement funding and provide needed support to selected Kenilworth Union Outreach agencies that work with children and families to assist them during the holiday season.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides Christmas gifts to two or more children who otherwise may not receive anything
$500 supports an entire family for their Christmas
$1,000 gives a family a full Christmas, plus needed household items for the rest of the year
Donate to Kenilworth Union Church
Keshet
For more than 40 years, Keshet has been a leader in disability inclusion in the Chicagoland area and beyond. Through schools, camps, recreation and social programs, vocational support, adult services, and residential homes, nearly 600 youth and adults with disabilities benefit directly from Keshet support, with another 4,000 community members impacted each year. Keshet serves people with complex needs and from all backgrounds, with a commitment that no one should be turned away for an inability to pay for services.
Keshet creates a community of belonging where people of all abilities learn, play, work, live, and grow together. By offering individualized support, Keshet helps each participant thrive, fostering independence and lifelong skills.
In 2026, Keshet is launching First Friends, a brand-new program designed for families of babies with disabilities to enjoy play experiences and find a supportive community. Keshet is also piloting a new culinary and hospitality program for adults who will learn new skills to help the entire workforce. The new year will also bring exciting new developments in the construction of Keshet’s new community center in Highland Park. More than bricks and mortar, it’s about opening doors, expanding access, creating new opportunities, and making sure people with disabilities and the entire community have a true place of belonging.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides the opportunity for someone to experience being part of a team by covering the cost of a season of buddy baseball for one player.
$500 sponsors 14 hours of individualized job coaching for an adult gaining financial independence for the first time.
$1000 gives seven days of camp, fun, and friendship to a child who otherwise could not afford to attend.
Lever for Change
Lever for Change is a nonprofit donor advisor that connects funders with bold solutions to the world’s biggest problems—including issues like racial inequity, gender inequality, lack of access to economic opportunity, and climate change. Using an inclusive, equitable model and due diligence process, Lever for Change creates customized open call challenges and other tailored funding opportunities. Top-ranked teams and challenge finalists become members of the Bold Solutions Network—a growing global network that helps secure additional funding for as many applicants as possible, amplify members’ impact, and accelerate social change.
Founded in 2019 as a nonprofit affiliate of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Lever for Change has influenced more than $2.2 billion in grants to date and provided support to more than 500 organizations.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
All donations go to members of the Bold Solutions Network—a growing global network of highly rated organizations sourced across our challenges that are well-positioned to secure additional funding, amplify their impact, and accelerate social change.
Lurie Children’s
Lurie Children’s is the premier pediatric healthcare provider in the region and the top-ranked children’s hospital in Illinois. Their impact extends beyond medical care, as they strive to create a healthier future for every child in Chicago and beyond.
Lurie Children’s world-class research teams pursue cures for the most challenging pediatric conditions. Through the Patrick M. Magoon Institute for Healthy Communities, they actively address health disparities in local neighborhoods, utilizing innovative approaches such as the mobile health unit and forging partnerships in communities like Austin. Lurie Children’s Family Services team enhances the patient experience, offering kid-friendly and family-centered support through social work, child life specialists, and creative arts therapists.
Lurie Children’s is committed to ensuring that a family’s financial circumstances never determine a child’s health. The primary initiative for the upcoming year is to strengthen the Access for Every Child fund. This essential fund supports underinsured or uninsured families by covering necessary treatments, ranging from routine check-ups to critical second-opinion exams for serious diagnoses.
With about 60 percent of Lurie Children’s patients insured by Medicaid or CHIP and a 71 percent increase in uncompensated care throughout the last three years, enhancing this fund is vital. The demand for support among local families continues to grow, and contributions to the Access for Every Child fund empower us to meet every need. Donations ensure that no child is left without the care they require, allowing families to focus solely on their child’s health without the burden of financial stress.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides healthy groceries for one family for three months through the primary care clinic pantry
$500 provides memory-making materials and grief resources that help Child Life Specialists support families who have lost a child. Child Life Specialists are entirely funded by philanthropy, and families never receive a bill for their services.
$1,000 provides staff support for a pediatric oncology clinical trial, which will help discover new or more effective treatment options for children with cancer.
MAAFA Redemption Project
The MAAFA Redemption Project addresses gun violence in Chicago’s West Garfield Park by recognizing it as a symptom of a deeper moral crisis requiring healing from within. This faith-based nine-month residential program serves men ages 18 to 30, offering education, financial empowerment, mental health services, workforce development, and housing support.
Unlike typical intervention programs, MAAFA creates spaces for young people to heal, build dignity, and reimagine their community through relationship restoration—with family, peers, and police. Fellows receive life coaching, develop personalized plans, and participate in peace circles that rebuild trust.
Construction of the $8 million MAAFA Center for Arts and Activism at 4241 W. Washington Blvd. is expected to be completed by summer 2026. This center will house programs for young women through the Beautiful Seed Foundation and the Sankofa School for the Arts Block Club Chicago, expanding MAAFA’s holistic approach to community transformation through arts, education, and activism.
MAAFA will expand to serve 150 participants across multiple pathways. The flagship nine-month Annual Fellowship will serve 15 emerging adults (ages 18-30) with wraparound services including counseling, education, workforce development, and housing support. The Beautiful Seed program will serve 15 young women, focusing on confidence-building and career readiness. Additionally, MAAFA will launch an alumni support framework serving 120 graduates, providing ongoing coaching, mental health support, and career pathways. In partnership with RUSH University, clinical assessments will measure mental health improvements across all programs.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides critical wellness support for one participant, including mental health counseling sessions that help young people process trauma, build coping skills, and begin their healing journey from the cycles of violence that have shaped their lives.
$500 covers educational materials and GED preparation for one Fellow, empowering them to earn their high school equivalency diploma. This transformative milestone opens doors to employment, continuing education, and a reimagined future beyond the streets.
$1,000 supports one month of wraparound services for a participant, including housing assistance, workforce development training, mental health counseling, and life coaching. This holistic support creates the stable foundation necessary for young people to break free from violence, heal relationships with family, and become peace-builders in their community.
Donate to MAAFA Redemption Project
Marine Trades Institute
The Marine Trades Institute (MTI) provides specialized hands-on training to prepare students for rewarding careers in the marine industry. MTI is a non-profit, post-secondary trade school that offers programs focused on giving students skills and experiences that will empower them to succeed in their careers.
As the marine industry faces a critical workforce shortage, MTI partners with leaders in the marine industry to help guide programming, ensuring our students receive the most in-demand, up-to-date training available. Throughout the last 5 years, employment placement for MTI students has been in the 90 percent range, highlighting the demand for skilled workers and the success of their training programs.
As the only accredited marine industry training school in the Great Lakes region, MTI offers a unique, comprehensive curriculum in Marine Service Technology and Comprehensive Career Boat Building. From building and restoration to motors and electrical wiring, MTI programs are designed to equip students with the foundational skills and knowledge needed to thrive in today’s marine industry. To expand student training, MTI is currently building a new dock and boardwalk behind its campus. Donations all MTI to train the next generation of marine workers and provide an exceptional student experience at an affordable price.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
Consider supporting MTI students by selecting a “lake level” that is meaningful to you.
Les Cheneaux (Up to $500) funds student life activities such as picnics, hikes, hockey games, and other events to complement students’ work in the classroom, library, and shop.
Ontario ($500-$1000) supports professional development for MTI faculty members to enable them to remain current with the trends in the marine industry.
Erie ($1000-2,499) assists with the purchase of replacement parts and diagnostic equipment for the Marine Service Technology shop.
Michigan ($2,500-4,999) funds a student field trip to a marine manufacturer or marina operator so that students can learn about rewarding career opportunities in the marine industry.
Donate to Marine Trades Institute
Mercy Housing Lakefront
Mercy Housing Lakefront’s mission is to create stable, vibrant, and healthy communities by developing, financing, and operating affordable, program-enriched housing for families, seniors, and people with special needs who lack the economic resources to access quality, safe housing opportunities. Mercy Housing Lakefront is the largest affordable housing nonprofit in the region, providing affordable rental homes to nearly 7,000 residents in more than 40 communities in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.
Along with a home, residents need access to opportunities and resources, which is why Mercy Housing Lakefront is committed to an integrated model of providing coordinated onsite services along with affordable housing. Mercy Housing Lakefront provides programming that supports health and housing success, fosters community engagement, improves financial well-being, and encourages youth development from early childhood through high school. These evidence-based programs are implemented at the local level to meet the unique needs of each community and population served, including families, older adults, and people who have experienced chronic homelessness or have other special needs.
Key initiatives for Mercy Housing Lakefront in 2026 include increasing the supply of affordable rental housing by breaking ground on Prairie District Apartments, a new affordable housing community that will provide 150 homes for individuals and families in the South Loop of Chicago and expanding the Community Connect Program, which builds connections between residents, encourages the sharing of resources and skills, and facilitates resident leadership. Mercy Housing Lakefront is also continuing and replicating a pilot mental health program implemented with partners in DuPage County, which helped 100 percent of surveyed participants improve their interactions with others, and 81 percent improve their mental health symptoms. They also plan on improving healthcare access for residents by collaborating with partners in Chicago, suburban Illinois, and Milwaukee.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 gives a new permanent supportive housing resident a Welcome Basket full of essential household items, including pots and pans, dishes, bedding, and towels.
$500 funds an event designed to connect residents and build community at an affordable housing community serving older adults.
$1,000 could provide program supplies for out-of-school time programming at one of Mercy Housing Lakefront’s family affordable housing communities.
Donate to Mercy Housing Lakefront
Metropolitan Family Services
Metropolitan Family Services (MFS) empowers families to learn, earn, heal, and thrive. Since 1857, MFS has been the engine of change that empowers families to reach their greatest potential and positively impact their communities.
MFS reaches 205,511 families and individuals annually with a range of holistic social and legal services, provided through 10 community centers and multiple sites throughout Chicago, Cook, and DuPage Counties, as well as in Northern and Central Illinois. The agency meets those in its communities where they are, supporting and adapting to their consistently evolving needs. MFS’s services promote education, economic stability, emotional wellness, and empowerment (legal aid & violence intervention services).
Metropolitan Family Services’ mission is to provide and mobilize the services needed to strengthen families and communities. The 2026 initiatives include continuing to provide an ever-evolving range of vital social and legal services to clients. They will also be holding a variety of special events, including the HECC Program Showcase, celebrating the programs and services provided by the Howard and Evanston Community Center. From early childhood and hands-on tech learning for youth to adult education, food assistance, and domestic violence support, Metropolitan’s Howard and Evanston Community Center (HECC) focuses on building community success in the Greater Rogers Park Area and Evanston.
The HECC Program Showcase is the third annual event of Metropolitan Family Services’ newest community center, which is celebrating almost 60 years of empowering families and individuals.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides one therapy session with a clinician
$500 provides expungement support through the Legal Aid Society’s CP4P Justice Corps
$1,000 provides a secure laptop for a staff member providing home-based therapy services
Donate to Metropolitan Family Services
New Moms
No one should parent alone. For more than 40 years, New Moms has partnered with young moms, 24 and younger, to help them build the confidence needed to achieve long-lasting success.
New Moms understands how homelessness and poverty impact young families. Through housing, paid job training, and family support, New Moms’ holistic approach provides support for young moms affected by systemic barriers. By fostering each mom’s unique talents, New Moms blends behavioral research, effective strategies, and practical experience to create pathways for young families to unlock brighter futures.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$125 provides a one-month supply of diapers for a family.
$360 provides 1 week of Job Training program wages per mom.
$450 funds a baby shower for participants in our prenatal support group.
$1500 provides 1 month of Housing for a family with supportive coaching.
No Shame On U
No Shame On U reshapes attitudes about mental health by elevating conversations and disarming stigma. No Shame On U supports young people—as well as those who support them—with tools to understand, talk about, and respond to mental health challenges. They achieve their mission through community outreach programs, an online presence of more than 120,000 social media followers, blogs, podcasts, resource guides, handouts, crisis information, videos, teen leadership programs, and customized educational workshops for audiences of all sizes. No Shame On U partners with organizations throughout the Chicagoland community and the country, and is known for inclusive, consistent, and responsive programming for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Key initiatives for the upcoming year include expanding educational offerings focused on evolving youth needs, leveraging strategic partnerships to broaden national reach, strengthening technology infrastructures to maximize impact, and cultivating a culture of philanthropy to ensure sustainability.
No Shame On U’s ambitious goal is to support more than 40,000 young people and their communities throughout the next three years, creating a lasting cultural shift where mental health is normalized and no young person struggles in silence.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$150 provides one Mind & Body Class
$250 provides one expert-led mental health talk
$500 provides a No Shame On U documentary screening
$1000 supports the Teen Leadership Board Program creating a cadre of Teen Mental Health Advocates
$1500 provides mental health training for school and camp staff
$3,500 provides a full year of mental health programming for schools
Nurse-Family Partnership
Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) is an evidence-based, community health program with 45 years of research showing significant improvements in the health and lives of first-time moms and their children affected by social and economic inequality. Each year, NFP provides care to more than 55,000 families in 40 states plus Washington, D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands, and some Tribal communities.
A report from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University shows how very early childhood experiences influence later learning, behavior, and health. The Harvard report shows basic brain functions related to vision, hearing, and language development during the first 30 months of a child’s life. During this timeframe, the early and intensive support by an NFP nurse can positively impact the future of the mom, child, and family.
The NFP program has been independently reviewed, evaluated, and ranked as the Gold Standard of home visiting programs.
In the upcoming year, NFP will focus on advancing health equity. The newest partnership with an Indigenous Wisdom Council brings together respected leaders from diverse Indigenous communities. This council will guide NFP’s work in tribal communities, advocating for culturally appropriate practices and policies in home visiting and supporting the overall success of NFP service to Indigenous communities.
In response to unmet needs in communities nationwide, NFP will expand the NFP client eligibility to serve clients who have previously given birth and clients enrolling late into the program (after the 28th week of pregnancy). The expansion is already serving more than 2,000 families enrolled across 16 states and 37 local programs.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$25 is enough to provide a crucial service like a prenatal wellness screening from an NFP Nurse Home Visitor.
$50 allows an NFP nurse to complete two postpartum depression screenings.
$500 funds travel to Washington, D.C. for one Parent Ambassador to speak with legislators and advocate on behalf of other families served by NFP.
Donate to Nurse-Family Partnership
Athletes Against Anxiety and Depression Foundation
Athletes Against Anxiety and Depression (AAAD) has a primary mission of bridging the gap between mental health issues and solutions. AAAD offers free therapy to anyone in need. One hundred percent of the funds raised go toward creating resources for those struggling. AAAD also offers other resources, such as their Mental Health Manual/Journal, Tell Your Story Testimonials, and engaging social media posts to keep the conversation around mental health going.
AAAD believes mental health is health. When someone breaks an arm, they go to the doctor without question and take the necessary steps to get better while being supported by their close friends and family members. Why should it be any different with mental health?
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
Each donation of just $10 affords someone in need a free therapy session. Absolutely free to the person who is struggling to make it easier for them to reach out for the help they need.
A donation of $50 = 5 therapy sessions
A donation of $100 = 10 therapy sessions
A donation of $500 = 50 therapy sessions
A donation of $1000 = 100 therapy sessions
Because of AAAD’s partnerships with Better Help and Caraway, they are able to help so many more people get the care that they need!
Donate to Athletes Against Anxiety and Depression Foundation
Oil Lamp Theater
Oil Lamp Theater is Glenview’s only professional theater, creating inspiring live experiences that connect the community through art, laughter, and shared storytelling.
The acclaimed Mainstage Season features compelling plays performed in an intimate setting. The Special Events Series brings unique concerts, cabarets, and community gatherings that celebrate the joy of live performance. In 2025, Oil Lamp Theater proudly launched Oil Lamp Arts Education, offering classes and camps for students ages 3 to 97 — expanding access to creativity across generations. These programs make Oil Lamp Theater a true home for all, where artists and audiences unite to ignite imagination, foster connection, and strengthen the cultural heart of the North Shore.
The 2026 initiative for Oil Lamp Theater is the “Light the Way” campaign that will transform Oil Lamp Theater—growing the audience, expanding programs, strengthening the foundation, and securing a lasting home in downtown Glenview while staying true to the intimate, community-centered spirit.
Oil Lamp Theater is building a new home— a larger, more accessible venue expanding seating from 60 to 143 guests with better sightlines, comfort, and technical capacity. This next stage preserves Oil Lamp Theater’s hallmark intimacy and warmth while launching productions to new heights with bigger stories and bolder possibilities.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$5,000 covers the performance rights for one full play or half of a musical.
$2,500 funds two full scholarships for our multi-week summer camps or one musician for a musical.
$1,000 supports the costume budget for one production or funds one professional teaching artist for a class term.
$500 commissions a key set piece or provides scripts for a production; also subsidizes daytime classes for seniors.
$250 covers front-of-house staffing for one performance or supplies for a class.
$100 purchases a key prop or a tray of our famous chocolate chip cookies from Misericordia.
Orchard Village
Orchard Village is a charitable organization in Skokie, IL, that empowers 300 individuals with developmental disabilities so they can live, work, and enjoy their communities. Orchard Village offers eleven 24-hour monitored houses in suburban Cook County, as well as education, job training, and mental health services.
Founded in 1972, Orchard Village serves nearly 300 individuals annually in various community-based settings primarily in the north and northwest suburban Chicagoland. The individuals served have a range of disabilities that include diagnosed intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), autism, Down syndrome, and dual diagnosis (developmental disability combined with mental illness). The organization offers a full range of services to the individuals who live in Orchard Village housing or the community, including community-based housing options that consist of eleven 24-hour group homes, transitional living options, and intermittently supported independent living arrangements; job training and placement support services; Orchard Academy, an onsite special education high school; Behavioral Health Clinic, which includes services such as individual therapy, group therapy, and recreational therapy.
A key initiative for this year is renovating an on-site building into a senior activities center, where older participants can socialize and work on projects.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 purchases assistive technology, such as phone apps. Apps can assist with preparing for employment, accessing and using public transportation, and completing household tasks.
$500 rides for ten vocational participants taking the bus to work and a taxi or Uber home at night
$1,000 buys holiday presents for 10 residents so that each one can experience the joy of the holidays.
Phalen Leadership Academies
Phalen Leadership Academies (PLA) is a nonprofit educational network that operates district, innovation, and public charter schools, focusing on transforming schools in underserved communities. Serving nearly 10,000 students across 20 schools, PLA offers personalized education, rigorous academic standards, and support services like free tutoring and job training. Since 2013, it has successfully improved multiple failing schools and aims to foster high academic achievement and leadership skills among students.
PLA’s mission centers around academic excellence, community partnership, and holistic support for scholars’ personal growth. Its signature programs and key initiatives include Summer Advantage (a program that offers research-based academic instruction to help prevent summer learning loss), Reading Advantage ( a program that works to increase reading, writing, test taking, and study skills at their instructional level), Math Advantage (a program that provides additional support in the area of math to close the achievement gap), Skilled US (a free workforce development program that supports adults as they strive to learn more and earn more), Teaching Fellows (which ensures that 3-5 certified teachers are at each campus) and Principal in Residence (which prepares new and experienced school leaders to launch and lead Phalen Leadership Academies network schools across the nation).
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides essential school supplies like books, pencils, and notebooks. When a child has full access to basic supplies, they are empowered to excel in their academic journey.
$500 enhances a classroom with access to updated technology, enabling scholars to access up-to-date tools and resources for modern learning and skill development.
$1000 funds a scholar’s access to critical educational programming known as Reading Advantage and Math Advantage, both of which offer personalized, one-on-one support to bridge academic gaps and boost overall achievement.
Donate to Phalen Leadership Academies
Porchlight Music Theatre
Porchlight Music Theatre is the award-winning center for music theatre in Chicago. Porchlight has built a national reputation for boldly reimagining classic musicals, supporting new works and young performers, and showcasing Chicago’s most notable music theatre artists, all through the intimate and powerful theatrical lens of the “Chicago Style.”
Now in their 31st season, Porchlight’s production history includes more than 75 mainstage works with 16 Chicago premieres and five world premieres alongside other mission-driven programs such as arts education for students aged 4-17 and community-centered initiatives like our traveling Broadway in your Backyard concert series.
Porchlight illuminates the past, present, and future of musical theatre through live performance, youth education, and engagement programs that positively impact the community. In 2026, Porchlight’s 31st season continues with a six-week run of Frank McCourt’s The Irish… And How They Got That Way (January 31-March 15) and a much-anticipated concert production of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies (April 25 & 26). The in-school youth education programs will continue during the spring semester at seven Chicago Public Schools before another summer of Broadway in your Backyard, Porchlight’s traveling concert series that visits Chicago parks across the city.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 supports Porchlight’s production operations and allows our creative teams to purchase costumes, build elaborate sets, create custom props, and more.
$500 provides one scholarship to a student in Porchlight’s on-site youth education programs so that every child can experience high-quality arts education regardless of their family’s ability to pay.
$1,000 supports one performance of Broadway in your Backyard, a free, family-friendly concert series that visits parks across Chicago each summer and brings communities together to enjoy the biggest hits of the Broadway cannon.
Project Zero
Imagine an international network of practice and theory, in which dozens of human-centered, curious researchers come together to design powerful tools and resources—connecting and collaborating with educators, learners, and leaders across sectors and borders.
That’s Project Zero.
The oldest research group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Project Zero is an educational research center that has pioneered progressive, creative-based thinking and learning for nearly 60 years.
Project Zero believes in developing human potential in all learners, no matter their circumstances. Each year, hundreds of educators — many working in under-resourced communities, many teaching historically marginalized students — are able to access transformational PZ courses, conferences, and workshops thanks to a dedicated financial aid fund that deeply discounts their tuition.
The frameworks, tools, thinking routines, and robust library of resources from Project Zero have reached countless educators, learners, and leaders around the world — transforming the landscape of education. When it comes to evidence-based, multidisciplinary research, PZ is a valuable source that educators rely on.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$355 covers full tuition for a mini course
$655 covers full tuition for an in-depth course
Radical Generosity Chicago
Radical Generosity Chicago mobilizes communities to support Chicagoland individuals and families facing food and housing insecurity. With 68,000 people unsheltered in Chicago, RGC’s grassroots efforts, powered entirely by volunteers, help those in need bridge their food and housing gaps with energy, compassion, and humanity.
Volunteers, both adults and children, move beyond witnessing hardship into action, sharing warmth and resources with Chicago’s unhoused neighbors. Through RGC’s initiatives, volunteers learn firsthand, not just about homelessness, but empathy — building a future where kindness and community thrive.
RGC helps provide food, clothing, toiletries, and school supplies for partner organizations throughout Chicagoland. Since 2021, RGC has partnered with dozens of organizations across Chicago, including Frieda’s Place, Irving Park Food Pantry, Mission of Our Lady of Angels, and Connections for the Homeless, fostering trust and a shared dedication to helping those who are the most vulnerable.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides essential toiletries (soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo, etc) to housing-insecure/unhoused individuals. Providing toiletries to unsheltered individuals offers several benefits that can positively impact their health, dignity, and overall quality of life!
$250 provides a “Ready for Chicago Winter” bundle (sleeping bag, coat, hat, mittens + scarf) for an unhoused person. This bundle provides critical warmth and comfort during Chicago’s bone-chilling winter months!
$500 provides winter coats for 10 unhoused children. Providing coats to unhoused children offers several essential benefits, particularly in helping them stay warm, healthy, and safe during colder months.
$1000 helps support the SNAP gap with shelf-stable food for families in great need of essential nourishment!
Donate to Radical Generosity Chicago
Ravinia Festival
Ravinia Festival, North America’s longest-running music festival, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to presenting diverse musical performances and enriching the community. Each summer, Ravinia hosts world-renowned artists, such as Yo-Yo Ma, John Legend, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in residence, in its scenic open-air Pavilion and intimate recital spaces, offering a wide range of concerts for all audiences.
Set on a beautiful, 36-acre campus, Ravinia allows guests to enjoy picnics on the lawn or dine at its restaurants, creating a unique experience that combines world-class performances with the beauty and relaxation of a natural setting, all in service of celebrating music and community.
Beyond performances, Ravinia fosters a lifelong love of music. Through its Reach Teach Play programs, Ravinia provides essential music education and resources to Lake and Cook County communities that lack access to music programs, impacting more than 20,000 people each year. Additionally, the Steans Institute offers gifted young artists world-class mentorship and performance opportunities, helping them refine their craft and launch promising careers.
Ravinia remains committed to providing access to music and inspiring diverse audiences through inclusive engagement and educational programs. By ensuring that music remains affordable and accessible, Ravinia invites families, students, and music lovers to experience the joy of live performances in its welcoming, family-friendly park setting.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
Every donation plays a vital role in supporting the mission to make music accessible to all. Contributions help bring music education to students through Reach Teach Play, providing music resources, workshops, and outreach initiatives that impact young musicians across the community.
Donations also support more extensive programming and access to instruments, classes, and live music experiences. Gifts also help sustain efforts year-round, supporting talented emerging artists through the Steans Institute. Every gift strengthens Ravinia’s commitment to fostering a vibrant, inclusive musical community.
Siena Retreat Center
For 60 years, Siena Retreat Center has been a place of peace, reflection, and spiritual growth along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Racine, Wisconsin. Rooted in the mission of the Racine Dominicans, Siena Retreat Center welcomes people of all faiths to pause, listen deeply, and renew their spirit through retreats, spiritual guidance, and programs on justice, creativity, and holistic spirituality. As Siena Retreat Center approaches its 60th anniversary in 2026, it continues to expand access through scholarships, online programming, and outreach to underserved communities — ensuring that all who seek renewal can find a home here.
The welcoming community of Siena Retreat Center provides retreats and programs that renew lives and deepen holistic spirituality in an environment of peace, joy, and beauty. In the spirit of the Racine Dominicans, Siena Retreat Center seeks to be a catalyst for a more just and compassionate world.
In 2026, Siena Retreat Center will celebrate the 60th Anniversary of its retreat ministry with a special Open House in January, welcoming the broader community to experience the spirit of Siena Retreat Center. As it moves toward full organizational and financial independence from the Racine Dominicans, the founding sponsors, it will continue to honor their legacy by ensuring Siena Retreat Center remains a vibrant place of reflection and renewal. Key initiatives include expanding outreach, growing our retreat community through marketing and engagement, and strengthening staff capacity. Through stewardship, the organization is securing Siena Retreat Center for the long term to continue offering transformative spiritual experiences for generations to come.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 supports the online retreat programs, offering meaningful opportunities for reflection and connection to those unable to come on site. These virtual gatherings carry the peaceful spirit of Siena Retreat Center beyond the lakeshore, allowing participants both near and far to pause, listen deeply, and nurture their spiritual growth within the rhythm of daily life.
$500 opens doors through the scholarship program, ensuring that retreats remain financially accessible to all. Each scholarship makes it possible for someone to experience healing, clarity, and transformation that extends far beyond their time here.
$1,000 funds high-quality retreat experiences led by respected facilitators in spirituality, creativity, and justice. Your gift helps bring leading voices to Siena Retreat Center, offering participants transformative opportunities for learning, reflection, and renewal in a welcoming lakeside environment.
Donate to Siena Retreat Center
Snow City Arts
Snow City Arts (SCA) provides standards-based arts education workshops for children and youth in Chicago hospitals. Their programs engage approximately 500 children each year in 1,000 hours of arts instruction at partner hospitals, which include Rush University Children’s Hospital, Lurie Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital UIC, and Cook County Health (aka Stroger Hospital).
The SCA Teaching Artists engage children and youth in workshops in creative writing, media arts, music, theatre, and visual art, creating and delivering a rigorous arts curriculum designed to be differentiated to meet each student’s specific needs while remaining firmly grounded in SCA’s core values of racial equity, accessibility, and inclusion. All workshops adhere to state and national learning standards, allowing students to request school credit for time spent with SCA while hospitalized or recovering at home, and are provided free of charge to children and their families.
Snow City Arts inspires and educates children and youth in hospitals through the arts through a variety of standards-based arts learning workshops, such as Art Parties, a weeknight Zoom events focused on the creation of a specific art project, and open to SCA students, alumni, their families, and the general public. SCA also hosts Open Studios, an ongoing virtual community of SCA students and alumni designed to foster continued creative growth, and Youth Leadership Council, a creative youth development initiative that combines artmaking with experiences in leadership, communication, and teamwork, and will ultimately become a permanent voice in shaping SCA’s work. Another popular workshop is Art Breaks, a wellness-focused artmaking workshops especially for healthcare workers, who have experienced record burnout in the wake of the pandemic. Programs this year will include both in-person and virtual options to maximize accessibility for hospital colleagues.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$5,000 covers ALL of the visual art supplies needed for a whole year.
$1,000 covers music supplies for one year. Some of the fun instruments include plastic ukuleles, a tongue drum, a keyboard, a launchpad, and small percussion instruments.
$750 covers the cost of accessibility kits – these include things like accessible scissors, grip adapters to make it easy to hold a paintbrush, and communication boards.
$500 covers one new iPad for a Teaching Artist and animation/drawing apps.
$250 provides art kits for one Open Studio or Art Party program.
$100 provides five professional-quality drawing pens for five students. That could turn into a poem, a zine, or a book!
$50 provides a Case of Model Magic, a high-quality, non-allergenic, sculpting clay that’s a staple of Snow City Arts workshops.
Survivor Justice Center
Survivor Justice Center secures justice for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and empowers them to create their own futures. The vision is a strong community where families are safe, stable, and free from injustice.
Survivor Justice Center recognizes that all forms of violence and oppression are connected, and they cannot work against one form of injustice without working against others. They work alongside partners in the anti-violence movement to dismantle the systems of oppression that enable all forms of violence wherever they occur, including in calling for and working toward an end to the discrimination, anti-immigration bias, and structural racism that underlie police brutality and state-sanctioned violence.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$50 provides an hour of translation services
$150 provides an advocate to support a survivor at family mediation
$250 provides a social worker to connect survivors to housing, food, or mental health services
$500 provides a legal advocate to protect a victim’s rights in court
$1,000 provides attorney representation to a survivor at their restraining order hearing
$2,000 provides free legal help for a humanitarian-based visa
Donate to Survivor Justice Center
The Climate Center
The Climate Center is a climate and energy policy nonprofit working to rapidly reduce climate pollution at scale, starting in California. They are a think-tank, do-tank working to turn bold ideas into action for a climate-safe future. Their flagship Climate-Safe California campaign is a unique and comprehensive effort to make California the first state in the nation to reach carbon negative.
California sets the standard for climate action. By enacting bolder, more ambitious policy, the world follows. With oil interests and corporate utilities fighting desperately to protect their profits and the future of federal climate action uncertain, California’s role is more important than ever.
That means the work at The Climate Center is more important than ever, too. Their research, webinars, and media outreach form the foundation for game-changing policies. They are laser-focused on ensuring that California meets the climate imperative head-on, acting at the speed and scale that science demands to restore the stable climate system that has supported life on Earth for thousands of years.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
Every dollar donated goes toward making climate solutions a reality in California. This year, together with policymakers, scientists, business leaders, local governments, activists, and others across the climate movement, The Climate Center enacted a pioneering bidirectional electric vehicle bill, SB 59 (Skinner). SB 59 advances the use of EV batteries to prevent power outages, which will reduce reliance on polluting fossil fuels and save Californians money on their electricity bills.
The Climate Center also catalyzed California’s new, first-of-their-kind targets for natural carbon drawdown and other nature-based climate solutions, and restored hundreds of millions of dollars in state investments for climate solutions.
The Climate Center also passed a $10 billion climate bond out of the legislature. If approved by voters in the November 2024 election, Prop 4 will support wildfire protection, clean water, and climate-friendly agriculture. They also played a key role in the movement to enact “polluter pays” laws that hold Big Oil accountable and reduce pollution in frontline communities.
The Family Institute at Northwestern University
The Family Institute at Northwestern University (TFI) is one of the nation’s leading relationship-based behavioral health organizations, dedicated to strengthening and healing families from all walks of life. Through a comprehensive three-pronged approach that integrates clinical services, education, and research, TFI advances mental health care and prepares the next generation of clinicians. As an affiliate of Northwestern University, TFI is a distinguished not-for-profit organization governed by an independent Board of Directors and committed to delivering compassionate, evidence-informed care.
Grounded in the latest scientific research, TFI’s evidence-based therapies address behavioral health as an essential part of whole-person wellness, helping individuals and families thrive. Each year, TFI provides care to more than 7,200 clients, including more than 1,200 who receive free therapy through the Bette D. Harris Family and Child Clinic. Since 1968, TFI has continually expanded to meet the evolving needs of underserved communities, delivering high-quality services in Chicago, Evanston, the surrounding suburbs, and through virtual care. Looking ahead to 2026, TFI will continue to focus on expanding access to relationally based mental health care—reducing barriers so more individuals and families can receive the support they need.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$5,000 funds a year of one-on-one mental health support
$2,500 supports a child through behavioral therapy for six months
$1,000 ensures a family receives professional support for two months
$500 provides a month of therapy for an individual
$250 helps a couple begin therapy together
$100 gets a client started on their mental health journey
Donate to The Family Institute at Northwestern
The Honeycomb Project
Imagine a city where every child is empowered to shape the course of their community, where their voices are heard, and their actions drive real social change. This vision comes to life every day in Chicago, thanks to The Honeycomb Project.
The Honeyomb Project puts kids at the forefront of social change. The Honeycomb Project engages, mobilizes, and inspires families to build strong and connected communities through service. For more than a decade, Honeycomb has led the way in family volunteering. Each year, Honeycomb engages more than 5,000 volunteers in more than 350 projects. By creating meaningful and educational opportunities for kids to serve alongside their parents, we help young people develop the confidence, skills, and leadership needed to become agents of change in Chicago.
Chicago’s nonprofit community is facing an overwhelming demand for services without the support it needs. Honeycomb helps fill the gap by mobilizing a dedicated network of volunteers, providing essential resources to sustain and strengthen the vital work of 50+ local organizations. Honeycomb does than just connect families to nonprofits—they design, manage, and lead every monthly project, ensuring that they strengthen their partners’ capacity rather than add to their workload.
Nearly every weekend of the year, Honeycomb mobilizes their hive to support nonprofits where help is needed most. Their monthly programs provide a steady, no-cost source of volunteers and resources, critical as organizations face shrinking budgets and staff cuts. Honeycomb is growing to meet this moment of need, fostering lifelong commitments to civic engagement, community, and volunteerism among Chicagoland youth.
Donations allow Honeycomb to maintain full program capacity, support more high-demand nonprofit partners, and deepen their reach in under-resourced communities across Chicago through school and community collaborations. They will expand specialized programs such as The Honeycomb Leadership Corps and their upcoming 5th annual Holiday Cheer Challenge.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$1000 funds four high-impact programs with new nonprofit partners and mobilizes 100 kids (e.g., provides living essentials to families experiencing homelessness).
$500 funds two Honeycomb projects and mobilizes 50 youth leaders (e.g., discover the beauty of preserving the great outdoors at environmental projects).
$100 mobilizes a new family in service with Honeycomb.
Donate to The Honeycomb Project
The People’s Music School
The People’s Music School (TPMS) is the largest completely tuition-free music school serving Chicago’s metropolitan area children, focusing on removing barriers to access for students who otherwise would not have the opportunity of intensive music instruction. TPMS enrolls 800+ students across 55 zip codes and teaches 21 instruments across its four program sites.
Music education is transformational. Research shows that students from underserved communities who are able to access music lessons see a 73 percent increase in their math scores compared to their peers. Their reading, history, geography, and social skills also improve by 40 percent.
But a high-quality music education can cost $4,500 per year per student. The People’s Music School provides access to the benefits of an intensive music education, 100 percent tuition-free. The mission of The People’s Music School is to deliver access to the benefits of high-quality, tuition-free music education. Through intensive instruction and performance, TPMS students achieve excellence in music that transfers to other areas in life. They grow musically, socially, emotionally, and intellectually, and develop a foundation of responsibility, self-esteem, resilience, and purpose.
With a 90 percent student retention rate and a 94 percent high school graduation and college acceptance rates, The People’s Music School strives to create the conditions that give every student who joins an opportunity to persist in a long-term journey of growth and progress in the program.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$2500 funds one semester of intensive ensemble instruction
$1000 funds one student’s double bass
$500 funds one performance or master class from a visiting artist
$250 funds one week of ensemble instruction
$100 funds two private lessons
$50 funds one month of oboe reeds for a student
Donate to The People’s Music School
The Record North Shore
The Record North Shore is a nonprofit newsroom serving Chicago’s North Shore suburbs. Founded by local journalists, The Record delivers credible, courageous, and community-first reporting — covering local government, schools, public safety, the environment, sports, and the people who shape our towns.
All stories are free to read, ensuring vital information is accessible to everyone. The Record is supported by readers, donors, and local businesses rather than a paywall or corporate ownership. Every dollar raised sustains local reporting and helps expand coverage to underserved communities.
The Record strengthens civic life through transparent and trusted local reporting. In 2026, The Record will expand its impact with initiatives like the Youth in Journalism Workshop, a program introducing local youth to reporting, storytelling, and newsroom ethics. Other key efforts include growing investigative and accountability reporting, deepening partnerships with community organizations, and sustaining open-access journalism through member support and philanthropic investment. Together, these initiatives advance the vision of an informed, engaged, and connected North Shore community.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 covers the cost of reporting, editing, and publishing one deeply sourced community story — from a Village Board decision to a high school game. Every $100 keeps essential news open and accessible for all.
$500 funds a stipend for several local high school participants in the Youth in Journalism Workshop, helping train the next generation of community reporters and storytellers on the North Shore.
$1,000 underwrites more investigative or accountability reporting — the kind of work that holds public officials accountable, follows the money, and drives meaningful change in our towns.
The Volunteer Center
The Volunteer Center promotes volunteerism, supports nonprofit organizations, and engages people in meaningful volunteer service in the communities they serve.
The Volunteer Center works with more than 100 nonprofit partner organizations to help individuals, families, and service groups find ways to volunteer their time and help others in the community. The Junior Board at the Volunteer Center is a dynamic group of 6th-8th graders who make a difference in their community. Through hands-on service projects, and active volunteering, junior board members give back.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$150 covers the cost of one Junior Board service outing. For example, when they go to an animal shelter, the organization bring supplies and food.
$300 covers the cost of groceries and supplies to serve a meal at a local homeless shelter.
$1000 covers the supplies for a day of service- a hands-on event where youth create cards, toiletry kits, and no-sew blankets for neighbors who are lonely, cold, or without basic comforts.
$2500 supports all of the above programming. With more than 150 students signed up to volunteer, your support helps the Volunteer Center meet growing demand.
Donate to The Volunteer Center
Trees That Feed Foundation
Trees That Feed Foundation (TTFF) combats hunger, poverty, and climate change by planting food-bearing trees that sustain both people and the planet. Based in Chicagoland, TTFF serves developing countries across the Caribbean, Central America, and Africa.
Breadfruit—a nutritious, high-yield crop—is at the heart of its mission. Supporting programs extend the impact of tree planting through school feeding, education, and entrepreneurship, with a strong focus on women’s empowerment.
TTFF’s ultimate goal is to help individuals, families, and communities achieve lasting self-sufficiency through the simple, sustainable power of trees. In 2026, TTFF will help Jamaican farmers rebuild after Hurricane Melissa—replanting fruit trees and restoring livelihoods.
In Haiti, one of the world’s poorest countries, TTFF will strengthen programs that provide both food and income through breadfruit cultivation and flour production. In countries such as Uganda, Guatemala, and the Bahamas, TTFF’s groundwork is enabling breadfruit to drive lasting change—improving nutrition, supporting small businesses, and promoting climate resilience. From schoolchildren and farmers to entrepreneurs and women vendors, TTFF empowers communities across the tropics.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides five robust breadfruit trees, each of which can feed a family for generations
$500 provides a food processor, equipment necessary for an entrepreneur to set up a breadfruit flour factory
$1,000 provides breadfruit-based meals for 250 children for an entire school year
Donate to Trees That Feed Foundation
Twist Out Cancer
Twist Out Cancer (TOC) provides psychosocial support to individuals touched by cancer through the creative arts. Founded in Chicago in 2011, TOC began as a simple idea: to share, connect, and heal through creativity, and has since grown into a global community of survivors, previvors, caregivers, artists, and supporters. Its signature program, Brushes with Cancer, pairs those touched by cancer (“Inspirations”) with artists who create works that reflect their cancer experiences, culminating in powerful exhibitions that foster connection and healing. Additional programs, including Twistshops and peer-to-peer support opportunities, promote healing, relaxation, and emotional recovery through art therapy-based interventions that are designed to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress related to cancer. Rooted in Chicagoland’s vibrant arts scene, Twist Out Cancer continues to expand its reach and inspire resilience through the power of storytelling and art.
Twist Out Cancer’s mission is to provide social and emotional support to individuals touched by cancer through creative arts-based programming that fosters healing, connection, and personal growth. In 2026, Twist will continue advancing this mission through its flagship program, Brushes with Cancer, which pairs those touched by cancer with artists who transform their experiences into works of art that celebrate resilience and hope. The coming year will focus on expanding access and deepening community engagement in the Chicago area through new partnerships with galleries, hospitals, and nonprofits that share its values of empathy and creativity. TOC also plans to enhance peer-to-peer support components within Brushes with Cancer and explore digital storytelling initiatives that share participants’ journeys more widely, ensuring that every story of survivorship and healing can inspire others to connect, reflect, and create.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 helps provide art materials, reflection tools, and onboarding support for an Inspiration and Artist pair, fueling the creative process that begins each Brushes with Cancer journey.
$500 supports the facilitation of peer-to-peer support sessions and creative check-ins that guide participants through their six-month connection, helping them process, reflect, and heal together.
$1,000 sponsors a full Brushes with Cancer program experience, from pairing an individual touched by cancer with an artist, to exhibition preparation and storytelling support, and culminating in a shared artwork that celebrates resilience and inspires others across the community.
United States Center for SafeSport
U.S. Center for SafeSport’s mission is to change the culture of sport at all levels by making athlete well-being and youth safety the centerpiece of the nation’s sports culture— because athletes deserve to participate in sports free from bullying, hazing, sexual misconduct, or any form of emotional or physical abuse.
The Center’s authority encompasses 11+ million individuals of all ages in the 50+ sports affiliated with the US Olympic & Paralympic Movement. The Center can also assist other local and regional sports organizations in creating their own prevention and allegation response policies.
As a result of the Center’s work, a culture shift in sport is taking root. Athletes are rejecting the notion that sexual harassment is inevitable, coaches aren’t turning a blind eye to inappropriate behavior, and parents aren’t tolerating abusive practices. This shift is establishing a culture where people no longer sweep reports of abuse under the rug.
The Center’s goal is to spark awareness and culture change everywhere in sport. In the coming year, the Center would like to expand the impact of its work. The Center aims to add to its offerings of online courses, numerous guides, handbooks, podcasts, videos, and in-person training sessions. They will expand the number of local and regional sports organizations they assist as they create more awareness and strong policies to protect minor athletes from harm.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 provides four scholarships for athletes, coaches, referees, parents, children, and healthcare workers to become ‘SafeSport Trained®’ through the Center’s extensive online courses.
$500 enhances the SafeSport Ready® app with new features. This new resource gives parents/guardians easy access to online courses; age-appropriate, trauma-informed advice for talking to and listening to children on tough topics; making a report; and the database of anyone the Center has sanctioned or banned from coaching or participation.
$1000 sponsors the inaugural “SafeSport Best Practices Forum,” where leaders of regional and local sports organizations learn about prevention and develop their own prevention education policies and procedures for immediately addressing reports of abuse or misconduct.
Donate to United States Center for SafeSport
Urban Initiatives
Many Chicago youth and families still lack access to the transformative power of team sports and play. Urban Initiatives is changing this narrative with the support of a diverse stakeholder community who believe in the right to sports and play for all.
For 20 years, UI has trained and hired local community members as coaches, placing them in Chicago Public Schools to provide free sports and play-based programs from pre-k to high school. Students leave UI programs more confident, connected, and committed to academic and career success. UI serves nearly 80K students across 45 Chicago neighborhoods and are on track to serve 100K.
The UI mission is to use the power of sports and play to empower Chicago’s youth to achieve academic success, develop social-emotional skills, and build social capital. Two primary UI events that support their work include the Soccer Ball — Urban Initiatives’ annual gala that brings together professionals, corporate leaders, and community members to raise $600,000 for youth sports, and the Community Play Cup — a grand finale of the year, uniting student players for a day of play and celebration.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$100 covers the cost of 10 students being able to take home their own soccer ball.
$500 covers cost of bussing for one team to travel to game days.
$1000 covers the cost of one team’s snacks for an entire season.
Watts of Love
Watts of Love is a global nonprofit dedicated to ending generational poverty by providing solar light and financial literacy to ultra-poor families. With access to clean, reliable light, families can save the money that they previously spent on costly and dangerous alternatives such as batteries and kerosene. Watts of Love’s financial literacy training teaches them to reinvest those savings into education, small businesses, and other income-generating opportunities. This powerful combination gives families the tools and knowledge to lift themselves out of darkness and poverty.
In the coming year, Watts of Love plans to empower 60,000 families—nearly doubling last year’s impact on 35,000 households. Through their proven model, families will receive solar light and financial literacy training that helps them save, invest, and build brighter futures.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
$50 will equip one family with Watts of Love’s patented solar light and comprehensive financial literacy training, providing them the tools and knowledge to break the cycle of poverty.
$500 will teach ten families to save the money they previously spent on alternative light sources and redirect it toward healthcare, education, and income-generating opportunities.
$1,000 will transform the lives of twenty families, multiplying light, knowledge, and financial freedom across an entire community.
Writers Theatre
Proclaimed “America’s finest regional theater company” by The Wall Street Journal, Writers Theatre has captivated audiences for more than 30 years with reimagined classics and groundbreaking new work. Renowned for world-class artistic experiences, Writers Theatre is a non-profit theatre that supports the creation of new works and provides educational outreach and audience enrichment programs.
The Writers Theatre’s mission is to create intimate connections through astonishing performances and innovative programs by activating relationships between artists and community, and inviting people to gather in spaces for transformative experiences. The 2025/26 Season at Writers Theatre promises a year of unforgettable artistic programming in the theatre’s deliberately intimate setting. From the high-quality productions to the thoughtful engagement events and education initiatives, Writers welcomes the community to connect with live performance through enriching experiences that extend beyond the theatre.
What impact does a donation have at different levels?
Gifts at any level support the work on the stages, help reach the next generation in Chicagoland schools, and contribute to a more participatory theatre through our innovative engagement programs.
From supporting the artisans who build the sets to providing tickets for young audiences, every dollar plays a role in keeping the arts accessible and vibrant. With the support from the donor community, Writers Theatre ensures that live theatre—and the learning it sparks—continues to thrive for generations to come.
In addition to supporting these deserving nonprofits, your voice, ideas, and engagement are important to help us accomplish our mission. We encourage you to share your ideas and efforts to make the world a better place through support of a worthy nonprofit by submitting a “You Said It.” Your submission could earn the organization a $1,000 grant from the Make It Better Foundation along with opportunities for greater partnership and content in the future.
