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A Record Breaking $500,000 in Community Needs Grants Awarded to Local Charities

Pictured: One of the grant recipients, H.O.M.E. DuPage, received a $20,000 grant in support of their Financial Fitness Program. Courtney Andexler (far right) spoke at the event about her experience as the child of a H.O.M.E. DuPage client. See more pictures of the event here.

On June 12, the DuPage Foundation completed a record-breaking Spring Community Needs Grant season where, for the first time in one distribution cycle, more than $500,000 was awarded to organizations working in the area of health and human services. Recipients, along with Foundation Trustees, Grant Committee members, donors, and staff, were all smiles during the milestone event where the critical work these not-for-profit organizations are doing was celebrated.

Vice President for Programs Barb Szczepaniak explained, “It is because of donors who have given unrestricted gifts or established field-of-interest funds here at the Foundation that our Community Needs Grant Program exists. And it is because of donors with individual donor-advised funds that we can supplement our Community Needs grant budget and fund a greater share of requests. This wonderful teamwork results in support for so many worthy causes!”

The awards breakfast took place at Glen Oak Country Club and was hosted by Betty Bradshaw, Foundation Trustee Emerita. Grants were distributed to 36 not-for-profit organizations working to enhance the quality of life throughout DuPage County.

Congratulations to all grantees:

  • 360 Youth Services (Funded by the Betty M. Bock Fund) - $15,000
  • Action for Healthy Kids - $20,000
  • Bridge Communities, Inc. (Funded by the Snodgrass Family Fund) - $20,000
  • Care For Cars (Funded by pass-through gifts from The McWethy Foundation and Betty W. Smykal) - $10,000
  • CareNet Pregnancy Services of DuPage (Funded by the Betty M. Bock Fund) - $7,000
  • CASA of DuPage County, Inc. - $20,000
  • Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet - $20,000
  • Community Career Center - $2,500
  • DuPage Federation on Human Services Reform - $20,000
  • DuPage Health Coalition (Funded by the DuPage Medical Group Charitable Fund) - $20,000
  • DuPage Senior Citizens Council - $10,000
  • DuPagePads - $20,000
  • Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley - $14,778
  • Equine Dreams, Inc. - $20,000
  • Family Focus (Funded by the Betty M. Bock Fund) - $10,000
  • Family Shelter Service - $20,000
  • Freedom Golf Association (Funded by the Linda and Clark G. Carpenter Fund) - $2,500
  • H.O.M.E. DuPage (Funded by a pass-through gift from Betty W. Smykal) - $20,000
  • HCS Family Services - $2,430
  • Hope's Front Door (Funded by the Louise Ingalls MacArthur Fund and Edward & Minnie Ceragioli Fund) - $2,500
  • Loaves & Fishes Community Services - $27,500
  • Mayslake Village (Funded by the Edward & Minnie Ceragioli Fund) - $5,000
  • NAMI DuPage - $20,000
  • Naperville Elderly Homes - $7,500
  • Neighborhood Food Pantries - $20,000
  • Outreach Community Ministries - $20,000
  • The Outreach House (Funded by a pass-through gift from Jim & Jan Dondlinger) - $2,500
  • People's Resource Center - $12,650
  • SamaraCare - $15,000
  • Sharing Connections (Funded by the Snodgrass Family Fund) - $10,000
  • Special Kids Day (Funded by the Andi Stelzner Fund) - $6,000
  • Teen Parent Connection (Funded by the Betty M. Bock Fund) - $20,000
  • Western DuPage Special Recreation Association - $14,000
  • World Relief DuPage (Partially funded by the Betty M. Bock Fund) - $10,000
  • Youth Outlook - $20,000
  • YWCA Metropolitan Chicago - $20,000

Learn more about the spring Community Needs grant recipients and their purposes here.

An additional $270,000 in Bright & Early DuPage grants will be awarded to early childhood collaboratives on June 27.

Through the Community Needs Grant Program, the DuPage Foundation supports programs that raise the quality of life for DuPage County residents. Applications are accepted twice per year. The fall Community Needs grant cycle (Animal Welfare, Arts and Culture, Education, and Environment) application deadline is Friday, September 7, 2018. See more information and apply here.

About the DuPage Foundation

The DuPage Foundation is DuPage County’s philanthropic leader. Established in 1986 to raise the quality of life throughout DuPage County, the Foundation serves our community by helping area residents and organizations realize their unique charitable goals, providing impactful support to our community’s not-for-profits, and fostering key partnerships to address critical issues affecting DuPage County.

As a 501(c)(3) public charity, the Foundation receives contributions and bequests from individuals, corporations, organizations and foundations looking to make a difference for our community and the causes about which they are most passionate. Since its inception, the Foundation has grown to more than $95 million in assets and awarded more than $35 million in grants to not-for-profit agencies serving the residents of DuPage County and beyond.

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