The re-established DuPage County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast took place on Monday, January 15, at Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace, from 7:00 to 9:30 a.m., with a sold-out, record-breaking crowd of more than 1,200 attendees.
Originally started in 1994 by Dr. William Carroll, president emeritus of Benedictine University, the DuPage County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast became an annual event that drew more than 1,000 attendees and raised money for scholarships. Upon Dr. Carroll’s retirement, the community event went away.
Recognizing the need to bring diverse communities together, The Inland Real Estate Group of Companies, Inc. decided to re-establish the annual event by working in partnership with more than 280 community leaders to form the DuPage County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Advisory Committee. The Committee began planning the event last February with the leadership of Co-Chairs Regina Brent, founder & president of Unity Partnership NFP, and Dan Wagner, senior vice president of government relations at The Inland Real Estate Group of Companies, Inc.
“The DuPage County Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast is no ordinary breakfast,” said Co-Chair Regina Brent. “Besides honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on this one day, we needed the event to serve the black and brown people of our communities, and to create understanding and trusting relationships between people of color and leaders in business, education, and not-for-profits. We believe it did just that.”
Blessings
Interfaith community leaders, speakers, and entertainers included:
Pastor Conitras Houston Dickens, senior pastor, DuPage African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church
Imam Sheikh Hassan Aly, CIOGC-Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago
Rajinder Bir Singh Mago, Sikh Community representative
Rabbi David Eber, Congregation Beth Shalom
Mrugesh Gajjar, Pujari-Hindu priest, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
Rev. John Ouper, pastor, St. Daniel the Prophet Catholic Church, Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet
Rev. Dr. Anthony Vinson, Cathedral of Grace St. John AME Church
Pastor Kevin Williams, Second Baptist Church of Wheaton
Presentation of The Colors
DuPage AME Scouts
National Anthem
DuPage AME Choir; The Cathedral Choir, Cathedral of Grace St. John AME
Welcome
Art Norman, master of ceremonies, retired, NBC News
Introduction
Dr. William Carroll, president emeritus, Benedictine University
Dan Wagner, senior vice president government relations, The Inland Real Estate Group, chairperson and co-chair, MLK Unity Fund Project
Mike Sitrick, president & CEO, DuPage Foundation
Regina Brent, founder, Unity Partnership, chairperson and co-chair, MLK Unity Fund Project
Video Tribute
Naomi Ruth King and Dr. Babs Onabanjo, president & CEO A.D. King Foundation
Award Presentation
Regina Brent, founder, Unity Partnership, chairperson and co-chair, MLK Unity Fund Project
Remarks
Bob Zellner, member of The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
Music Tribute
Rev. Darius Brooks, Cathedral of Grace St. John AME Choir; DuPage AME Choir
ll net proceeds from the Breakfast will go to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Fund of DuPage Foundation, a new, permanently-endowed, community fund, seeded by Inland to augment DuPage Foundation’s Community Impact grant program in the areas of health, human services, and education, with a focus on supporting public charities primarily serving DuPage County residents that prioritize serving Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. More than $100,000 is projected to be netted from this year’s Breakfast for the new endowment fund, with $10,000 of that reserved for initial grantmaking in 2024.
“We are honored to be a sponsor of this phenomenal community event that has succeeded in bringing so many together in the spirit of collaboration,” said Mike Sitrick, DuPage Foundation president & CEO. “Fostering partnerships and building permanent charitable funds to deliver robust, coordinated impact to address our community’s challenges and opportunities is the cornerstone of DuPage Foundation’s mission. It is a privilege to steward this new fund, and we look forward to the lasting impact it will make for DuPage beginning this year and for years to come.”
Local 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public charities that primarily serve DuPage County residents interested in applying for funding from the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Fund may do so through the Foundation’s Community Impact grant program. To learn more, visit dupagefoundation.org/CIGP.
The application deadline for the Foundation’s Spring Community Impact cycle, which focuses on health and human services, is Friday, March 1, 2024. The application deadline for the Fall Community Impact cycle, which focuses on education, in addition to environment and animal welfare, is Friday, September 6, 2024.
Dr. King visited DuPage County in 1967, giving a speech at North Central College. “As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. himself believed, we want DuPage County to be a ‘beloved’ community,” said Co-Chair Dan Wagner. “It’s not just about DuPage, but also the world.”
This event would not have been possible without the support of Premier Sponsor The Inland Real Estate Group of Companies, Inc.; Impact Sponsors DuPage Foundation, Lorelei Foundation, and Wintrust; and Community Sponsors Calamos Wealth Management, Country Financial, and United Airlines. Click here for a complete list of Sponsors. Special thanks to LW&CO for its donation of pro bono management services.
Donations can be made to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Fund of DuPage Foundation at dupagefoundation.org/MLKDay.
