DuPage Foundation

Happy Labor Day! Today, we celebrate the hard work and dedication of workers everywhere. From the builders to the caregivers, the creators to the innovators, your contributions shape our world. Take a well-deserved break, relax, and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Cheers to you all! 🌟

Our thanks to Congressman Bill Foster (IL - 11th) and District Director Hilary Denk for stopping in yesterday to meet with our President & CEO Mike Sitrick and Vice President for Programs Barb Szczepaniak. The group discussed a range of issues affecting our community and how the Foundation is working to bring area donors, businesses, foundations, government leaders, and other community partners together to help adress them. We appreciate the Congressman and all of our elected officials who take the time to better understand our mission and all of the critical work our area not-for-profits are providing on behalf of our residents. 🙏

🌟 What an inspiring morning at West Suburban Philanthropic Network's annual Philanthropy Awards! Congrats to all the honorees - thank you for your dedication and passion for local philanthropy!

👏 A special congrats to Humanitarians of the Year Dan Wagner and Regina Brent. Their work to bring back the annual DuPage County Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast has been nothing short of incredible.

🤩 WSPN is a volunteer-led organization. This event would not happen without the WSPN Board and volunteer leaders. We thank them for sharing their time and talents with our community!

Learn more about all the honorees at: https://wspnonline.org/page-527669

🧠📝 Did you know DuPage Foundation manages endowment and reserve funds for more than 70 non-profit organizations?

This week, DuPage Foundation hosted a workshop for our agency fund partners with planned giving expert, Joe Chickey, Sharpe Group, to discuss building and sustaining charitable endowments.

Learn more about agency endowment and reserve funds at: https://dupagefoundation.org/who-we-help/not-for-profits/create-a-not-for-profit-fund.html

Arts DuPage Month is right around the corner! Arts DuPage Members gathered today to plan amazing events throughout DuPage County for October's Arts DuPage Month. Visit artsdupage.org to learn more!

West Suburban Philanthropic Network's 2024 Philanthropy Awards is coming up next Thursday, August 29. If you haven't purchased tickets, you can do so here: https://wspn.wildapricot.org/event-5791825

DuPage Foundation is excited to celebrate all of the amazing leaders, volunteers, donors, and advocates honored at the Awards. A special shout out goes to Regina Brent and Dan Wagner, co-chairs of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast. Regina and Dan had a bold vision to bring back this beloved annual breakfast and raise funds for a grantmaking endowment, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Fund. You can learn more about the fund and breakfast here: https://dupagefoundation.org/grants/dr-martin-luther-king-jr-unity-fund.html

On behalf of our community, DuPage Foundation manages more than $140MM in charitable assets across 400+ unrestricted and field-of-interest grantmaking endowments, agency funds, donor-advised funds, legacy funds, and more.

We take this stewardship role seriously and are honored to be recognized by Crain's Chicago Business as the 23rd largest foundation in the Chicago area!

Learn More: https://www.chicagobusiness.com/businessdata/44/foundations

Fall into Philanthropy at the NGI Fall Social featuring 360 Youth Services! 🍁 🍂

Join us on Thursday, September 26 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at Go Brewing in Naperville. Learn more about 360 Youth Service's critical mission of providing life-changing services to youth through substance use prevention education, counseling, and housing. 📚 💭 🏘️

Click here to register or support NGI's grant to 360: https://dupagefoundation.org/news-events/upcoming-events.html/event/2024/09/26/ngi-2024-fall-social/489953

The Edward and Wanda Jordan Foundation will generously match contributions to the grant up to $2,500.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Event Leader: The Dan Firks Team

Venue Partner: Go Brewing

Catering Partner: BusyButternut

And our amazing Annual Corporate Partners: Silver Partner Duly Health and Care and Bronze Partners Crowe LLP. Global and Kaskov Valuations, Inc.

Happy National Nonprofit Day to all of DuPage County's amazing not-for-profit organizations! Together, we are doing a world of good in our own backyard!

It’s been a fantastic past two days hosting colleagues from throughout the state for the Alliance of Illinois Community Foundation’s (AICF’s) Annual Membership Meeting here in DuPage County. Gathering with our fellow community foundations to learn, knowledge-share, and network sparks so many ideas for greater collaboration and impact! 📚💡

A special thanks to our friends at Northern Trust for providing some of the conference’s speakers and sponsoring lunch, BusyButternut for the beautiful spread at our welcome reception, and Dan Wagner and The Inland Real Estate Group of Companies, Inc. for graciously hosting us for Friday’s membership meeting and second day of programs.

To learn more about the AICF visit: http://allianceilcf.org

Thank you to our new committee members for sharing their time and talents with DuPage Foundation! Julie Gustafson recently joined the Arts DuPage Advisory Committee and James Kozar and Nathan Ronchetti joined the Marketing Committee.

Get to know them at: https://dupagefoundation.org/news-events/news-archive.html/article/2024/08/15/dupage-foundation-welcomes-new-committee-members

Today, representatives from the DuPage County Board and DuPage Foundation welcomed grant recipients who were awarded more than $1 million in Immediate Intervention grants by the DuPage Community Transformation Partnership (DCTP).

The grants will help fund the work of 16 social service not-for-profit organizations serving DuPage County residents in the areas of food insecurity, housing instability, mental health, and substance use disorder.

Learn more at: https://dupagefoundation.org/news-events/news-archive.html/article/2024/08/13/dupage-community-transformation-partnership-grants-more-than-1-million-to-support-social-service-not-for-profit-organizations

📣Attention professional advisors!

Don't forget to register for this fantastic presentation with planned giving expert, Joe Chickey, Sharpe Group!

Join DuPage Foundation on Wednesday, August 28 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Reserve 22 in Glen Ellyn as we explore Complex and Unique Charitable Planning Options in 2024 and Beyond. Joe will share success stories and opportunities unique to the Silent Gen and Boomers on the use of charitable planning strategies. Topics will include virtual endowments, CLTs, CRTs and entrepreneurial possibilities.

Post-presentation, join us for cocktails, appetizers, and networking with fellow professional advisors.

https://dupagefoundation.org/news-events/upcoming-events.html/event/2024/08/28/professional-advisor-seminar-reception/490164

Reminder! ✏️📅

Applications for the Fall Cycle of Community Impact Grants, Arts DuPage Grants, and Glen Ellyn Fund Grants are due Friday, September 6th at 5:00 p.m.

Guidelines for each grant opportunity can be found at:
Community Impact: dupagefoundation.org/CIGP
Arts DuPage: https://dupagefoundation.org/initiatives/arts-dupage.html
Glen Ellyn Fund: https://dupagefoundation.org/initiatives/glen-ellyn-fund.html

Yvonne Mayer, Mary Parsons and Maureen Hegarty were please to accept the 2024 grant from DuPage Foundation Board of Trustee member, Diana Martinez. These funds will help support our New Start program, which supplies kitchen essentials to people leaving shelters.

A heartfelt THANK YOU to the DuPage Foundation for championing inclusion services with a very generous $10,000 Community Impact grant!

Through inclusion services, every individual has the opportunity to participate alongside friends, classmates, and peers. Inclusion services ensure that individuals of all abilities can fully participate in any program offered by member park districts. When families sign up for a park district program, they can request support, and our WDSRA inclusion team collaborates with them to identify the necessary accommodations for an enriching experience. Support is tailored to each individual's needs and may include activity modification, disability awareness training, behavior management support, sign language interpreters, observation and evaluation, adaptive equipment, visual systems, or varying levels of staff assistance.
DuPage Foundation

Don't be late, save the date! 🌹🕰️

Mark your calendars for a whimsical evening you won't want to miss! Save the date for our 2024 Benefit: Through the Looking Glass on Saturday, November 9.

Dust off your most curious attire and prepare to tumble down the rabbit hole for a night of wonder. ✨🗝️

Thank you to our Premier Sponsor Northern Trust and Lead Matching Challenge Partner Duly Health and Care!

For tickets and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.dupagefoundation.org/lookingglass

Fundraising Powered by OneCause, creator of BidPal  

What is "overhead"? DuPage Foundation's Vice President for Advancement, Michael Trench, gives five powerful reasons to invest in a charity's overhead:

1. Infrastructure and Operations 🧱
2. Innovation and Adaptation 💡
3. Capacity Building 🚀
4. Long-Term Sustainability🌱
5. Transparency and Accountability 📣

Read more at: https://dupagefoundation.org/news-events/news-archive.html/article/2024/07/29/charitable-minute-the-importance-of-operational-funds

Join DuPage Foundation on Wednesday, August 28 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Reserve 22 in Glen Ellyn as we explore Complex and Unique Charitable Planning Options in 2024 and Beyond.

As the great wealth transfer occurs, can you ensure that the plans made for your clients and their heirs are secure? What might occur if the 2017 tax act sunsets in 2025? Are private foundations or other trusts good options for your clients? Presenter Joe Chickey, MBA, CFP, Sharpe Group will share success stories and opportunities unique to the Silent Gen and Boomers on the use of charitable planning strategies. Topics will include virtual endowments, CLTs, CRTs and entrepreneurial possibilities.

Post-presentation, join us for cocktails, appetizers, and networking with fellow professional advisors.

Register at: https://dupagefoundation.org/news-events/upcoming-events.html/event/2024/08/28/professional-advisor-seminar-reception/490164

Stay up-to-date with our latest news and events by downloading our summer 2024 newsletter here: https://dupagefoundation.org/file_download/inline/f3436f56-f613-420d-a382-6f6e2bf2a12e

A representative from Family Shelter Service of Metropolitan Family Services DuPage came to our office to pick up kitchen essentials for one of their families transitioning into an apartment. We believe that this gift will help to strengthen their sense of home. A grant from DuPage Foundation helps to support this program.

On Tuesday, July 16th at 5:00 p.m., Naperville Park District held a grand opening of the Rothermel Family Skate Facility! Attendees enjoyed skate demos, giveaways, and refreshments. Huge thanks to the Rothermel Family Fund of DuPage Foundation for making this awesome new facility possible!

Read about Shirley and Willis Johnson, the inseparable business partners who spent more than four decades reinvigorating ailing movie theaters to their former glory, creating the movie chain empire Classic Cinemas.

Thank you to Melissa Fischer for researching and writing this article on behalf of the Foundation.

Stories of Local Impact: Shirley & Willis Johnson, cinema moguls and community advocates Leaders & Legacies: Stories of Local Impact is an ongoing series brought to you in partnership with the Daily Herald and DuPage Foundation. It highlights the inspiring stories of local indivi...

It's Minority Mental Health Awareness Month! Did you know KidsMatter offers Youth Mental Health First Aid Training in English and Spanish? Visit https://kidsmatter2us.org/ymhfa-training/ for more information!

We are so grateful for the support provided for this important program by the DuPage County Transformation Partnership, a collaboration between DuPage County Board and DuPage Foundation. Additional support is also provided by Endeavor Health Community Investment Fund and Linden Oaks Behavioral Health.

DuPage Foundation is thrilled to announce Nicki Anderson as our new Director of Strategic Partnerships! Read more about Nicki and her role at the Foundation here: https://dupagefoundation.org/news-events/news-archive.html/article/2024/07/09/dupage-foundation-welcomes-nicki-anderson-as-its-new-director-of-strategic-partnerships

Happy Independence Day from DuPage Foundation! Today, as we celebrate the land of the free and the home of the brave, let's also reflect on the power of community and the spirit of giving that unites us. Wishing everyone a safe and joyous Fourth of July filled with family and friends! 🎇

Thank you DuPage Foundation for the generous grant Northern Illinois Food Bank received from the Community Impact grant program to help support local food pantries acquire additional groceries, ensuring our neighbors have access to a variety of nutritious food!

Thank you DuPage Foundation for the generous grant 360 Youth Services received from the Community Impact grant program! This Housing grant will help us fund our emergency shelter and supportive services.

Pictured are DuPage Foundation President & CEO Mike Sitrick and Brea Hayes, Development Director for 360 Youth Services.

Thanks to all who attended last night’s Next Generation Initiative (NGI) summer social benefitting The Conservation Foundation! Guests enjoyed the beautiful McDonald Farm location, showcasing Naperville’s rich agricultural, historical, and natural heritage.

So far, we’ve raised nearly $2,000 to support The Conservation Foundation’s dedication to protecting our environment through land preservation, river conservation, and promoting environmental stewardship. The LeFort-Martin Donor-Advised Fund and the Next Generation Initiative Fund of DuPage Foundation have generously matched contributions made to NGI for The Conservation Foundation grant, totaling up to $3,000. We are almost there! To help reach the matching goal, you can donate here: https://dupagefoundation.org/initiatives/ngi-donation.html

Thank you to the following sponsors for supporting NGI:
Catering Partner: My Chef Catering
Event Partner: Assured Partners
Silver Annual Corporate Partner: Duly Health and Care
Bronze Annual Corporate Partners: Crowe and Kaskov Valuations, Inc.

To learn more about NGI and stay tuned for future events, visit dupagefoundation.org/NGI.