This grant supports Ascension Autism Spectrum and Developmental Disorders Resource Center’s (ASDDRC) Social Emotional Wellness Groups for children up to age 14. These groups not only help children with autism develop skills to communicate and regulate emotions, but also provide mental health support to address the anxiety, depression and other difficult emotions arising from efforts to assimilate.

CASA DuPage County is a non-profit, volunteer organization that advocates for the best interests of abused and neglected children within the Juvenile Court system. Funding supports a program assisting the county’s probate court in cases where an individual is seeking guardianship of a minor. This program provides value in that the advocate investigates and gives the court timely, critical information when making decisions about a child’s placement. Without the volunteer advocates, the judge would appoint a Guardian ad Litem whose fees would need to be paid by the parties.

CASA Kane County is a nonprofit, volunteer organization that serves the best interests of abused and neglected children. CASA recruits, trains and supervises community volunteers who serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates and Guardian ad Litem for children who are in court by no fault of their own. This grant supports the expenses associated with volunteer recruiting, 45 hour/8 week training classes, background checks, and continuing education.

The mission of Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center is to unite public, private and community partners to ensure the safety and well-being of abused children. They have served over 46,000 children impacted by sexual abuse through family advocacy, case coordination, forensic interviews, trauma therapy and education training free of charge. As the pandemic continues to increase the risk of harm and trauma to children, the grant will help the organization’s Education, Outreach and Prevention team to facilitate trainings, conduct awareness-raising activities, and collaborate with partners to prevent, recognize, respond to, and report sexual abuse.

Chicago Lights builds brighter futures through creative youth development and social services that help people build the skills they need to transcend the challenges of poverty and lead fulfilling lives. The Summer Day program partners with 125 first through ninth graders through creative academic, arts, and enrichment programming to combat summer learning loss.

Gilda’s Club is a cancer support organization founded in honor of Gilda Radner, one of the original cast members of “Saturday Night Live,” who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and passed away in 1989. The Oberweiler grant supports Gilda’s Club Chicago’s “Noogieland,” its program for children and teens who are impacted by cancer. Noogieland provides age-appropriate support groups, social activities and wellness workshops.

Green City Market’s mission is to secure the future of food by deepening support for sustainable farmers, educating the community, and expanding access to locally-grown food. This grant funds GCM’s farm-to-market field trips for children. Field trips educate kids on who grows one’s food, how it’s grown, and why it’s important to make informed decisions on how to nourish themselves.

Imagine Englewood If (IEi) is a youth development organization with a mission to strengthen and empower the Greater Englewood Community. Offering year-round enrichment programs for youth ages 6-18. This grant supports the addition of a Diverse Learning Specialist to provide special education to the Englewood youth who are experiencing rising needs along with a reduction of public-school funding. IEi expects to impct health outcomes, education outcomes and crime rates through support of vulnerable youth.

Infant Welfare Society of Chicago (IWS Family Health) has led innovative community health programming and supported Chicago’s most vulnerable children and families for over a century. Our grant funds care coordination which addresses patients’ ecosystems and provides support beyond preventive health care, ensuring patients have the resources and assistance they need where they live, learn, work, and play.

The mission of JOURNEYS is to individually assess and serve the homeless and those at-risk of becoming homeless, while broadening community awareness and involvement with the homeless across north/northwest suburban Metro Chicago.

Organization supports families who choose to adopt or foster vulnerable children who are removed from their biological homes due to abuse or neglect. Services include monthly family support groups/dinners, life skills programming, specialized parenting tools and training, parents’ nights out and service projects.

The organization’s mission is to reduce childhood obesity through healthy eating and active living initiatives, innovative strategies and community partnerships. Building on the previous funding, this grant helps fund 8-10 new Healthy Eating and Active Living projects as proposed by local community organizations, schools, work sites, municipalities, etc.

The mission of the Northern Illinois Food Bank is to lead the northern Illinois community in solving hunger by providing nutritious meals to those in need through innovative programs and partners. The Child Nutrition Program provides access to nutritious food for children at risk of hunger across their 13-county service area.

Serving the Northwest suburbs of Chicago, Northwest Compass provides emergency services, education and empowerment for those community members vulnerable or in crisis.

The Philip J Rock Center provides services to individuals who are deaf-blind. The residential school offers an intensive, comprehensive education program for 3-21 year olds. The Center also provides a range of services in schools, medical settings, early intervention centers and homes statewide. This grant supports the development and outfitting of a new Sensory room at the PJR Center School. Sensory Rooms are needed to allow students time to calm down while exposing them to different textures, sounds and smells. The end result is regulated students who are available for learning.

The Community House (TCH) provides recreational, therapeutic, volunteer, social service and learning programming to residents of DuPage and western Cook Counties. This grant supports “gaming” as an alternative and holistic therapy as part of TCH’s treatment for depression, anxiety, ADHD and conflict resolution skills for underserved youth at Willowbrook Corner. Gaming has been shown to effect mood, cognition, resiliency and problem solving.

Tuesday’s Child’s Behavioral Intervention Program is a 12-week program targeting parents with children who have drastic behavior issues, who are at risk of maltreatment, and who are in need of parenting strategies for violence prevention.

With a goal to end systemic sexual abuse in Lake and Northern Cook County, the organization advocates for victims, provides specialized trauma informed care, and offers prevention education.