United Way announces $42 million community investment
United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, the largest private funder of health and human services in the region, announced it will invest a total of $41.9 million in the city and suburbs for the first year of its two-year grant cycle.
The resources support nonprofit partners providing services in education, financial stability, health and basic needs; United Way's Neighborhood Network Initiative; and donor directed giving to area nonprofits.
Funded programming includes quality early learning for children, after school programs for at-risk youth, employment training, volunteer tax assistance, physical and mental health services, programs for victims of domestic violence and shelter for the homeless.
United Way's investment is up slightly, with 198 nonprofit partners receiving funding to deliver programs, including 60 underserved communities in the city and suburbs. The average grant amount was $68,000.
Local North-Northwest United Way partners include:
• American Red Cross of Greater Chicago, $1,260,000
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Dundee Township, $200,000
• Bridge Youth and Family Services, $75,000;
• The Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, $1,582,641
• Children's Advocacy Center of North and Northwest Cook County, $83,684
• Children's Home + Aid, $467,543
• Countryside Association for People with Disabilities, $50,000
• Family Service: Prevention, Education & Counseling, $140,000
• HandsOn Suburban Chicago, $100,000
• Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, $1,028,325
• Metropolitan Family Services, $1,873,891;
• Northwest CASA, $35,000
• Palatine Opportunity Center, $119,000
• Palatine Township Senior Citizens Council, $ 20,000
• Salvation Army, The Shelter Inc., $ 709,315
• The Center Resources for Teaching and Learning, $150,000
• WINGS Program Inc., $102,500
• YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, $946,190.
"Amidst a state budget impasse, the prospect of additional cuts to our human services infrastructure across the region, and proposed cuts to the Chicago Public Schools budget, United Way's investments in programs and neighborhoods are more critical than ever," said Wendy DuBoe, CEO of United Way of Metropolitan Chicago. "Our overall community investment is up, but our partner agencies are still struggling amid state budget uncertainty."
This funding cycle, United Way experienced significant increases in requests to support both safety net programs such as food pantries and homeless shelters, as well as mental health resources, particularly psychiatric services.