Naperville Exchange Club shares $550,000 in grants

Two weeks ago, Kristin Good of the Mutual Ground domestic violence shelter was speaking to fourth-graders about staying safe.

A day later, a 9-year-old boy from the class came forward for the first time to say he had been sexually abused.

"It's because of support from funders like you that that boy is now being counseled at Mutual Ground and is in the process of recovery," Good told members of the Exchange Club of Naperville on Friday.

Good was among the representatives of 49 groups that fight child abuse who are receiving funding from the club's 2009 Ribfest celebration. The groups gathered at Meson Sabika in Naperville to share their stories and their thanks.

"This is like my Christmas Day," said Diane Simmons, co-chair of the club's allocations committee. "I love to give away all the money that we worked so hard for at Ribfest."

Emy Trotz, the club's president-elect, said the annual Fourth of July weekend event was a "huge success" and raised $773,000. Of that, $550,000 will be allocated to nonprofit groups through grants ranging from $1,000 to $44,000.

Another $110,000 will go toward Project HELP, the club's own program that provides parent mentoring services, and $46,000 will go to groups that provided volunteers for the event.

Among the groups receiving a grant was DuPage PADS, which works with those who are homeless. Executive Director Carol Simler said the group saw a 49 percent spike in families needing services last year.

"We want to thank you because of the tremendous support you give us that enables us then to provide the supportive services to those whose lives are in chaos," Simler said.

DuPage PADS was among the many groups that saw an increases in the requests for help. Loaves and Fishes Community Pantry in Naperville helped 1,100 new families in 2009, according to Development Director Greg Gulledge. He told the group on Friday about a 14-year-old girl who does all the shopping and cooking for her family of four and recently came to the pantry for help.

"She started to thank me and said 'we ran out of food last week.' She was literally starving when she came to the pantry ... so that's who you're helping out," Gulledge said.

The Ray Graham Association plans to use its grant money to take children with disabilities on outings to the movies and the zoo when they come to stay at its respite house.

"We will be using your funding to make sure there's fun at respite," said Cathy Ficker Terrill, president and CEO.

Some of the groups receiving grants send volunteers to Ribfest as well. Angela Bentsen, executive director of Senior Home Sharing Inc., told the crowd at the luncheon that she made the mistake of signing her senior citizens up for the family tent last year instead of their usual post at the beer tent.

"I was put in my place by my three 90-year-old seniors," she said as the crowd laughed. "So we will see you at the beer tent."

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