DuPage Foundation's 1920s Themed Benefit Seeks to Help Area Not-for-Profits Build their Endowments
As a fun addition to this year's activities, the Foundation has partnered with some of its not-for-profit agencies that invest their endowment funds with it to help them raise money and generate awareness for the important work that they do on behalf of our community.
Four of the Foundation's not-for-profit partners, Anima - Glen Ellyn Children's Chorus; Bridge Communities, Inc.; Family Shelter Service; and Naperville CARES have elected to take part in its "Partners in Philanthropy - Jail 'n Bail" opportunity.
During the month of October, each not-for-profit agency along with their selected "Champions" will be raising dollars from their constituents for their agency endowment funds that the Foundation manages on their behalf. The three agencies which raise the most dollars for their funds by Friday, October 30, will then be invited to attend the Benefit as guests of the Foundation to further promote their organizations and have the opportunity to raise additional dollars that evening as part of a "Jail 'n Bail."
At some point during the evening, each agency's "Champion" will be "arrested" and sent to "jail." He or she will then be brought up for a "hearing" during the program in which the agency's mission and impact will be spotlighted and a representative will "plead" their case to raise additional funds for the organization from our audience and bail out the "Champion."
"The Jail 'n Bail opportunity is a neat twist on a 'fund-a-need' paddle raise, which many not-for-profits offer at their galas to encourage support for their programs," said Mike Sitrick, Foundation director of development. "But rather than make our focus just about the Foundation, our Benefit Committee decided to do something unique this year that not only ties in with our theme but also highlights our not-for-profit partners and helps them to raise funds for their endowments. We've got a great roster of partner organizations and Champions. It's going to be a lot of fun."
Each not-for-profit has selected a "Champion" whom it feels embodies the spirit of its organization. Champions for the participating agencies are as follows: Anima-Glen Ellyn Children's Chorus: Annie Wagner, Chorus member; Bridge Communities, Inc.: Mark Milligan, co-founder; Family Shelter Service: Christine Connery, survivor; and Naperville CARES, Jim McCluskey, board member.
About Our Partners
Anima-www.animasingers.org
"Anima is my home away from home. I love it there because I have fun and friends. When I sing with Anima, I have a sense of my own power and confidence."-Annie Wagner, Anima Champion
Anima - Glen Ellyn Children's Chorus
For more than 50 years, Anima - Glen Ellyn Children's Chorus has held the belief that ordinary children can achieve extraordinary things. Serving the community since 1964, Anima is widely recognized for its musical excellence, innovative educational philosophy, and outreach programs that bring rich educational and cultural opportunities to children who would not otherwise have such experiences. Anima performs frequently with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) at Chicago's Symphony Center, with the Grant Park Orchestra at Millennium Park, and with Lyric Opera of Chicago. It has won several national awards for artistic excellence and performed under such eminent conductors as Esa-Pekka Salonen, Christoph Eschenbach, Sir Andrew Davis, Daniel Barenboim, James Levine, James Conlon, Claudio Abbado, and the late Sir Georg Solti. Anima has toured extensively throughout the U.S. and has sung on six continents. Please direct inquiries to Simrit Patel, executive director at simrit@animasingers.org.
Bridge Communities, Inc.-www.bridgecommunities.org
"Our endowment is critical to the future of Bridge, and to the hundreds of families that knock on our door each year. Only because of your support can we be sure that we're sustainable into the future, and that our clients' shelter needs and self-sufficiency goals will be met. Thank you for bringing them in from the cold."-Mark Milligan, Bridge Communities, Inc.'s Champion
About Bridge Communities, Inc.
Through the help of our program partners and supporters, Bridge Communities provides free transitional housing to 128 homeless DuPage County families each year. During the two years each family spends in our program, they are able to save money, learn budgeting skills, and obtain better employment, so they can live self-sufficiently once they graduate.
Mission: The mission of Bridge Communities is to transition homeless families to self-sufficiency by working with partners to provide mentoring, housing, and supportive services.
Vision: Our vision is a community where all families are healthy, financially stable, and living in affordable housing.
Values: Each of our core values-Partnership, Empowerment, Integrity, Respect, Hope-applies to everyone involved in Bridge Communities - clients, mentors, program partners, volunteers, donors, board
members, staff and community.
To learn more, please contact Amy Van Polen, resource development director, at 630-545-0610 x12 or amy.vanpolen@bridgecommunities.org, or visit www.bridgecommunities.org.
Family Shelter Service-www.familyshelterservice.net
"My children, that I love with all my heart, spent years in agony, watching helplessly, day after day, year after year, the man they called their father pinning me against the wall, screaming, yelling, destroying me emotionally and abusing me physically. Now, with the continuing moral support of Family Shelter Service and my family, I have four wonderful, productive sons, whom I am very proud, a job that is fulfilling and financially rewarding, along with an unstoppable desire to begin my quest to help others believe in themselves. Your support of Family Shelter Service can help other families trapped in domestic violence find a path to safety and peace."
-Christine Connery, Family Shelter Service Champion
About Family Shelter Service
Family Shelter Service's mission is to transform lives by offering hope and healing to victims of domestic violence. One in three women and one in five men will be impacted by this issue, which ripples out to affect all of us, from children in our schools to colleagues at our workplace. We offer three core programs: residential, counseling, and community advocacy. Services include: emergency shelter 24 hours/day, 365 days/year; two intermediate housing facilities for clients moving towards independent living; individual, group, and family counseling; case management; employment services; court /victim advocacy; a 24-hour crisis hotline and a counseling program specifically designed for children. Services are available in English and in Spanish. Family Shelter Service also provides education to engage the community in a dialogue about domestic violence. Last year, we served 1,779 women and children. Our website is www.familyshelterservice.net. Please contact Robbie
Macroy at rmacroy@familyshelterservice.net to make a donation.
Naperville CARES-www.napervillecares.org
"It's amazing to be part of an organization that in its short time has a rich history that only continues to grow! I am inspired by the drive, compassion and vision of the staff to help people in Naperville that face financial hardship during their lives. The gratitude and appreciation of its clients and the generosity of the donors makes Naperville CARES a wonderful organization to be associated with."-Jim McCluskey, Naperville CARES Champion
About Naperville CARES
Headquartered in Naperville, IL, since 1999, Naperville CARES is where the community comes together to ensure all our neighbors have access to resources to meet their essential needs. The CARES Emergency Assistance Program, which provides emergency financial assistance to pay for basic needs like rent and utilities, is a very effective model for preventing homelessness in our community. The goal of the CARES Car Program is to help individuals maintain employment by providing reliable transportation by either providing a client with a donated vehicle or repairing client owned vehicles. Naperville CARES welcomes your support of Toasting for a Cause, Cuisine for a Cause, CARESGiver, CARES Car Donation program and other events. For more information visit www.NapervilleCARES.org.
Tickets for the Foundation's Annual Benefit are $500 per person. For additional information about it or the "Partners in Philanthropy - Jail 'n Bail," please visit www.dupagefoundation.org and click on "The Benefit" on the right.
About the DuPage Foundation
The DuPage Foundation seeks to raise the quality of life throughout DuPage County by fostering philanthropy, connecting donors to area needs and building community partnerships. Based on the American virtues of volunteerism and philanthropy, the Foundation fosters a legacy of support for the people of DuPage County by making grants to not-for-profit organizations working in the areas of arts and culture, education, environment, health, and human services. Since its inception, the Foundation has built its endowment to approximately $63 million and awarded more than $23 million in grants to not-for-profit agencies serving the residents of DuPage County and beyond.
Established in 1986, the DuPage Foundation is a publicly-supported 501(c)(3) organization to
which contributions are tax deductible. It was created to benefit the people of DuPage County and receives contributions and bequests into a permanent endowment from individuals, corporations, organizations and foundations wishing to make lasting contributions to the people of DuPage. The earnings on these funds are then used, in accordance with donor wishes, for the Foundation's grantmaking and community leadership activities.
For more information about the Foundation, or to arrange future media opportunities, please contact Joelyn Kundrot, marketing & communications officer, at (630) 598-5290, or joelyn@dupagefoundation.org.