Struggling Chicago area nonprofits can try for $100,000 grant

Submitted by Humana Foundation

Now more than ever, nonprofits are struggling to meet the needs of community members who have felt the effects of hard economic times. Chicago area nonprofits can apply to win $100,000 through Humana Communities Benefit Grant. Local organizations can apply through Wednesday, July 31.

For Chicago area nonprofit organizations, the $100,000 Humana Communities Benefit charitable grant in Chicago sponsored by the Humana Foundation, the philanthropic arm of health and well-being company Humana Inc., is an opportunity to help fulfill the financial demands of their organization.

For the 11th consecutive year, the Humana Communities Benefit program in Chicago will award a one-time, $100,000 grant to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health experiences or building healthy communities. Eligible nonprofits located in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kankakee, Lake or McHenry will be considered in the areas of childhood health, intergenerational health and active lifestyles and can apply through July 31. Following the selection process by a panel of local judges, the 2013 grant recipient will be announced at a celebratory event on Nov. 7.

“Humana’s commitment to supporting the needs of health-focused nonprofit organizations in the Chicago area has remained strong over the last 11 years,” said Tim O’Rourke, president of Humana’s Great Lakes Medicare region. “For this reason, the Humana Communities Benefit grant in Chicago continues to help create and enhance programs that are vital for the health and well-being of Chicago residents.”

The Humana Communities Benefit program in Chicago awarded the $100,000 grant to the Children’s Place Association, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the overall quality of life of Chicago-area children and families living with HIV/AIDS or other life-changing conditions. The nonprofit organization has since used its one-time grant to purchase desktop computers for its learning classrooms, laptop computers for other facilities and home computers for local families.

“The Humana Communities Benefit grant has helped us open the gates to the digital world for many low-income families whose means are barely enough to survive,” said Cathy Krieger, president and CEO of The Children’s Place Association. “Our facility has seen a transformation in the lives of residents of all ages who are utilizing the Internet as a tool to access anything from employment possibilities to medical care opportunities for their families.”

Nonprofit organizations interested in applying for the 2013 grant can review guidelines and find more information on the application at www.Humana.com/HCB. Questions can also be directed to Humana by email to HCB@humana.com.

The Humana Foundation was established in 1981 as the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc., one of the nation’s leading health care companies. Located in Louisville, Ky., the site of Humana’s corporate headquarters, the foundation’s mission is to promote healthy lives and healthy communities. The Foundation’s key funding priorities are childhood health, intergenerational health and active lifestyles. For more information, visit www.humanafoundation.org.