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Supporters Come Together for a Memorable Evening to Benefit Homeless Students and Families By Valentina Pulla-Corella  Chicago, IL.- Chicago HOPES for Kids is thrilled to announce the success of its annual Seeds of HOPE Gala, held on Friday, June 7th, 2024, at Lacuna Lofts. The event, which took place from 6 pm to 10 pm, brought together more than 200 supporters for an evening of celebration, live music, delicious food, and heartfelt recognition of individuals and organizations making a significant impact in our community.
The highlight of the evening was the overwhelming generosity of our attendees, who collectively raised nearly $100,000 to support our programs and initiatives. This incredible achievement surpassed our fundraising goals and will greatly enhance our ability to provide educational resources and support to children experiencing homelessness in Chicago. The night featured the presentation of several prestigious awards, recognizing outstanding contributions to our mission:
We were honored to acknowledge these remarkable individuals and organizations, and celebrate their ongoing dedication and support. The success of the 2024 Seeds of HOPE Gala is a testament to the unwavering commitment of our community. The funds raised will enable us to expand our STEAM Enrichment campaign, adding three new partners to our Literacy Leaders enrichment portfolio. This initiative provides hands-on learning experiences that are crucial for our students' academic success and future career exploration. Chicago HOPES for Kids extends its heartfelt gratitude to everyone who attended and contributed to this memorable evening. Your support is vital in helping us continue our mission to empower Chicago’s most vulnerable children through education and enrichment. _________________________________ For more information about our programs and how you can get involved, please visit our website at www.chicagohopesforkids.org. Media Contact: Jocelyn Tenorio Development Manager [email protected]
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Nonprofit provides educational and holistic support to Chicago students experiencing homelessness By Stephen J. Lewis  Fundraising efforts for the 51st annual Northwestern University Dance Marathon are already underway. A date and location for the 15-hour event will be announced in the fall. While the focus this time of year for many students is the end of the school year and graduation, students behind Northwestern University Dance Marathon (NUDM) are already busy at work planning for the return of the event next spring.
First up on the agenda is selecting a new primary benefactor. This week, organizers announced a new primary beneficiary for the year-long fundraising efforts — Chicago HOPES for Kids. Chicago HOPES is a nonprofit that provides educational and holistic support to Chicago students experiencing homelessness. Volunteers work with students for a minimum of two hours each day. They help students complete their homework and provide one-on-one literacy support. “We are really excited about the potential of this partnership and seeing how students engage with the beneficiary,” said Irene Martinez, NUDM 2025’s managing and engagement director. Sammie Hesekiel, NUDM’s managing and student director echoed the excitement and added “it’s something really unique because Chicago HOPES helps the cause of homelessness while focusing specifically on education.” The Evanston Community Foundation (ECF) will serve as NUDM’s long-term beneficiary for its 28th consecutive year. ECF ensures that Evanston thrives by funding local grants to deserving individuals, families and organizations. Fundraising efforts for the 51st annual Northwestern University Dance Marathon are already underway. A date and location for the 15-hour event will be announced in the fall. Rita Kahn came to the organization five years ago as Development Manager. She brings a variety of skills and experiences to her position including a teaching background, human resources and marketing leadership. Rita LOVES going to school. She received her Master’s in Education from Dominican University in 2010 and her Master’s in Labor Industrial Relations from Michigan State University in 1996. Before joining HOPES, Rita served as the Development Manager for Oak Park River Food Pantry where she increased community awareness of childhood food insecurity and raised funds to launch the community’s first summer meals program for at-risk youth. About The Official Do Good Better Podcast: Each episode features (fundraising expert, speaker, event creator and author) Patrick Kirby interviewing leaders and champions of small & medium nonprofits to share their successes, their impact, and what makes them a unicorn in a field of horses. Patrick answers fundraising questions and (most importantly) showcases how you can support these small nonprofits doing great big things! iTunes: https://apple.co/3a3Xenf Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2PlqRXs Tunein: http://tun.in/pjIVt Stitcher: https://bit.ly/3i8jfDR
Chicago HOPES for Kids Joins A Better Chicago Portfolio as Winner of Chicago Design Challenge10/13/2021
 Chicago HOPES for Kids partnered for the 3rd year with Lincoln Park Zoo to provide families from eight homeless and domestic violence shelters across the city of Chicago with a private evening at the zoo. The annual HOPES at the Zoo event is made possible thanks to a generous donation from long-time zoo supporter Sharon Zackfia. This year, the event was combined with HOPES’ annual School Supply Drive to provide 200 new backpacks with supplies, donated and packed by Amazon Fresh. Families enjoyed an “Animal Superheroes” themed evening with crafts, games, special animal enrichment, and community-based resources provided across the zoo grounds. Partners providing resources such as menstrual supplies, career coaching, and nutrition information included the Chicago Period Project, Plant Chicago, ICAN, Chicago Public Library, Brave Space Alliance, JARC, and Amazon Fresh. Families also had the chance to learn about the zoo’s educational programming for students and register for the fall semester of after-school programming provided directly at the shelters by Chicago HOPES for Kids. While rain prevented immediate distribution of backpacks, the Amazon team adapted to provide delivery service to all 8 of our attending partner shelters. "Chicago HOPES for Kids is excited to partner with Lincoln Park Zoo and Amazon to provide this unique experience for families experiencing homelessness in Chicago,” said Executive Director Rita Kahn. “While a rainstorm made for a different evening than planned, exploring the zoo together was still a wonderful way to start the school year!” Lincoln Park Zoo's Director of Community Innovation and Collaboration, Stephanie Bohr, shared, "At a time when connection to both nature and resources has never been more important, we are thrilled to welcome all of the families and partners to the zoo for a fun-filled evening." “As students head back to school, this event provided local kids with access to educational programming and school supplies,” said Sarah Glavin, Amazon’s Senior Manager of External Affairs in Chicago. “Regardless of the weather, we were pleased to partner with Chicago HOPES for Kids and Lincoln Park Zoo as they help these families kick off a successful school year.” http://www.lawndalenews.com/2021/09/lpz-amazon-fresh-collaborate-for-a-special-evening-at-the-zoo/
By: Alexandra Kirchner, Development Administrator Chicago, IL— Chicago HOPES for Kids is honored to have been named one of the Neighborhood Innovation Award winners for their COVID-19 Virtual Academic Support. The winners were announced at this year’s virtual event held on Monday, October 19th. Students experiencing homelessness have been particularly vulnerable during the COVID-19 crisis because they regularly lack access to the internet, computers, and other resources vital to remote learning. In partnership with the Reva David Logan Foundation, Chicago HOPES forKids distributed WiFi hotspots, tablets, and ChromeBook laptops,as well as virtual academic programming to families living in homeless shelters across the city during the height of the COVID-19 crisis. As students transition to remote learning this fall, we are continuing to provide virtual resources and socially-distanced in-person programs to ensure students remain on track and encouraged while they are unable to attend school. By providing targeted support for one of the most vulnerable populations of students in Chicago, we are helping prevent them from falling further behind, providing access to greater future opportunity, and closing the digital divide. “In this year of a global pandemic, innovation is needed now more than ever,” said Tom Kuczmarski, co-founder with Chicago journalist Dan Miller of the awards. “2020 winners are solving big problems in healthcare, community and workforce development, education, finance, agriculture, electronics, telecommunications, manufacturing, drug development, business services, and more.” “Thank you Chicago Innovation for this honor.” said Chicago HOPES for Kids Board President, Tonya Rice. “This award means a tremendous amount to our organization and will help make a real impact for children and families experiencing homelessness.” The complete list of this year’s Chicago Innovation Award winners can be found at www.chicagoinnovation.com. By: Alexandra Kirchner, Development Administrator Chicago HOPES for Kids is thrilled to announce that we have been named the recipient of a $50,000 grant through NBC Project Innovation. The grant will support the expansion of STEM curriculum in our After-School programs located in homeless shelters across the city of Chicago. Many of our students lack access to STEM enrichment because of their socioeconomic status. However, STEM has become an increasingly important aspect of education as it opens up boundless opportunities for children to discover more of their world and build a brighter future. This grant will fund a new curriculum partner, NextWaveSTEM, as well as more technology such as tablets and ChromeBooks to deliver an online literacy curriculum and STEM enrichment during COVID-19 and beyond. We are grateful to NBC-5 and Telemundo for featuring our work on the air and online - you can find broadcast clips and web stories linked below. Thank you to NBC Project Innovation for your support in our transformative work in the lives of students experiencing homelessness! NBC 5: Website story: https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/nbc-5-telemundo-chicago-award-grants-to-non-profits-helping-communities-impacted-by-coronavirus/2271384/ Telemundo Chicago: Website story: https://www.telemundochicago.com/marcando-la-diferencia/organizaciones-locales-reciben-250000-de-telemundo-chicago-y-nbc-5/2089631/ Funding will support remote education opportunities for homeless students during COVID-19 By: Alexandra Kirchner, Development Administrator
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