June 2023 - Friends of Fisher House

Our 2nd Meeting this year brought nominations for three well deserving non-profits (click for more information):

Friends of Fisher House IL   (helping Military Families During Medical Crises)

GlenEllyn Infant Welfare Society (helping families in crisis)

Repeat Boutique (helping families in need)

It seems timely that we presented our donation to Friends of Fisher House IL so close to the Fourth of July holiday. They are so grateful for the contribution! We toured the Fisher House at Hines Hospital and met some of the board members, volunteers and staff.  Our donation is going to make a difference in many lives for a long time. Thanks to all of our wonderful women making such an impact!

April 2023 - Cesco's Heart

Our first meeting of 2023 once again brought 3 worthy nominations chosen of 5 submitted. Click on each to learn more about the charity.

1. Cesco’s Heart

2. Repeat Boutique

3. Beat the Streets
   

We are excited to say that Cesco’s Heart was the chosen recipient!

This was presented (for the 3rd time) from our member Marisa De Astis who is a dear friend of Dana Vavalle who lost her 18 month baby boy Cesco, to a rare heart defect in 2012. They established the charity to support research and advanced treatments for other pediatric cardiology. They established this charity in June of that year and have provided over $120,000 to support treatments and research

October 2022 - Misericordia

Our final meeting of 2022 once again brought 3 worthy nominations. It was a lovely evening of giving.

1. Cesco’s Heart

2. St. Moses the Black Food Pantry

3. Misericordia

Misericordia was our recipient! Cheri Rafferty presented for this charity near and dear to her heart as her daughter, Lauren currently resides at Misericordia. This non-profit offers a community of care that maximizes potential for persons with mild to profound  developmental disabilities, many of whom are also physically challenged. Well deserved!

UPDATE: With the help of our tireless matching donors, we were able to donate a total of $35,100 !!

August 2022 - Naperville Responds for Veterans

Our third meeting of the year brought 3 worthy nominations.

1. Naperville Responds for Veterans

2. Cesco’s Heart

3. Glen Ellyn Infant Welfare Society

NAPERVILLE RESPONDS FOR VETERANS received the most votes! This charity was nominated by Peggi D’Angelo as her late mother enlisted and served as a nurse in World War II. This non-profit assists Veterans and their families, especially those with low and moderate income by repairing, building and donating homes. Congratulations!

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UPDATE: With the help of our very generous matching donors, we donated $34,400 to Naperville Responds for Veterans!!

June 2022 - Girls in the Game

Our second meeting of the year brought 5 requests for nominations. The three chosen from the “hat” were:

1. Glen Ellyn Infant Society (Jeanie Porter)

2. Girls in the Game (Peggy Kinander)

3. Beat the Streets (Patty Joyce)

GIRLS IN THE GAME received the most votes. This charity was chosen in 2017 and this time will have the extra benefit of our increased membership. Congratulations!!

We brought our donation to Girls in the Game on July 1st to their headquarters in Douglas Park. Our initial donation brought $10,800 with hopes for all of our matching donors to increase that amount substantially.

UPDATE: With an abundance of help from our matching donors, our total donation to Girls in the Game was $31,400 !!

April 2022 - Save Abandoned Babies

The first charity awarded this year comes from a presentation from Tracy Heming-Litwin for the Save Abandoned Babies Foundation. We presented our funds with a crowd this time around. Our presentation was featured on ABC news and was accepted by the foundation and it’s living advocate, Morgan Hill, who was found as an infant in a dumpster in October, 1995. Our members gave this organization $10,700 and our generous matching donors gave an additional $10,400 and $5,000. We also should receive matching funds up to $5,000 from the Shulze Foundation for a potential donation of over $30,000!!

UPDATE: Because of our generous matching donors, our total donation to Saving Abandoned Babies was $31,400 !!

October 2021 - The Magic Foundation

Our chosen charity for our October meeting was presented by Judy Lucas for The Magic Foundation.

Our total donation to them is $26,300.00 with another $5,000.00 to come in Feb. or March 2022 from the Schulze Family Foundation.

click HERE for more information on the Magic Foundation

Our members participation in this group is changing lives, impacting the health and welfare of people in our community. This year we have donated to children in an alternative school, helping them stay alive and participate in family and community life, helped women with Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer keep up the fight and improve the health and well being of these women and their families,. we also have provided diapers and other essentials for children and families in desperate need and finally we have offered families a community and education as they are struggling with rare disorders this year! We have donated a total of $64,000 this year alone!

August 2021 - Outreach House

THE OUTREACH HOUSE was chosen for our August donation. With 70 members we were able to give $7,000 !! We also have two generous donors that have agreed to match 1/2 of our totals with each chosen charity forward, which means $14,000 for the Outreach House!! We are making such a difference in so many lives!!

Click HERE for more information on The Outreach House

June 2021 - Roots and Wings Foundation

ROOTS AND WINGS FOUNDATION

Our June Meeting was our first in-person meeting in over a year! It was so very nice to see everyone in our amazing group

Roots and Wings Foundation received the most votes!!

CLICK HERE for more info!

We dropped off the donation to Roots and Wings Charitable Foundation. We met 2 lovely ladies including the founder, Diana Keen. They were so grateful for the $6,800.00 to help those with stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer access integrative therapies to help them through the difficult journey they endure. Diana plans to attend our meeting August 3 @11:00am at Medinah to let us know more.

April 2021 - Christopher Lyons Memorial Fund (Glen Oaks Hospital)

Our first Nomination this year came as another virtual event. An email was sent out to membership with three chosen charities:

1. Christopher Lyons Memorial Fund (click here for more information)

2. Roots and Wings (click here for more information)

3. The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation (click here for more information).

The Christopher Lyons Memorial Fund received the most votes!

On June 2nd, we dropped off the donation ($6,700.00) to GlenOaks Hospital Foundation/Chris Lyons Memorial Fund. We toured the school and learned a great deal about the school, staff and programs. it truly amazing the length of time some of the staff have been employed. There is so often a lot of turn over at schools and it is a testament to the program and administration. What a worthwhile cause!

In addition, The Schulze Family Foundation has matched our donation (1/2 or our total donation), so this organization received an additional $3300 !!! Thank you Peggi D’Angelo for finding this this generous foundation!

October 2020 - Outreach Community Ministries →

Once again, a virtual vote but also a robust field of entries for charity nominations!

The three chosen were:

1. Magic Foundation - click here for information

2. Save Abandoned Babies Foundation - click here for more information

3. Outreach Community Ministry - click here for more information

Our nominated charity was Outreach Community Ministry’s Jubilee Village!

We toured Jubilee Village on November 16th. Seven members of the team were on-hand to thank our 100 WWC Chapter. They were extremely grateful for our $6000.00 donation! It will go towards the organization’s employment program. Jubilee Village provides an overall approach to success through mentorship along with providing parenting, leadership, and life skills to guide these young women into the next phase of their lives. We were lucky enough to meet one of the fine young ladies in the residential program. She was quite impressive in both her accolades and bright outlook on life. We are so very happy to help this deserving organization. How they’ve made such a difference in the lives of so many young women!

August 2020 - Glen Ellyn Food Pantry →

Once again, a virtual vote but also a robust field of entries for charity nominations!

The three chosen were:

1. Glen Ellyn Food Pantry - click for more information

2. Magic Foundation - click for more information

3. Save Abandoned Babies Foundation - click for more information

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Our nominated charity was The Glen Ellyn Food Pantry.

They were extremely grateful of our $6200.00 donation! We took an extensive tour of the pantry. THEY NEED A NEW FACILITY!!  They are doing good work but sorting food in a second floor non air-conditioned gym had to be brutal this summer. Thank you to all for helping provide for food insecure people in the area! You are making a big, practical, immediate difference in your community!

June 2020 - Gerry's Cafe →

Our June Meeting vote was online again. We had 7 nominations!! Because there are only three allowed for vote, we chose virtually, with these three landing the nomination:

1. Gerry’s Cafe - https://www.gerryscafe.org

2. Magic Foundation - https://www.magicfoundation.org

3. Cal’s Angels - https://www.calsangels.org

Gerry’s Cafe received the most votes!

We dropped off our $6,200.00 donation to Gerry's Cafe on July 21st. One of the co-founders and some potential employees were there to receive it. They are very grateful. 

This following letter was sent to our members in thanks of the donation.

“Dear Members,

Thank you for supporting our mission of Gerry's Cafe! We are especially grateful for your gift during these difficult days of uncertainty. We are working hard to open our doors to inclusion when the time is right. With your generous collective donation of $6200, we are another step closer to signing a lease and beginning construction of our inclusive and accessible cafe! We need to raise $500,000 in order to open Gerry's Cafe. We have surpassed the $430,000 mark thus far, thanks to generous donors like you! Our vision remains clear and we will resume all actions when our world is a bit calmer. As the Co-Founders of Gerry's Cafe, we would like to personally thank you for making our work possible. Your kindness supports the many young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have limited opportunities for employment. You are helping people with disabilities feel valued. "They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for." Thank you for providing hope for an underserved population! Together, we will open Gerry's Cafe so we can employ 40 differently able adults. Together, we will open Gerry's Cafe for our community members to gather for good food, good coffee, and exceptional service! Together, we will create a place of joy that welcomes and celebrates everyone! Our current and future success of opening Gerry's Cafe will be possible by the continued generosity of our community supporters. Donations from local businesses and caring individuals will allow us to open our doors to inclusion. We want to create a better world. We are beyond grateful for your support! It is because of YOU that we can help change the lives of adults with developmental disabilities. If you would like to be updated on our exciting progress, you can go to our website (www.GerrysCafe.org) and subscribe to our email list! We look forward to sharing coffee with you in Gerry's Cafe in the future!

With gratitude and joy,

Natalie Griffin & Amy Philpott

Co-Founders Brewing Opportunities, Gerry's Cafe GerrysCafe.org

Your donation is tax deductible for IRS purposes.

EIN # 83-1323671

April Meeting CANCELLED

This new Corona Virus Pandemic has brought us into unprecedented times. Our April Meeting was canceled in hopes for a meeting in June.

Bridge Communities

On November 19th we brought our donation of $6,700.00 to Bridge Communities. We met at one of their resource centers where clients meet for counseling, job training, children's activities, etc. We met with Amy VanPolen and she spent quite a bit of time with us, explaining their mission and giving us examples of how they support the community and try to break the cycle of homelessness.

We all should be proud to be part of a group that supports organizations like this one! Thank you Jeanne Porter for this nomination.

Home2Home Project

On Friday, September 20th we presented our donation of $6600 to Home2Home Project. Our own Kathy Robbins volunteers for Home2Home and nominated this worthwhile charity. We toured the storage spaces that housed furniture and other necessities needed for families transitioning from homelessness to their own apartment. The stories Janelle Towne and her volunteers had for us were extraordinary. What started in November of 2016 with a simple idea has grown to serve 54 families thus far!! Needless to say, Janelle was extremely grateful!! We as 100WWC are making a difference!

Home2Home Project furnishes apartments for individuals or families who have just "graduated" from homelessness. Their new permanent housing comes with very little. Perhaps an air mattress. Home2Home furnishes the new home...furniture, kitchen ware (plates, cups, flatware, pots, etc), beds, towels, pictures on the wall....

In general, the statistics for returning to a shelter are pretty high....except for those helped by Home2Home. They have, to date, had only one person return to homelessness. This organization is making a huge impact for their clients!

Mothers Trust Foundation

On July 31st we brought our donation to a very grateful Mothers Trust Foundation of Lake County.

They serve children and families with children in difficult situations. At a meeting each week, requests are reviewed and money goes out. Of the children served, 27% live in households reporting $0 income. 14% are homeless, 19% are households affected by a disability. They provide hope for breaking the cycle of poverty. It was great to see the process firsthand.

Clearbrook

We made our $6,600.00 to Clearbrook. They were so very appreciative! We met wonderful people and learned about the comprehensive services they provide. The 2 areas where our funds will be utilized will help in ways that are far reaching!

In addition to our donation, the Riley Family matched our gift!!

Camp Kasem at DePaul University

Our fourth donation of 2018 went to Camp Kasem (DePaul University Chapter) on November 12th. They were very happy with our $6200 donation when we presented our checks to the student-run chapter!! We are proud to see what a difference we are making!!

Camp Kesem is a nationwide community, driven by passionate college student leaders, that supports children through and beyond their parent's cancer.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT CAMP KASEM click HERE.

Naomi's House

Our August meeting brought us three nominations:

• Naomi's House - a residential program designed to offer hope, healing and a new beginning to women who have suffered commercial sexual exploitation.

  http://www.moodychurch.org/naomis-house/

• Family Bridges - helping families learn skills to improve their family life and financial situations

  https://familybridgesusa.com

• Loaves and Fishes - a food pantry that helps families who are food insecure and provides assistance in other ways to help families move toward financial security.

  https://www.loaves-fishes.org

Lisa Barry nominated Naomi’s House and it received the most votes. The house in DuPage County where we presented our checks on Friday, September 21st to a most thankful Executive Director, Simone Halpin. We learned about her program and how it helps women get the help and courage to take back their lives.

We are now 60 WOMEN STRONG!!

Spread the word about us and bring a friend along to our next meeting on October 9th at 6:00pm so that they can see what we are all about!