Welcome
Northern Illinois Chapter
Join us for our quarterly Wednesday meetings!
2026 Meetings:
We meet quarterly on WEDNESDAY evenings:
-
February 11
-
May 13
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August 12
-
November 11
Meeting Agenda:
Fellowship: 6:30-7:00pm
Meeting: 7:00-8:00pm
Location: Mickey Finn’s Brewery (345 N. Milwaukee Ave. Libertyville, Illinois)
Guests are welcome to attend the meeting. If they would like to vote, they will need to fill out a commitment form prior to or at the beginning of the meeting.
Chapter Leader Contact Information:
Carolyn Dun
carolynbdun@gmail.com
Grants Awarded
2026
Grants Awarded History
2025
- February – North Star Classical Christian School
- May – Partners for Progress
- August – Youth Conservation Corps
- November – Mimi’s House Family Advocacy Center
2024
- February – Curt’s Cafe ($11,800)
- May – BiG Great Lakes
- August – CASA Lake County
- November – Independence Center
2023
February – Young Life Capernaum - May – COOL Ministries
- August – Youthage Culinary Programs
2022
- February – Special Gifts Theatre
- May – Caring for Kids Clothing
- August – Upscale Rummage and Furniture Warehouse
- November – Affirm Leadership Christian Academy
2020
2019
- Katibug Kids
- Riverside Foundation
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes
- Willow House
2018
- Stepping Stones Network
- Waukegan to College
- Informed Choices
- Midwest Veterans Closet
2017
- Fox and Trove
- LEAD
- Equestrian Connection
- FIT Moms
2016
- Lauri S. Bauer Foundation
- Frontline Street Intervention
- Mothers Trust Foundation
- Camp Hope
2015
- Beacon Place
- Youth and Family Counseling
- The Center for Enriched Living
- The Lake County Haven
Gallery
Photo Gallery
Check out photos from our recent meetings!
Nominated Nonprofits
100 Club of Chicago
Providing for families of first responders
www.100clubchicago.org
Adelante Center for Entrepreneurship
Waukegan
Creating wealth and jobs in communities with economic challenges.
www.adelantecenter.org
Affirm Leadership Christian Academy
Arden Shore Child & Family Services
Waukegan
Rebuilding children’s lives in a caring community
www.ardenshore.com
Art Impact Project
Lake Forest
Enhancing emotional wellness through creative expression
www.artimpactproject.org
A Safe Place
Zion
Domestic violence aid
www.asafeplaceforhelp.org
Aspire
Making our communities better by redefining what is possible for people with disabilities
aspirechicago.com
Beacon Place
Waukegan
Feeding and education of children
www.beacon-place.org
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago
Chicago
Supporting local youth through mentoring
bbbschgo.org
BiG Great Lakes
BiG Great Lakes is a God-centered, innovative, vocational community for adults with special needs with a vision to change the way the world views this population by providing creative work enterprises where our citizens make and sell artisan products, grow spiritually and enjoy friendships and community.
biggreatlakes.org
Bravo Waukegan
Bravo Waukegan actively supports students of the Waukegan public schools by partnering with the fine arts administration to fund opportunities to grow through music. Bravo provides resources for supervised, creative programs that take place in school, after school and during the summer.
bravowaukegan.org
Camp Hope
Lake Forest
Camp for children, teens and young adults with disabilities
www.camphopeillinois.org
Canines 4 Comfort
Round Lake, IL
Providing trained dogs to support mental health treatment and wellness.
canines4comfort.org
Caring4Kids Clothing
Winthrop Harbor
Helping provide children with needed clothing
http://www.c4kclothing.org/
CASA Lake County
We advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children within the juvenile court system because every child is entitled to a safe, permanent home.
www.casalakecounty.com
Center for Enriched Living
Riverwoods
Adults with developmental disabilites
www.centerforenrichedliving.com
Chocolate Chips Association
Gurnee, IL
Empowering girls to discover the scientific world since 2003
www.ccassoc.org
College Bound Opportunities
Riverwoods
Mentors for economically disadvantaged students
www.cbo4success.org
College of Lake County Foundation
Grayslake, IL
Opening doors to educational opportunity for all of Lake County
http://www.clcillinois.edu/aboutclc/clc-foundation
COOL Ministries
Waukegan
Assistance for families in need, against homelessness
http://coolministries.org/
Curt’s Cafe
Highland Park
To improve outcomes of young adults living in at-risk situation through work and life skills training
curtscafe.org
ElderCARE Lake County
Improving seniors’ wellbeing with free services including transportation to medical appointments, grocery shopping, and friendly visits
www.eldercarelakecounty.org
Erie Family Health Centers
Family Service of Lake County
Highland Park
Mental health agency for families
www.famservice.org
Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA)
Metro Chicago
Minister to, disciple, and serve coaches and athletes in Chicago North suburbs area
metrochicagofca.org
Fill a Heart 4 Kids
Lake Forest
Gives unaccompanied homeless youth and foster children educational support
www.fillaheart4kids.org
FIT Moms
Waukegan
Partnering with single mothers
www.fitmomsillinois.org
Fox and Trove
Libertyville
Raising the next generation of world changers by teaching children to be kind and brave
www.foxandtrove.com
Frontline Street Intervention
Round Lake Beach
Keeping youth off the streets
www.
The Fuller Center for Housing
Lake County, IL
Building and renovating homes in partnership with families in need
www.fullerhouselakecounty.org
Gratitude Generation
Working to instill gratitude into future generations through education and service.
www.gratitudegeneration.org
Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association (GLASA)
Lake Forest
Promotes and supports people who have physical and visual impairments through inclusive sports activities
www.glasa.org
giveNkind
Connecting nonprofits and donors who look to re-purpose their goods to impact their local community
www.givenkind.org
Habitat for Humanity Lake County
Gurnee
Building homes to build the community
www.habitatlc.org
Hearts for Hope
Uniting as a community to exude compassion and encouragement by delivering care packages to those in need
www.hearts-for-hope.com
Heart of the City
Heart of the City is committed to providing an accessible youth soccer program and access to high quality programs and experiences for our athletes.
heartofthecitysports.org
Home of the Sparrow
www.hosparrow.org
Jeeps on the Run
Jeep Lovers and their kindness making a difference in the community.
jeepsontherun.com
The Josslyn Center
josselyn.org
KatiBug Kids
Lake County
Helping special needs kids ages 0-22 at home
katibugkids.org
Keeping Families Covered
Gurnee
Providing help and hope to families in crisis
www.twiceasnicemc.org
Kindred Life Ministries
Grayslake
Helping teen parents and their families thrive
www.kindredlifeministries.org
Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center
Lake County
Providing a safe environment for child victims of abuse
https://www.lakecountyil.gov/2066/Childrens-Advocacy-Center
Lake County Young Life Capernaum
Giving adolescents opportunity to know Jesus Christ
www.lakecountyyounglife.com
The Lake County Haven
Libertyville
Domestic violence
www.lakecountyhaven.org
Lauri S. Bauer Foundation for Sudden Loss
Vernon Hills
Help for families who lose a family member
www.tulipsforlauri.org
LEAD
Lake Forest
Drug awareness and healthy families
www.leadingefforts.org
Legacy Reentry Foundation NFP
www.legacyreentryfoundation.org
Little City
Palatine, IL
Providing the best opportunities for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
www.littlecity.org
Love INC Lake County
Waukegan
Helping churches help people to move out of debt and off of support
www.loveinclakecounty.org
Max Schewitz Foundation
Lake Bluff
To support education, prevention, and research of sudden cardiac death in young people
http://heartsmartekg.org
Midwest Veteran’s Closet
Impacting Veterans Lives by providing necessities
www.
Mosaic House Ministries
North Chicago
Discipleship in the context of missions
www.mosaichouseministries.org
Mother’s Trust Foundation
Lake Forest
Emergency help for children in Lake County
www.motherstrustfoundation.org
My Father’s Business
Waukegan, IL
Serving high risk youth in the Zion community
www.myfathersbusinessmfb.org
North Chicago Community Partners
Lake Bluff
Implementing impactful programs in North Chicago’s public schools
www.northchicagocommunitypartners.org
PADS
Waukegan
Lake County Emergency shelter for families
www.padslakecounty.org
Paws Ability Project at Our House of Hope
Libertyville
Specializing in the Rescue, Rehabilitation and Re-homing of Companion Animals
www.ourhouseofhoperescue.com
Raising A Reader
Offers early literacy and family engagement programs
https://sites.google.com/site/rarlakecounty
Reading Power
Lake Forest
Early literacy intervention for children in North Chicago and Zion
www.readingpowerinc.org
ReNew Communities
Lake Forest
Revitalizing under-resourced communities
www.
Riverside Foundation
Lincolnshire
Adults with developmental disabilities
www.riversidefoundation.net
Roberti Community House
Waukegan
Encouraging the best in ourselves, our neighbors, our community
www.roberticommunityhouse.org
Safe Families for Children
Lake County Chapter
Support for children & families in crisis
safe-families.org
SamaraCare
Winnetka, IL
Offering hope, healing and restoration to wholeness through professional counseling
samaracarecounseling.org
Special Gifts Theatre
Northbrook
Providing educational and therapeutic theatre arts programs for individuals with disabilities
specialgiftstheatre.org
Stepping Stones Network
Teen Mother Choices International
The Vision For Tomorrow Foundation
LaGrange, IL
Empowering people with low vision
visionfortomorrow.org
Transform Capital
Total Link 2 Community
TotalLink2 Community is a Northbrook-based nonprofit that helps individuals living with intellectual and developmental disabilities ages 18 years or older and their families in the north suburbs of Chicago. www.totallink2.org
Upscale Rummage & Furniture Warehouse
Libertyville
Re-sale shop that gives all proceeds to local non-profits
upscalerummage.org
Waukegan to College
Waukegan
Tutoring and mentoring of youth
www.waukegantocollege.org
Willow House
Riverwoods
Family grief support
www.willowhouse.org
Words on Wheels
Gurnee
Impacting young children through the power of words
www.wordsonwheels.org
Youthage Culinary Program, Inc
Our mission is to educate and empower children with a vast knowledge of culinary arts.
www.youthageculinary.com
Youth Build Lake County
North Chicago
Help low income adults complete their education
www.youthbuildlakecounty.org
Youth Conservation Corps
Waukegan
Mentor at risk youth
www.youthconservationcorps.org
Youth & Family Counseling
Libertyville
Professional counseling services
counselingforall.org
Zacharias’ Sexual Abuse Center
Gurnee
Programs for survivors of sexual abuse
www.zcenter.org
Give Online
Make Your Quarterly Contribution
If you are unable to attend, the group still depend on your donation commitment to the selected charity. Please be sure to make your contribution by sending a check with another member to the meeting, or mailing a check immediately after the meeting. You can also make a payment to the selected charity through our Community Purse Giving Fund at the National Christian Foundation by clicking the button below.
*Please note: We request that a $3.00 handling fee be added for online credit card donations ($103).
For account transfer donations, there is no fee.