Nonprofits share their biggest needs as they continue to adapt to change

NONPROFITS LOOK AHEAD TO THE FUTURE

As the COVID-19 recovery continues, here are the ways you can help

In the midst of the COVID-19 recovery, nonprofits are continuing to adapt to various changes. Yet, their missions remain unchanged: to make the world a better place through their particular offerings.

As they prepare for the future, Giving Guide contributors shared their organizations’ upcoming opportunities and most pressing needs with Crain’s Content Studio. Please take a moment to consider how you can become involved and help them achieve their goals.

ANDERSON HUMANE

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

Anderson Humane needs you to volunteer for a committee or join our advisory board, helping to guide our organization through some exciting new projects in the coming years.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

• We need a new pet food supplier for the animals in our shelters. • We need people to join our community of foster families, helping us care for even more animals and for those who need some extra love. • We would like to find some additional advisory board-level volunteers.

ANN & ROBERT H. LURIE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF CHICAGO

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

The pandemic continues to take a toll on the emotional and mental health of children. The need for our expertise is higher than ever. We will continue to build sustaining programs that strengthen communities, help children and families through times of crisis, and enhance their well-being at every stage of life.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

We rely on donor gifts to give more kids access to specialized care. If you believe every child deserves a healthier future, make a monthly commitment at luriechildrens.org/monthly.

ASSOCIATION HOUSE OF CHICAGO

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

Association House is one of Chicagoland’s largest bilingual foster care providers, and this year we’re looking to train and recruit a record number of new foster parents to provide safe homes for children. You can help by hosting a lunch-and-learn or expressing interest yourself!

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

• Pantry items for weekly food distribution; • Employer partners for expanding workforce programs; • Volunteer groups for projects at our residential facilities

CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

The impact of the pandemic will last for decades; needs will continue to evolve and grow. Our learnings, paired with our century of service, inform an investment in our frontline teams to deepen impact, enhance effectiveness and heighten engagement. • Resources to equip our teams with the tools and skills necessary to support our clients now and in the future; • Funding to sustain and strengthen our core operations and build new capabilities, ensuring our clients and teams flourish well into the next decade

CHICAGO COUNCIL ON GLOBAL AFFAIRS

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

Celebrating its centennial anniversary in 2022, the Council is embarking on an ambitious digital transformation to engage more people in Chicago and beyond. We believe that the more knowledgeable and engaged people are in global issues, the more open and promising the world will be.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

Financial contributions will support the development of engagement experiences; efforts to position the next generation for leadership roles; research and thought leadership on global issues; and our evolving commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

THE CHICAGO LIGHTHOUSE

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

Through our Employment Services Program and Social Enterprise businesses, we want to help businesses create more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces. We are experts in inclusive hiring, accessibility and disability inclusion. Our work helps build individual confidence and community strength.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

We want to expand our partnerships with area businesses and create employment opportunities for people who are blind, visually impaired, disabled and Veterans. Our Social Enterprise services include Customer Contact Centers, Digital Accessibility Consulting, and Product Assembly and Fulfillment.

DANIEL MURPHY SCHOLARSHIP FUND

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

Join us in the DMSF Equitable Education Initiative, a program that ensures Murphy Scholars are provided tuition assistance, academic and social/emotional support. As a partner in the DMSF mission, you are making a four-year investment in Murphy Scholars by providing access to an equitable education.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

Support the DMSF Caddie Program! Every summer, up to 140 Scholars participate and have the opportunity to earn money, gain job experience, live in college dormitories and become eligible to apply for the Evans Scholarship.

FATHERHOOD EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

We have an opportunity—with adequate funding—to remove cost as an impediment to fathers, so that they gain necessary training, skills and certifications to take advantage of the current job market, as skilled workers are highly demanded.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

We’re especially interested in establishing a scholarship fund to help struggling fathers learn skills so they can earn a living and support their families. And we’d like to build relationships with Illinois-based community colleges so they can increase applicants’ awareness of scholarship availability through FEI.

GENESYS WORKS CHICAGO

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

Over 600 Chicago Public Schools’ juniors applied to be part of our program during their senior year, which means that, with your help, we could provide additional opportunities to this enterprising youth! • New corporate partners to help us provide internship opportunities; • Golfers interested in playing Medinah Country Club’s Ryder Cup course

GIGI’S PLAYHOUSE DOWN SYNDROME ACHIEVEMENT CENTERS

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

Our biggest opportunity is expanding GiGi’s At Home programming into the GiGi’s Virtual Playhouse, a secure, interactive, global education platform and a permanent, worldwide solution for families who lack access to a physical playhouse.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

• Board members: Energetic, entrepreneurial business and civic leaders eager to create a more accepting world • Corporate partners: Companies committed to DEAI to sponsor GiGi’s programs, take the #GenerationG pledge and inspire employees to advocate for individuals with Down syndrome

GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

Inflation, rising food prices and expiring COVID-19 relief programs prolong our community’s recovery to the pandemic. We have an opportunity to bolster the emergency food system and make equitable investments in communities facing the highest rates of food insecurity.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

Donations and volunteers are essential to our work. Together, we can feed our neighbors and address hunger’s root causes through investing in local partners, connecting residents to job training and benefits, and advocating for policies that lift up our communities.

HAYMARKET CENTER

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

When patients enter treatment at Haymarket Center, many are experiencing homelessness and have complex medical and behavioral health needs. Our focus is to expand and improve our delivery model and physical space to simultaneously address substance use disorder, behavioral health and physical health to ensure long-term recovery.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

Stigma still exists and touches every aspect of our work—from access to treatment, to awareness of the disease, to funding. We need passionate advocates who can help shine a light on substance use disorder, advance our mission, raise awareness of our cause and grow network of supporters.

INVEST FOR KIDS

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

Our biggest opportunity is reconnecting with our audience and supporters at an in-person conference. As our primary activity, we rely on our conference’s success to fund our mission. This is particularly important when Chicago’s young people’s needs are at an all-time high.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

Our number one wish is to reach a record-breaking fundraising goal of $2 million. Since 100 percent of our fundraising dollars are contributed to organizations in Chicago that serve young people, this will have a major impact.

LES TURNER ALS FOUNDATION

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

We are interested in expanding our educational resources so people and families living with ALS can find answers to their questions when they need them most. Furthermore, we’d like to increase access to effective ALS therapies that can extend and improve quality of life.

We want to increase support from the community to reach more people and families living with ALS, fund leading-edge research and expand multidisciplinary clinical care to bring us closer to realizing a world free of ALS.

MERCY HOME FOR BOYS & GIRLS

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

Make a difference in young lives. We currently have open positions for qualified individuals at all levels in our youth care programs.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

• Donations so that we can provide food, clothing, shelter, safety, therapy, education and career development for kids in crisis; • Committed professionals to join our team; • Help to send our kids to camp during the summer. Getting kids away from the city to experience nature promotes healing.

MIKVA CHALLENGE

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

In 2022, we will undergo strategic planning and identify how we will grow our work, tell the story of its impact and develop systems that ensure sustainable growth. We look forward to expanding our work with a focus on supporting a just, equitable and representative democracy that embraces youth voice!

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

Engaging more students (and supporters) than ever in Project Soapbox, our public speaking program that gives students a platform to speak out about the issues that impact them.

NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES OF CHICAGO

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

We are committed to continuing to use our deep neighborhood connections to support homeownership while expanding business opportunities for entrepreneurs in areas that need assistance. We provide critical services to our communities and can help people acquire properties, giving them the chance to experience the peace of mind and stability that comes with property ownership.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

We are interested in receiving generous philanthropic support for operations and capacity building as we continue to provide services to communities in need.

THE NIGHT MINISTRY

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

The Night Ministry is launching its new strategic plan, which aims to strengthen the agency’s organizational capacity, while also increasing the quality and reach of its programs. These objectives are rooted in The Night Ministry, furthering its pursuit of becoming an anti-racism organization and in advancing innovation in its services and operations.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

• Your ongoing financial and material support of our work; • Your help in elevating the profile of our mission; • Advocating for affordable housing and related supports for our most vulnerable community members

NORTH SHORE EXCHANGE

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

Our biggest opportunity is growing our consignor base since we can sell all the high-quality merchandise we receive—and our customers will find us because they recognize the great values they can buy.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

We are focused on growing sales in each of our outlets: all three stores (Glencoe, Chicago and Wilmette) and online. We also want to generate enough sales to give away over $500,000 a year to charity.

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

We’re interested in innovating our programs for neighbors facing food insecurity, providing additional access to the nutritious food they want and need to thrive, and enabling them to have a choice, regarding how and when they want to receive it.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

We want to overcome all barriers for those in need of food assistance. We encourage everyone’s help in raising awareness of available pantries and programs, while also destigmatizing the experience of asking for help.

NOURISHING HOPE

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

After opening a new centrally located facility on Hubbard Street this month, Nourishing Hope is poised to expand its online market, home delivery and mental health counseling programs, in partnership with community organizations throughout the city.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

As we continue to grapple with the effects of the pandemic on top of rising inflation, we’re always welcoming volunteers, inkind donations and financial gifts. Learn more about ways that individuals, community groups, and corporate and foundation partners can become involved at nourishinghopechi.org.

PERSPECTIVES CHARTER SCHOOLS

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

We’re interested in expanding our professional certifications program, which empowers students with marketable skills, enabling them to earn an income and continue learning in their field of study. Our goal is for all students to graduate high school with 15 hours of college credits and a certification.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

To ensure that our students succeed in our certification programs, we are seeking:

• Corporate partners to help identify growing industries; • Mentors to support our students and create meaningful learning experiences; • Updated computer labs, allowing students to access interactive tutoring and instructional software programs

ROSECRANCE

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

The Rosecrance Foundation is gearing up for an exciting event on Oct. 21 in Chicago, with a featured guest speaker who will share their personal story of recovery. To learn how you can get involved, please contact Sally Draper at 312-833-2097.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

• Contributions to support adolescent and adult clients seeking treatment at Rosecrance, and support for our unique sober living program at Rosecrance Lakeview in Chicago; • Volunteers to help us plan our Oct. 21 fundraising event in Chicago; • Pro bono public relations experts to help us spread the word about our lifesaving mission

THE SALVATION ARMY

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

We will continue our efficient use of funding for our services, given how we apply 82 cents of every dollar donated, which goes directly into programming that supports residents in our service area. And we’ll improve upon the more than 50 social service programs we provide.

2. What’s top on your wish list now? 1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

Our biggest opportunity is helping us to reach more athletes in Chicago and across the state of Illinois. Get involved by supporting the Chicago Ducky Derby, attending our Champions Ball, or joining our Leaders Council or Young Professionals Board.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

Inclusion. For us, that starts on the playing field. Roughly $150 will send one athlete to a competition in 2022. Special Olympics Illinois provides programming for more than 21,000 athletes in Illinois—only a percentage of those who are eligible to compete.

THRESHOLDS

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

We are currently hiring for dozens of positions within the agency. If you have ever wanted to make a real difference in people’s lives, Thresholds is the place for you. Visit www.thresholds.org/careers to see available opportunities.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

Thresholds works with many individuals who are experiencing homelessness. As such, we are interested in donations of items well-suited for this population, including hygiene products (toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.), basic clothing items (socks, underwear) and cold weather clothing (warm coats, gloves, hats, etc.).

THRIVE SCHOLARS

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

For the first time, the University of Chicago will be hosting Thrive’s signature six-week academic boot camp, known as Summer Academy, for 240 rising first-year college students, offering an opportunity for companies to become corporate funders and join our career panels.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

• Develop outcome-driven partnerships with Chicago companies sponsoring Scholars in our six-year program and offering company exposure; • Recruit professional mentors for our Scholars; • Strategically grow Thrive Scholars Chicago Board of Directors to include leaders with connections that align with our Scholars’ career aspirations

UNITED WAY OF METRO CHICAGO

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

With your support, we can ensure individuals and families can meet their basic needs—like food, health care and housing—and work together to reverse the effects of disinvestment in our Black and Latinx communities.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

• Subscribers to our monthly United Way newsletter. Sign up today at liveunitedchicago.org. • Followers on our social media channels: Facebook @ unitedwaychicago, Twitter and Instagram @unitedwaychi, and LinkedIn @United Way of Metro Chicago. • Volunteers for our virtual and in-person opportunities. Learn more at liveunitedchicago.org/volunteers.

WOMEN’S BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER

1. What is your biggest opportunity in the upcoming year?

Without question, our biggest opportunity will be working to establish greater digital equity.

2. What’s top on your wish list now?

We are interested in expanding the availability of equity capital for women- and minority-owned businesses, sharing more WBDC programs and services through the hub and spoke model, and fueling growth for women- and minority-owned businesses by increasing procurement opportunities.