October 16, 2017 — GLENCOE, IL — The board of North Shore Exchange proudly announces the grant recipients of $300,000 in proceeds from its last fiscal year, bringing the total amount of grants given away in just four years to $1 million.
North Shore Exchange is an award winning philanthropic, upscale resale shop that offers an edited collection of luxury and designer women's clothing and accessories, as well as beautiful home furnishings and decor. With locations in Glencoe and now downtown Chicago, 100% of all profits go to support nonprofit organizations serving children and families at or near the poverty level. The store was recently awarded the sixth annual James Tyree Emerging Business Award given by the Chicagoland Chamber to an up-and-coming Chicago entrepreneur with philanthropic values.
“We are thrilled to reach this $1 million milestone in grant distributions during such an incredible time for North Shore Exchange," said Wendy Serrino, president of North Shore Exchange. “With the recent opening of our new city location we are in a position to expand our reach beyond the North Shore while continuing to raise more money to fund our grants for the forward-thinking organizations that we support year to year.”
This year 13 traditional Exchange Grants were awarded as well as one larger Invigorate Grant that was given to an organization to fund an innovative approach to solving important challenges within the nonprofit's constituencies. Glencoe’s own Family Service of Glencoe was also honored with a Community Grant.
The following organizations were presented with checks at a reception honoring their important missions:
EXCHANGE GRANTS
- CASA — Lake Co
- Casa Central Social Services
- Connections for Abused Women & Their Children
- Greater Chicago Food Depository
- Connections for the Homeless
- Christopher House
- Family Focus — Evanston
- Howard Area Community Center
- Growing Home
- Housing Opportunities & Maintenance for the Elderly
- Youth & Opportunity United
- Children’s Research Triangle
- Northwestern Settlement
INVIGORATE GRANT
- Infant Welfare Society of Chicago
COMMUNITY GRANT
The following is an overview of the the missions of each of the grant recipients in the categories of abuse, elderly, healthcare, disabilities, homelessness, hunger, mental health and social services:
ABUSE
CASA -- LAKE COUNTY: CASA Lake County is a nonprofit membership organization that advocates for the best interests of abused and neglected children within the juvenile court system. Based on the belief that every child is entitled to a safe and permanent home, thoroughly trained CASA volunteers work in collaboration with key agencies, legal counsel and community resources to serve as the child’s advocate and represent the child’s best interest in juvenile court.
CONNECTIONS FOR ABUSED WOMEN & THEIR CHILDREN: Connections for Abused Women and Their Children, formerly Chicago Abused Women Coalition, is committed to ending domestic violence. Using a self-help, empowerment approach, the organization provides a shelter for women and children, as well as counseling, advocacy, and a 24-hour hot line for people affected by domestic violence.
ELDERLY
HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES & MAINTENANCE FOR THE ELDERLY (H.O.M.E.): This organization helps Chicago’s under-served, low-income seniors maintain their independence by providing services such as home upkeep and safe living conditions. The organization’s free shopping bus enables seniors with limited mobility or who live in food deserts to have access to groceries, pharmacies and medical services that are essential to their wellbeing. H.O.M.E. also owns and manages three affordable housing buildings with individual apartments and shared living for those who need assistance.
HEALTHCARE/DISABILITIES
CHILDREN’S RESEARCH TRIANGLE: Children’s Research Triangle (CRT) is dedicated to the healthy development of children and their families. They feel that identifying a child’s strengths and challenges as early as possible and implementing effective interventions is a key part of ensuring that a child has the opportunity to reach her potential. CRT offers a multidisciplinary team of professionals to address the specific needs of children and families.
INFANT WELFARE SOCIETY: Providing services since 1911, Infant Welfare Society is committed to providing critical healthcare services in a one-center location. Services include general healthcare, dentistry, optometry, child development and behavioral health services to children and families from under-served communities who otherwise would lack access to basic medical services.
HOMELESSNESS
CASA CENTRAL SOCIAL SERVICES: Casa Central transforms lives and offers community support, with a special focus on Hispanics.
Their network of social services propels children and youth, individuals and families, and seniors toward self-sufficiency and a higher quality of life.
CONNECTIONS FOR THE HOMELESS: Connections for the Homeless is a non-profit organization that helps individuals and families that are homeless or threatened with homelessness. Through a wide spectrum of services, they meet people where they are in the spectrum of homelessness. The ultimate goal for every person they serve is to help them reach the highest level of self-sufficiency possible.
HUNGER
GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY: Through a network of 650 soup kitchens, food pantries, homeless shelters and community programs, the Greater Chicago Food Depository distributes emergency and supplemental food to Cook County residents. This organization’s mission is to provide food for hungry people while striving to end hunger in our community.
MENTAL HEALTH
CHRISTOPHER HOUSE: This organization has a unique model of education that provides educational services from birth through high school for low-income children, as well as support services that create stable, self-sufficient families.
SOCIAL SERVICES
FAMILY FOCUS — EVANSTON: Family Focus helps Chicago-area families living in low-income communities give their children the best possible start in life. The organization helps families gain the confidence and skills to be the parents they want to be through customized classes, support groups and referral services in a welcoming and caring environment, Family Focus helps families help themselves while building a relationship based on equality and respect.
FAMILY SERVICE OF GLENCOE: Supporting those who live or work in Glencoe, Family Service of Glencoe’s mission is to provide a stronger community and meet individual and family needs through services that identify, prevent and resolve social and emotional issues.
GROWING HOME: Growing Home is Chicago’s leading expert in farm-based training for people with employment barriers. By providing 25 hours per week of paid on-the-job experience and job-readiness training at their farms, plus the support to conquer issues like criminal records, medical needs, child-care, and housing, they have changed the lives of hundreds of workers, and thousands of their family members.
HOWARD AREA COMMUNITY CENTER : The mission of Howard Area Community Center is to assist low-income individuals and families in the greater Rogers Park and adjacent communities to stabilize their lives and to develop the social skills necessary to become effective community members. In order to accomplish this mission, the agency’s programs provide emergency intervention, family stabilization, and promote developmental growth.
NORTHWESTERN SETTLEMENT : For 125 years, Northwestern Settlement has nurtured, educated, and inspired children and families in need in Chicago. Focusing on changing lives through education, social services, and the arts, Northwestern Settlement’s programs are fully integrated to meet the complex needs of our neighbors.
YOUTH & OPPORTUNITY UNITED (Y.O.U.): Y.O.U. is a youth development agency that provides services and leadership to meet the emerging needs of young people and their families in Chicago. Their goal is for all young people to acquire the skills, self-confidence, and opportunity to participate fully, freely, and responsibly in the life of the community. Y.O.U. serves more than 1,600 youth and reaches more than 4,000 family members each year through three integrated strategies: out-of-school time learning, mental health counseling and outreach, and parent leadership and engagement.
For more information about North Shore Exchange, including how to donate or consign items, shop our online store, how to arrange for a donation pickup and how to join North Shore Exchange's email list, visit www.northshoreexchange.org.
ABOUT NORTH SHORE EXCHANGE
North Shore Exchange is an upscale resale shop featuring an edited collection of women’s designer clothing and accessories, as well as beautiful home furnishings and decor. As a 501 (c)(3), all of the boutique’s profits benefit charities and nonprofit organizations helping families and children with the greatest need, as well as local organization, Family Service of Glencoe. For more information, visit North Shore Exchange’s website at www.northshoreexchange.org.