HM Giving Back
Building Hope: The O’Brien School for the Maasai
Local Hinsdale woman continues to help provide remarkable futures for the Maasai village By Mia Jones Walking through 82-year-old Kellie O’Brien’s’ home, it is clear to see her love for gardening and landscaping design, but the Hinsdale-based horticulturalist has also experienced a calling that has grown into a larger project in the last 17 years…
Read MoreRaising Kind Kids: How family volunteering inspires lifelong giving
By Katie Bolinger As mimics, children often mirror the behavior of their elders, so parents play a crucial role in fostering a child’s desire to give back. Children who see their parents actively volunteering are more likely to follow suit. Leading by example helps kids grow into compassionate, engaged adults who continue contributing to their…
Read MoreYear-End Giving: Charitable contributions during the holiday season
By Dave McGowan In the last issue, I reported that more than $557 billion was estimated to be contributed to charitable organizations in 2023. Do you know that much of that giving was contributed in the last quarter of the year? Why do people give then? Well, the December 31 deadline to record gifts for…
Read MoreBoosting School Spirit
Local parents help bridge the gap between school funding and student need By Anna Hughes Founded in 1949, the Hinsdale Central High School Booster Club supports students by providing grant opportunities for all school athletics and activities. The nonprofit was originally founded to help the school’s football team, but in the 75 years since, it…
Read MoreGiving USA
U.S. charitable giving totaled over $550 billion in 2023 By Dave McGowan Giving USA 2024: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for 2023, released in June, reported that an estimated $557.16 billion was donated by all sources last year. Giving USA Foundation, a public service initiative of The Giving Institute, publishes the Report. It is researched…
Read MoreCharitable Giving: DuPage County’s predicted wealth transfer has huge implications
By Dave McGowan The 2020 Illinois Transfer of Wealth Study reveals an astonishing trend: DuPage County residents are transferring more wealth than ever before, and this unique moment won’t last forever. We’re now in the final five years before we reach the peak at the end of 2028. Back in 2005, only 6% of DuPage…
Read MoreD181 students use foundation grants to help their community
By Anna Hughes Inside Ms. Ashley Kaumeyer’s class at Monroe School, 5th graders are learning about more than just reading and writing. Through the KIDS (Kids Initiating a Difference in Society) Grant program, she’s teaching them about kindness, hard work, attention to detail, and the impact that just one person can have on their community.…
Read MoreWine Women & Shoes raises $370,000 for Bridge Communities
By Anna Hughes | Photos by Karen Woolley It only takes one: One crisis, one painful diagnosis, one layoff. It only takes one life-altering event to watch bills collect on the table, witness your savings drain, and end up without a place to call home. This can happen to anybody at any time. Bridge Communities…
Read MoreDuPage Pads
At this year’s Taste of Hope event in late February, DuPagePads once again proved the power of a community that believes everyone deserves a safe place to sleep and a way to journey back to a home of their own. The organization continues to break records, raising more than $340,000 this year. Funds will be…
Read MoreChicago Auto Show’s First Look for Charity
This year marks the 116th edition of the Chicago Auto Show, North America’s longest-running auto exposition. First staged in 1901, the show brings thousands of people together to showcase hundreds of different vehicles including domestic and imported passenger cars, trucks, sport-utility vehicles, minivans, and experimental and concept cars from more than two dozen manufacturers. The…
Read More