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Organizations large and small reached
out in whatever way they could to help survivors of
Hurricane Katrina. Some Chicago-area nonprofits assisted
partner organizations in the affected regions, while
others offered services to evacuees who relocated to
Illinois.
To create a complete picture of the
Chicago-area response to this tragedy, the Donors Forum
is collecting information from its nonprofit Forum Partners.
If you have not informed us about your organization's
response, or if you have updates about your efforts,
please e-mail scowell@donorsforum.org.
We will only post responses from organizations that
are current Forum Partners.
Albany Park Workers' Center
Organized a fundraiser September 16 to help people affected
by Katrina.
American Cancer Society
American Diabetes Association
American Heart Association
The organizations will jointly contribute $1 million
to the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund to help the hospitals,
health care systems and patient-support services in
the devastated areas recover.
America's Second Harvest
In response to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma, the
America's Second Harvest Network provided more than
2,000 truckloads carrying 62 million pounds of food
providing approximately 48 million meals valued at an
estimated $84 million to the Gulf Coast states.
The Anti-Cruelty Society
Offering free veterinary care to the pets of families
displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer
Foundation
Set up a fund for pediatric cancer patients who have
relocated due to Hurricane Katrina to support their
families' immediate needs.
Benedictine University
$2,300 donated by faculty and staff to Catholic Charities
USA. The University also partnered with the DuPage Chapter
of the NAACP to collect soap, bandages, personal hygiene
products and other needed items that were shipped to
Baton Rouge, La.
B'NAI B'RITH
Asked every member, donor, supporter and friend of B'nai
B'rith in all 50 countries it serves to make a contribution
to the Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Fund.
Bright Hope International
Supported Faith Bible Church in New Orleans with an
initial gift of $10,000, as well as generators and other
supplies.
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese
of Chicago
Provided emergency assistance to 450 evacuees who have
come to Chicago in the wake of the storm. We provided
shelter to 250 people, both in traditional shelters
prepared with the help of local parishes and volunteers,
and in apartments sponsored by parishes in the Archdiocese
of Chicago.
Center for Neighborhood Technology
The Center's Wireless Community Network project deployed
a team of technicians to help with the restoration and
rapid deployment of communication infrastructure in
areas with shelters in Louisiana and Mississippi to
provide broadband and phone services to evacuees, first
responders and volunteers. More information at wcn.cnt.org.
Chicago Academy for the Arts
Waived tuition for high school students who were attending
the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts. To date,
two students have taken advantage of this opportunity.
Chicago Children's Museum
Offering free admission to families displaced by Katrina
who are in the Chicago area.
Children's Museum in Oak Lawn
Created a "Kids Helping Kids" fund to aid
the children and families who have been affected by
Hurricane Katrina. All proceeds will be donated to America's
Second Harvest.
Columbia College Chicago
Offering free tuition, room and board, and transportation
for up to one year to Gulf-area college students who
were displaced by the hurricane. To date, 19 students
have been enrolled. The college is also offering Columbia
students who hail from the Gulf area assistance, including
financial consideration and counseling services.
Community Resource Network
Volunteer opportunities to aid victims of Hurricane
Katrina can be found at www.chicagovolunteer.net.
The site is updated daily with ways that you can help
in the Chicago area.
DuPage Children's Museum
Donating all proceeds from Vortex for two weeks to help
Hurricane Katrina victims. The museum is working with
Chicago-area shelters that are housing evacuees to distribute
family passes for a complimentary visit to the museum.
East-West University
Offers free tuition for the fall quarter to displaced
students of Hurricane Katrina seeking to continue their
education.
Easter Seals
Established the Easter
Seals Gulf Coast Disaster Fund. The funds are being
used to help meet the basic needs of Easter Seals clients
and evacuees including temporary housing, clothes, toiletries,
diapers and infant formula. Medical equipment such as
wheelchairs, walkers, canes and shower benches for evacuees
are also needed.
Elmhurst Art Museum
Plans to allocate all of its admissions received on
Saturday, September 17, and Sunday, September 18, to
assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The museum
is also involved in a larger Elmhurst community initiative
to collect funds that will be matched dollar for dollar
by the City of Elmhurst and donated to the Red Cross.
Evergreen Park Public Library
Donating library fines collected from September 7 through
September 14 to PADS, a nonprofit agency administrating
the Tinley Park facility housing hurricane evacuees.
Family Service of South Lake County
Offering free counseling for crisis situations relating
to the hurricane. For information on local seminars,
call (708) 614-6000.
Global Medical Relief Program
Partnering with the Northwestern University Task Force
to send a shipment of medical, nutritional and personal
hygiene items to be distributed throughout hurricane-affected
areas.
Goodwill Industries of Metropolitan
Chicago
Providing $50 vouchers per evacuee. These vouchers can
be used at any Goodwill Retail Store in the Chicago
Metropolitan area. Workforce development services will
be provided to evacuees who decide to remain here in
Chicago to assist them in finding permanent employment.
Goodwill is also matching any gift to the Red Cross,
Second Harvest, Salvation Army or Operation Blessing
by any of our employees. The agency will make a total
match of $50,000.
Heartland Alliance for Human Needs
& Human Rights
Through contributions made to its Katrina Survivors
Relief Fund, Heartland will provide material assistance
to survivors relocating to Chicago, direct assistance
to survivors at the Houston Astrodome and other Texas
shelters via Heartland's Texas partner, the Houston
YMCA, material assistance to elderly shelters in Louisiana
in collaboration with the Louisiana Department of Aging,
and support for mental health counseling to survivors
and their families. Heartland has agreed, at the request
of the Chicago Department of Human Services, to coordinate
all Chicago offers to provide housing and shelter to
individuals relocating here from the Gulf Coast.
Heartland Alliance, in partnership
with Sara Lee Corporation, opened a donation drop-off
center in a storefront in the Loop on the south side
of Adams between LaSalle and Wells. Staff and volunteers
will accept donated items from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. from September
12-15. View
a list of items needed.
Illinois Facilities Fund
Matching gifts from our staff and board to ECD, up to
a total of $2,500.
Interfaith Refugee and Immigration
Ministries
In partnership with local service agencies and authorities,
Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Ministries will mobilize
volunteers and donors to assist evacuees relocating
to Chicago from the Gulf Coast. The organization will
provide housing, food, transportation and community
orientation as well as assistance with recovery of personal
identification, benefits applications, school enrollment,
visits to social service agencies and job placement.
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Chicago
Working with United Way and other large nonprofit service
providers to develop a comprehensive case management
system for the 6,000 evacuees in the Chicago area. In
partnership with Lutheran Social Services of Illinois,
Jewish Federation has launched a drive to collect donated
toiletries to be shipped to the Gulf Coast region for
later distribution to meet long-term needs. The Jewish
Federation is also working with PADS shelters in South
Suburban Tinley Park and Northern Lake County. The federation
also collected funds in conjunction with a national
effort of the United Jewish Communities, which is working
with local Jewish federations in the affected regions
to help coordinate relief efforts.
Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare
Council
Collaborated with more than 140 hospitals and health
organizations in the metropolitan Chicago area to coordinate
local relief efforts following Hurricane Katrina. The
council helped identify teams of medical workers who
could travel to the Gulf Coast region; executed the
National Disaster Medical System plan; established medical
treatment sites for evacuees arriving in Illinois; assisted
the American Red Cross with its patient tracking system;
and advised Chicago-area hospitals on regulatory issues
regarding evacuees.
Music Institute of Chicago
Raised more than $12,000 hosting a public benefit concert
September 10 in Evanston.
The Nature Conservancy
More than two dozen members of the Conservancy's fire-trained
staff volunteered to work with several federal agencies,
including FEMA and the U.S. Forest Service, to help
with humanitarian and natural resource recovery efforts.
The Neo-Futurists
$400 in donations to the Red Cross via the League of
Chicago Theatres.
North Park University
The university will take in any displaced student who
was admitted to another institution, without application
or applications fees, for one semester. During the first
semester, there will be no out-of-pocket tuition expense
for the student. If the student cannot afford housing,
the university will accept the student and raise money
from churches and individuals to help pay room and board.
On October 11, University Ministries will sponsor a
5K run/walk to raise money to send North Park students
to aid in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
Piven Theatre
Collecting donations for the Red Cross.
The Power Connection
Accepting donated items such as bottled drinks, toys,
paper products, baby supplies, over-the-counter drugs
and clothes as well as cash donations. The donated items
will be sent to affected areas by truck on Sept. 9 and
18.
Princess Clark Consulting
Providing resume writing, job coaching and placement,
career assistance and contacts with employers to hurricane
victims who have relocated to the Midwest.
Redmoon Theater
Ten percent of proceeds from Spectacle '05 ticket sales
will benefit the Disaster Relief Fund of the American
Red Cross. Audiences will also be able to make their
own donations to the relief efforts. Performances are
scheduled for September 15-25.
Regina Dominican High School
The school opened its doors to students from New Orleans
Catholic high schools. To a faculty member from Mississippi,
who returned to help clean up the community, the school
gave cash and donated products to distribute.
Saint Patrick High School
Collected more than $2,000 for hurricane relief from
weekly missions. Students collected 40 boxes of toiletries
and 50 cases of bottled water that was shipped to the
Gulf region.
Salvation Army
A call center established in Emergency Disaster Service
warehouse has received over 55,900 calls from. The intake
center at Fosco Park has assisted 1785 individuals.
Salvation Army aided hurricane survivors with 1,559
food gift cards, distributed 1,334 clothing vouchers
to Salvation Army stores, served 10,225 meals at O'Hare
and Fosco Park, and Wonderland Camp is prepared to receive
600 disaster survivors. Seven survivors are sheltered
at Evangeline Booth Emergency Lodge in Uptown, and officers
are providing pastoral care at O'Hare and Fosco Park
intake center.
Seguin Services
Provided housing for three families in Summit, Elmhurst
and Oak Park. Seguin Services enlisted volunteers and
in-kind donations from local businesses to provide food,
clothing, household items, and labor and materials to
prepare homes for evacuees in Summit and Berkeley. In
addition, Seguin Services has committed its employment
program staff to provide assistance to these families
in finding employment.
Seniors Action Service
Providing home care for one evacuee and family.
John G. Shedd Aquarium
Raised more than $30,000 for Hurricane Katrina victims
by donating $1 from every ticket sold and setting up
donation "fish bowls" throughout the aquarium.
The Spina Bifida Association and
the Illinois Spina Bifida Association
Developed a relief program to bring medical supplies
and support to those with this serious birth defect
who are living in the disaster's aftermath. As thousands
of people are relocated across the country, Illinois
Spina Bifida Association is ready to provide support
and aid to all those with spina bifida who come to Illinois.
Starlight Starbright Children's
Foundation
Operation Send-A-Smile asks the community to purchase
or make cards that will be sent to victims. Financial
contributions will be used to purchase cards. Starlight
kids and volunteers will personalize each card with
an uplifting message and send them to children in the
affected region.
SuperSibs!
Joined several other Chicago-area organizations to provide
support to families of children with cancer who have
been displaced by Hurricane Katrina. This support includes
gift cards to purchase necessities, transportation voucher
or gas cards for treatment or support services, trauma
support coloring book and crayons, and resource information
for families.
Trinity Higher Education Corp.
In partnership with Trinity United Church of Christ,
City Colleges of Chicago and Illinois universities,
successfully enrolled more than 150 students from 10
states in alternative institutions of higher education.
Women's Business Development
Center
Establishing a grant fund for women business enterprises
in the Gulf Coast region in partnership with the Women's
Business Council Gulf Coast. The seed money for the
grant fund will come from contributions from a 50-item
Silent Auction which will be held at our 19th Annual
Entrepreneurial Woman's Conference reception on September
13.
YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago
Providing sessions of short-term crisis counseling for
both children and women. The YWCA will also offer priority
consideration to families requiring child care services
or provide other referral services if needed.
Last updated: January 6, 2006
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