Highland Park Community Foundation 7th round of COVID emergency grants

The Highland Park Community Foundation has released an additional round of emergency funds to help Highland Park and Highwood residents with COVID-19 recovery.

Since the March 2020 launch of the HPCF's Emergency Response Appeal, the foundation has provided seven rounds of emergency grants. The total COVID-19 disbursement to nonprofits that support residents' needs has now reached nearly $240,000, distributed through 106 grants.

Community members still struggle with urgent COVID-19-related needs. The most recent grants provided funding for food; shelter for victims of abuse and their minor children; PPE, cleaning, and sanitizing supplies; housing counseling for families facing foreclosure; hygiene kits for children from birth through age 12; support for community members seeking to successfully re-enter the workforce; cot sheets used at naptime and reusable plates and bowls for children at a local preschool; personal care products for high school students; mental health programming and therapy for parents; supplies for prenatal moms and newborn babies; and hot spots for reliable internet.

"Thank you so much," Tri-Con Child Care Center director Pam Feinberg said. "I am truly humbled by the emergency support the Highland Park Community Foundation continues to provide to Tri-Con. The funds for our PPE are even more crucial now as we face another variant."

"The Highland Park Community Foundation continues to be an incredible partner for Response and JCFS," said Elli Krandel, senior Grants and Planning associate, JCFS Chicago.

"We are grateful for your ongoing support of clients in need during the continuing pandemic."

"This additional funding will be so useful in our continuing service to Highland Park and Highwood residents," said Hester Bury, Northern Illinois Food Bank

Round 7 grant recipients included: A Safe Place, Center for Enriched Living, Community Partners for Affordable Housing, Cradles to Crayons, Family Focus Highland Park, Family Service of Lake County, Glenkirk, Gratitude Generation, Highland Park Community Early Learning Center, Highwood Public Library, JCFS Chicago, Northern Illinois Food Bank, Project Shop N' Drop, Roberti Community House, The Balance Project, and Tri-Con Child Care Center.

"Our grants will be used to make the end of the year much better than it otherwise would have been for many children and families in our community," HPCF Chairman Betsy Brint said.

"We recently distributed our annual grants, but our board decided to issue one more round of grants to help with COVID recovery. Children and adults still struggle with COVID-related needs. We wanted to do more to help them through these difficult times."

To contribute to the HPCF COVID-19 Recovery Appeal, or to make a donation that will support the ongoing needs of our community, visit hpcfil.org. Donations may also be mailed to HPCF, P.O. Box 398, Highland Park, IL 60035.

To learn more about the Highland Park Community Foundation, visit hpcfil.org.