Community Voices
"Making real change requires real community engagement, and it needs to be built by connecting with the people first."
— Austin resident & organizer
Join us to ensure that lasting change is driven by and for the community at our series of free, public events. The Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation will be sharing our community needs assessment, which reveals the most pressing needs in our area, what the data tells us, and how the power of our community will guide our future to a racially just society.
Community Voices
"Making real change requires real community engagement, and it needs to be built by connecting with the people first."
— Austin resident & organizer
Join us to ensure that lasting change is driven by and for the community at our series of free, public events. The Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation will be sharing our community needs assessment, which reveals the most pressing needs in our area, what the data tells us, and how the power of our community will guide our future to a racially just society.
Core Values
We envision a racially just and equitable society as the full inclusion of all people into a society in which everyone can participate, thrive and prosper. Our core values include:
✔ Equity
✔ Inclusivity
✔ Courage
Learn more about our vision by visiting our website. https://www.oprfcf.org/about-us/vision
Merry Xmas
Cheers from the Community Foundation! We wish you and your loved ones a healthy, happy, and peaceful Christmas Day!
Copy of Leadership Lab Post #2 - Video - FB/Twitter/Linkedin
Through the Lab, you will curate your own leadership journey with a series of in-person and virtual classes, a ten-month program that offers personal/professional coaching, skills development, and a curriculum based on the most urgent needs of our diverse West Cook community.
Learn more and apply now: https://www.oprfcf.org/leadership-lab
Leadership Lab Post #2 - Video - FB/Twitter/Linkedin
Through the Lab, you will curate your own leadership journey with a series of in-person and virtual classes, a ten-month program that offers personal/professional coaching, skills development, and a curriculum based on the most urgent needs of our diverse West Cook community.
Learn more and apply now: https://www.oprfcf.org/leadership-lab
May 8th Post
The Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation is committed to ALL members of our greater west side community. We are grateful to partner with Ken and Patty Hunt to fight the socio-economic inequities exasperated by this current health crisis. Thanks to their generous pledge, we have the opportunity to mobilize $500,000 more to our efforts. We need your help! Please donate today, for the greater good of our community.
https://tinyurl.com/donaterapidresponse
May 7th Post
A vital opportunity! With immense gratitude, we announce that a generous couple, long-time Oak Parkers Ken and Patty Hunt, are calling on our community to contribute to the Rapid Response and Recovery Fund. For every dollar raised, they will match it, up to $250,000. Your donation will have DOUBLE THE IMPACT.
Please, join us in securing the health and vitality of all our neighbors. Donate today to the Rapid Response and Recovery Fund!
https://tinyurl.com/donaterapidresponse
https://www.oprfcf.org/rapid-response-recovery-fund
We are honored to serve two funds founded by young adults. Literally setting up for the Love Scholars Fund first ever gala, founded by Whitney Young High School student Hailey Love. This teen and her team are dynamite! Tonight they are raising funds for enrichment scholarships for Chicagoland teens with big dreams who need a little financial love. #youthleaders #scholarships #ifyoudreamityoucandoit
NextGen Leaders Capacity-Building Grant Winner - Pro Bono Network
See Next Gen Leaders in Philanthropy Capacity-Building Grant winning video from Pro Bono Network
NextGen Leaders Capacity-Building Grant Winner - ProMusica Youth Chorus
See Next Gen Leaders in Philanthropy Capacity-Building Grant winning video from Pro Musica Youth Chorus
Volunteer Meet & Match at the West Cook YMCA!
It is the people in our community that make a difference in every day life here. The Volunteer Meet and Match adds to that in putting together non-profits who have a need and people to assist in their endeavors.
Be that person and visit the Volunteer Meet and Match this afternoon from 4 to 8 p.m. at the West Cook YMCA on Marion Street.
Listen to what volunteering gives you as well as the people you help.
Today is the day we have been waiting for. Our community is coming together on this third Volunteer Meet and Match between 4 and 8 p.m. Held for the first time at the West Cook YMCA we have large number of per-registrations and expect walk-ins to add to the event to help over 40 non-profits in our area and surround area.
Be the good and come by to make a difference in your community.
The host for the 3rd Volunteer Meet and Match on Wednesday, April 18 from 4 - 8 p.m. West Cook YMCA is seeking volunteers for a variety of positions. See their video to find out more and visit them to match your skills with their needs for this mainstay in our community. Today is the last day to per-register https://goo.gl/RfNv9c
The Crop Walk Oak Park needs volunteers for their 35th annual Crop Hunger Walk on May 6, 2018. See them at the Volunteer Meet & Match and find out about event day help for setup, etc.; social media; event planning; t-shirt distribution and more on April 18, 2018 at the YMCA. Today is the last day to pre-register https://goo.gl/RfNv9c
The walk is about #endinghungernow One Step at a Time. The money raised helps 10 local agencies right here in our neighborhood and around the world. They support Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry Housing Forward Cluster Tutoring Forest Park Food Pantry, Pine Avenue Food Pantry, Proviso Food Pantry, First Baptist of Melrose Park Food Pantry, St. Eulalia Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry, Maywood, Vision of Restoration Food Pantry, Maywood and St. Martin de Porres Parish in Austin. 25% comes back to the community and 75% goes to the efforts of training people around the world to farm and get water into their communities.
With the weather getting nicer you will see more activity in our parks and indoor facilities. The Park District of Oak Park needs volunteers for their many programs.
See them at the Volunteer Meet & Match, Wednesday, April 18, 2018 between 4 and 8 p.m. Sign up now to list your skills and see for them at this third event of the Volunteer Meet & Match #oakpark https://goo.gl/RfNv9c
To talk about the “Volunteer" in Volunteer Meet and Match on April 18 between 4 and 8 p.m., we turn to Donna, a Volunteer at the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry What volunteering means, it means giving back to the community and giving you a sense of doing good. Do good, come to the event and hear what Donna has to say about Volunteering. https://goo.gl/RfNv9c
Since 1992 Housing Forward has been serving our community with services to help people move from homelessness to affordable housing. They provide a wide range of services beyond that, such as skills to learn employment readiness; money management and much more.
They rely on volunteers such as you to help them in these programs. Visit them at the Volunteer Meet and Match April 18, 2018 from 4-8 p.m. at West Cook YMCA
The Volunteer Meet and Match is being held West Cook YMCA on April 18, 2018 from 4-8 p.m. They are hosting the event but will also be looking for volunteers for the YMCA. Please stop by and meet them to discuss volunteer opportunities for you. You can sign up in advance https://goo.gl/RfNv9c See the good they do in the community
As we have been telling the stories of some of the over 40 non-profits who will be at the Volunteer Meet and Match on April 18 from 4 - 8 p.m. at West Cook YMCA this is a story of a volunteer. Hear Donna talk about the satisfaction of doing good in the community Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry Sign up to see them Wednesday April 18th https://goo.gl/RfNv9c
One of the non-profits at the Volunteer Meet and Match for this third year is the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry who have been serving this community. Last year at their fiscal close they recorded the largest group they have served which is 15,335 families or 45,000 individuals. They rely on volunteers to help the pantry serve this large population of citizens. See them April 18, 2018 at West Cook YMCA from 4 - 8 p.m. to learn more on how you can help them. Sign up at https://goo.gl/RfNv9c
We continue to plan for the 2018 Volunteer Meet and Match. One of the benefits of registering early is that by stating your interest and skills we will provide you with a list of non-profits to visit on April 18, 2018 between 4 - 8 p.m. This list will match these interests and skills. Of course there will be over 40 non-profits to visit. You will get off to a good start with the match that we make for you.
See more about this in this video.
Some of the needs of the community non-profits are for volunteers for a variety of tasks. See the Park District of Oak Park video for some of the needs throughout the year. See them at the Volunteer Meet and Match April 18, 2018 to learn more their needs and programs. https://goo.gl/RfNv9c
The Volunteer Meet and Match on April 18, 2018 continues in at a new venue at the West Cook YMCA Oak Park, on this its third year. With over 40 non-profits seeking the meet and match skills and talent for their organizations. Watch Ruth Reko describe the event. Sign up today for this exciting community event. https://goo.gl/RfNv9c
Some of the non-profits mentioned in the video are YMCA, Ten Thousand Villages in Oak Park Housing Forward Crop Walk Oak Park Pro Bono Network Triton College RSVP and Oak Park Public Library
The 2018 Volunteer Meet & Match will take place April 18, 2018 at a new venue, The YMCA in Oak Park. Join hundreds of people wishing to volunteer with over 40 non-profits to choose from. Sign up https://goo.gl/RfNv9c
It is where community meets opportunity to make a difference.
Learn more about the event with interim CEO Sheryl Martin in this video.
Future Philanthropists Make It Happen
Our Future Philanthropists Program has completed its seventh year. Here is a video capturing some of what the Seniors who have graduated accomplished during the two years they have been in the Program.
Let's take a SELFIE at the Big Idea Pitch Party
