WGN-TV Family Charities

WGN-TV Family Charities, a McCormick Foundation Fund, is focused on creating opportunities for children and families to help them fulfill their potential. We hope to bring awareness to various organizations and to enlist community support to help make a difference in the lives of families throughout the Chicago area.

About WGN-TV Family Charities

In 2022, WGN-TV Family Charities, a fund of the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, held three charity drives: Chicago Scholars Dollars, and the WGN Morning News Food and Toy Drives. The combined total of funds raised was matched by the McCormick Foundation at fifty cents on the dollar.

Including the match factored into the donations, WGN-TV Family Charities donated the following in 2022:

  • Chicago Scholars: $35,000
  • Greater Chicago Food Depository: $25,000
  • Off The Street Club: $5,500 (and over 2,500 toys)
  • Christmas in the Wards: $5,500 (and over 5,500 toys)

McCormick Match

WGN-TV Family Charities, a McCormick Foundation Fund, fundraises on behalf of six different charities: Greater Chicago Food Depository, Off The Street Club, Christmas in the Wards, Chicago Habitat for Humanity, Chicago Scholars, and Red Cross. The McCormick Foundation matches all donations to WGN-TV Family Charities at fifty cents on the dollar. With WGN-TV and the Foundation paying all campaign and administrative expenses, one hundred percent of all donations, plus the match is granted to qualified nonprofit organizations.

The McCormick Foundation does not make grants to programs that would financially benefit WGN-TV.

Chicago Scholars

Chicago Scholars uniquely selects, trains, and mentors academically ambitious students from under-resourced communities to complete college and become the next generation of leaders who will transform their neighborhoods and our city. Using a seven-year model mentoring and supporting students from senior year of high school, all the way through college and into their first job, Chicago Scholars ensures that these students reach their full potential as students and leaders. For more information, chicagoscholars.org.

Greater Chicago Food Depository

The Greater Chicago Food Depository is Chicago’s food bank who believes a healthy community starts with food. The Food Depository is at the center of a network of more than 700 partner organizations and programs – food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, mobile distributions and other partners – working to bring food, dignity and hope to our neighbors across Chicago and Cook County. The Food Depository addresses the root causes of hunger with job training, advocacy and other innovative solutions. The Food Depository is a proud member of Feeding America – the national network of food banks. Learn more at chicagosfoodbank.org.

Christmas in the Wards

Since 1996, Christmas in the Wards has served Chicago’s underserved and hard-to-count communities, bringing the spirit of the season to hardworking families, deserving students and youth. Christmas in the Wards dedicates 100% of their resources for a sole purpose, to serve. Annually, this is accomplished by working with local aldermen to select over 700 deserving families from the wards of Chicago who would otherwise go without essentials such as food and clothing and special gifts from Santa. In addition, Christmas in the Wards supports education in marginalized communities through its Laptops on the Lane event, providing over 200 laptops and mentoring services to middle school and high-school-aged students. This past holiday season, Christmas in the Wards welcomed back Christmas Spectaculars, hosting over 40 wards and families from Chicago’s South, West, and North Side communities, along with 10 communities from Chicago Southland.

Off The Street Club

Off The Street Club is Chicago’s oldest boys and girls club, providing hope, play and ‘casual joy’ since 1900. The Club currently serves more than 3,000 kids in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the country, West Garfield Park. Providing after-school activities, summer camps and events ‘where kids can be kids’, Off The Street Club’s motto is, “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” Every child seeking a safe place to go is welcome to join Off the Street Club for games, play and mentorship; it’s where ‘hope has a home.’

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

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