It’s heartening that all residents 16+ are now eligible for vaccines. As they become more readily available, we look forward to increased signs of COVID recovery and greater stability in people’s lives and our community.

At the same time, however, it’s disheartening that residents still struggle and COVID-related needs, including the following, persist:

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In 2020, we launched our Corporate Champion Program to encourage businesses to serve as our philanthropic partners in making a difference for children and adults throughout Highland Park and Highwood.

Sunset Foods has always supported the work of the Foundation as a sponsor of our Grant Awards Receptions and through other meaningful contributions. We are extraordinarily grateful to Sunset for deepening its support through a 5-year financial commitment as a Silver Level Corporate Champion to advance our mission to address unmet needs in our community.

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Our community – which includes dozens of organizations that provide essential services to help Highland Park and Highwood children and adults – wraps its arms around friends and neighbors in need. On October 19th, the HPCF distributed 63 annual grant awards, totaling $746,925 – $133,725 more than in 2021 – to support the work of these incredible organizations*. This marks the largest number of dollars allocated, as well as the largest number of grant awards, to agencies that address the needs of our community.

We are extremely fortunate that so many organizations are able to help residents. The quality and quantity of their services is astonishing. We are also tremendously grateful for the support of our donors, whose gifts – along with a generous $300,000 grant from the City of Highland Park – made these grants possible.

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Welcome to the fifth edition of your Community Catch Up.

We are honored to highlight our amazing grantees and hope you find our More to Catch Up On section to be a helpful resource for important announcements and impactful opportunities.

Enjoy these final weeks of summer, and thank you again for your continued support!

North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic (NSLAC) provides accessible, quality, equitable, and free legal services in the areas of domestic violence, immigration, and housing to give low-income, at risk community members access to justice and the chance to live productive and secure lives.

Mother’s Trust Foundation (MTF) provides immediate assistance during times of crisis to low-income children living in Lake County. The agency works closely with social workers and school counselors, who identify children in need, to provide necessary support to families who have nowhere else to turn.

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• 13 businesses have made 5-year pledges to help further our mission.
• 33 businesses provided gift items for our Gather for Good event raffle last fall, which made it our most successful raffle yet, and 48 businesses supported our event as Corporate Sponsors.
• 2 businesses, Judy’s Pizza and Lynfred Winery, have both chosen to benefit the HPCF this year through special month-long promotions.

These partnerships provide critical funding for programs and services that address the needs of Highland Park and Highwood residents.

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Following last month’s exciting announcement, we’re proud to introduce two more outstanding businesses to our growing list of Corporate Champions:

Menoni & Mocogni, Inc.
Scott Byron & Co.

With their generous multi-year pledges, Menoni & Mocogni, Inc., and Scott Byron & Co. are playing a key role in supporting our efforts to strengthen and enrich the Highland Park–Highwood community. We are most grateful for their commitment and partnership as we continue to make a meaningful difference for children and adults.

Scott Byron & Co. is a leading Chicago-area landscape design, construction, and maintenance firm. Since 1983, the company has created elegant outdoor environments for residential and commercial properties that blend art with nature, using the highest quality trees, plants, and other materials. From contemporary urban rooftops to formal gardens and classic backyard terraces with outdoor kitchens, their landscapes invite interaction with nature, relaxation, and enjoyment. With a team of expert designers, horticulturists, and artisans, they are committed to excellence, creativity, and client satisfaction—transforming visions into lasting, thriving outdoor spaces.

Menoni & Mocogni, Highland Park’s oldest family-owned business, has served the community for over 100 years. Originally delivering goods by horse and selling coal to heat residents’ homes, the company has built a proud legacy of providing top-quality services and materials for landscape architects, contractors, municipalities, and dedicated do-it-yourselfers—six days a week, rain or shine. The gates to the yard have been opened many times in the middle of the night, giving Public Works staff access to essential materials needed to repair broken water mains or respond to natural disasters.

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Michael Rosengarden, owner of Autohaus on Edens, and Alyssa Knobel, marketing professional and former City of Highland Park Councilman, have had very different career paths. For both of them, however, helping others has always been an integral part of their lives.

Both also fully embrace the HPCF’s “Give Where You Live” philosophy. Please join us in welcoming our newest Corporate Champion, Autohaus on Edens, and our newest Board member, Alyssa Knobel, to the HPCF team!

We are delighted they have chosen to help advance our mission to address unmet needs and enrich residents’ lives!

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Thirty years ago to the day, the Highland Park Community Foundation was incorporated. We are humbled to have served our community for the past three decades and look forward to serving our community for decades more.

Wally Nathan, Peter Flanzer, Nancy Mills, David Reich, and Betsy Brint have served as our Board Chairs since our 20th anniversary. We are incredibly grateful for their leadership, under which we have seen tremendous growth – in our endowment, annual and multi-year donations, grant funding, Boards, and community support.

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