A little less than three months ago, COVID-19 hit our community. The Highland Park Community Foundation has launched a Corporate Champion Program to provide the opportunity for businesses to become our philanthropic partners at a time when Highland Park and Highwood residents need support like never before.
Mesirow Financial has signed on as HPCF’s first Corporate Champion. Mesirow, an independent, employee-owned financial services company, has generously made a 5-year commitment at the Platinum level to support the Foundation’s mission to address unmet needs of our community.
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!
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.
Together Highland Park Unidos, established by the HPCF to manage the distribution process for donations made to the July 4th Highland Park Shooting Response Fund, has announced the Fund raised a total of $5.8 million and has distributed 100% of those funds to victims of the mass shooting and nonprofit organizations providing mental health and other services for victims and community members impacted by the shooting.
The funds were distributed according to the Committee’s Final Protocol. The individual claims process was managed by the Fund’s Co-Administrators Bruce Boyd and Eric Kessler. The grantmaking process for organizations was managed through the Highland Park Community Foundation.
Thanks to your support, the grants we provided in 2023 helped thousands of children and adults. Click on the image below to see the impact you made by supporting our efforts to expand opportunities for Highland Park and Highwood residents and address unmet needs.
A Safe Place (ASP) serves victims of domestic violence and human trafficking, and their children, who need counseling, legal advocacy, safe housing, and other supportive services. We proudly share the following success story about a client from our community. The client went to ASP feeling uncertain about her recent separation and co-parenting with her ex-partner. She was in the beginning stages of post-separation and used her therapy process to identify ways her abuser continued to exert control. With ASP’s help, she obtained a formal custody agreement. She also opened up about her needs and was able, also with ASP’s help, to get stable housing, furniture, and clothing for herself and her children. Her youngest child, who witnessed much of the DV, also received services that resulted in improved behaviors and emotional regulation.
Though we can’t Gather for Good in person this year, there are still needs to address and people to recognize and thank
Carol Louise Anspach Kohn – “Cookie” Kohn
2020 Jack Blane Community Service Award Recipient
The Jack Blane Community Service Award, launched in 2014, honors Jack Blane, a founder and long-time Board member of the HPCF, and his exemplary work in the community.
We proudly recognize Cookie Anspach Kohn as the recipient of this year’s award!
In 2018, the Highland Park Community Foundation established the Personal Achievement Award to honor a Highland Park High School senior for significant personal achievement. The award recognizes a student who, among other things:
Demonstrates a genuine commitment to persevere despite obstacles or personal challenges;
Sets personal goals and challenges him/herself to achieve them;
We are delighted to share that Mariani Landscape has joined our growing list of Corporate Champions. We look forward to visiting their new Design Center, which is opening in downtown Highland Park in early May, and hope you will stop by, too.
Mariani’s Corporate Champion pledge will provide monetary resources needed to support HPCF’s mission to address unmet needs and expand opportunities for all Highland Park and Highwood residents now and in perpetuity.
To all our supporters: We join you at this time of giving thanks for touching lives in so many ways.
For Thirty years, you have Helped us Address Needs of our community, fostering Kindness and compassion to Seniors and children alike. We are extremely Grateful to all of you – the Individuals, families, businesses & foundations that provide Vital resources to Improve the lives of children and adults Now and in perpetuity. Thank you for Genuinely caring about your neighbors.
We wish all of you and your families a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!
