“When a teacher believes in you like Sarah does – she’s like a Mary Poppins. She magically makes it happen.” HPHS parent

We are thrilled to recognize Sarah Douglas as the 2024 recipient of the HPCF Golden Apple Award!

Highland Park Community Foundation established the HPCF Golden Apple Award in 2010 to honor outstanding teachers in the Highland Park public schools. The award rotates among the elementary, middle school, and high school levels of teaching. This year, nominations were accepted for full-time HPHS teachers.

Sarah teaches physical education, adaptive physical education, team sports, and traffic safety for grades 9-12. She is a general education teacher who has stepped into the role that is usually expected of a special education teacher, serving as an inclusion and modification specialist. She not only promotes inclusion but fosters it in a way that helps students accept inclusion as the norm. It is rare for a teacher to be equally valued by all the demographics of a school in the way that Sarah is respected. Sarah has made a tangible, concrete, and lasting impact on the Highland Park High School community. She is a teacher who connects with all her students, motivates them to try and learn new things, generates confidence, inspires them to be better people, and supports them through that process.

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​We are deeply grateful for your unwavering support throughout 2024. Your generosity made it possible for us to provide 64 Annual Grants and 11 Recovery Fund Grants that positively impacted thousands of children and adults in Highland Park and Highwood. Click the image below to explore the tangible difference your contributions made in expanding opportunities and addressing unmet needs within our community.​

​Your continued support plays a crucial role in building a more inclusive and thriving community, enriching the lives of all residents, and strengthening the resources that empower our neighbors to overcome adversity and reach their full potential.

Join us in making a lasting impact.

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Fun Outdoor Entertainment Your Whole Family Will Enjoy!

Since its inception, the Highland Park Community Foundation has financially supported and promoted creativity at a grassroots level by investing in recurring festivals, events, and programs that promote arts and cultural participation, celebrate diversity, foster connections, and provide creative experiences for residents of all ages. These activities benefit individuals and families and build a better and stronger community.

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“It is my privilege to use my mind, heart, and time to make my class safe and productive for learning. I do everything I can to help [my students] prepare to create their own future. I hope that they are as fulfilled with what they choose and I am being a teacher.”
Miriam Schuman, Special Education Teacher, Northwood Middle School

In 2010, the Highland Park Community Foundation established the HPCF Golden Apple Award to recognize outstanding teachers in the Highland Park School systems. Under the leadership of former Chairman, Board member, and Advisory Board member Andy Livingston, the award became a signature program of the Foundation.

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We are proud to welcome Shellé Jewelers as our 10th Corporate Champion. The relationship between the HPCF and local businesses has been an essential component of the work we accomplish each year, and our new partnership with Shellé Jewelers brings additional and exciting opportunities for the coming years.

Shellé Jewelers is a third-generation family-owned business with an impactful presence in the North Shore area. Since its inception, Shellé Jewelers has been committed to the giving spirit through fundraisers and donations that support local organizations. By becoming a HPCF Corporate Champion, Shellé Jewelers has extended its philanthropic hand to directly benefit the Highland Park/Highwood community.

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September 29, 2023
6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Binny’s Beverage Depot, Highland Park

Incredible Food & Drink Provided by Wonderful Local Restaurants

28 Mile Distilling, Backyard Grill, BellaRu Catering, Bent Fork Catering, Binny’s Beverage Depot, Bluegrass, Carol’s Cookies, The Chunky Scone, The Claim Company, Donã Paty’s Restaurant, Long Grove Confectionery Co., Maria’s Italian Bakery & Caffe, Michael’s Grill & Salad Bar, Once Upon a Bagel, Tamales…A Mexican Joint, Viaggio Highland Park

Festive Community Celebration

Exciting Raffle Prizes

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We are Honored to Introduce ASHLEY KELLY and CERE WOODS, New Members of HPCF’s Governing Board of Directors!

Raised in Highland Park, Ashley has always been a strong advocate for community and helping neighbors.

Cere and her husband, Tom, chose to put down their roots in Highland Park in 2020. They and their two children love living here and being part of this vibrant community!

We Proudly Recognize KATERINA SHUTMAN, Recipient of the 2024 HPCF Personal Achievement Award!

Each year we recognize a graduating Highland Park High School senior with the HPCF Personal Achievement Award. The award honors a student who perseveres despite obstacles or a disability, works hard, serves as a positive influence, and thrives in the school environment. This year’s recipient, Katerina Shutman, possesses each of these qualities and more!

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Last week, we shared our Impact Report, celebrating the meaningful progress we’ve made together in supporting Highland Park and Highwood’s most vulnerable neighbors. Your generosity fueled that success—and we are deeply grateful.

But as we continue our mid-year check-ins with our nonprofit partners, we’re hearing about new and growing challenges that call for our attention, compassion, and action.

Recent policy changes, economic uncertainty, and funding disruptions are making it even harder for local families to access the resources they need. Our grantees are reporting:

Threats to Essential Programs
Frozen or eliminated federal grants and potential Medicaid cuts are putting long-standing programs at risk—including those focused on affordable housing, food insecurity, early childhood education, and care for our most vulnerable residents.

Increased Fear & Barriers to Access
Concerns related to immigration status and newly mandated language restrictions are preventing residents from seeking critical help—especially for mental health, housing, and domestic violence services.

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