Charitable Giving
Since its inception, the Presentation Ball has raised millions of dollars to support many important initiatives.
Through the dedication, efforts and talents of our Presentation Ball Chairs along with their Committees and with the tremendous generosity of our Presentation Ball families, Board, Social Membership, honored donors, and the family of Frank J. and Julia Deal Lewis, the Illinois Club for Catholic Women has been able to give to various charitable agencies at our June Rose Luncheon over the years. Some of whom include:
Aid for Women helps thousands of women each year in the Chicago metropolitan area who find themselves facing unexpected and difficult pregnancies. Each woman is provided with the emotional, practical and spiritual support she needs to choose life for her unborn baby and to provide a better future for her and her children. Life-affirming services are offered to clients free-of-charge.
The mission of the Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools is to educate the whole child – academically, spiritually, physically and emotionally – through a faith-based learning environment. Our Catholic schools are igniting the light in future leaders. The Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools provide all people in the Archdiocese of Chicago with vibrant, high quality Catholic schools that are available, accessible and affordable.
Big Shoulders Fund serves 20,000 students in 63 elementary schools and 13 high schools in the city of Chicago. The schools are an important resource for students and communities, with research showing that when a Catholic school closes the surrounding area experiences an increase in violence and a decrease in social cohesion. These schools help realize the vision that there are educational outlets throughout Chicago where children can “charge up” and maximize their potential. Big Shoulders Fund is focused on ensuring these schools can remain open and viable for years to come. Big Shoulders supports schools and programs that will ensure students receive a strong academic foundation in elementary school, enroll in quality, college prep high schools, enroll and persist in college, and lead productive lives as adults.
For more than 98 years, Catholic Charities has empowered families and individuals of all races and religious backgrounds to realize their full potential. Our services help people from the point of conception through the last stages of their lives. We keep mothers and their babies well-fed, prepare children in low-income families for school, keep youth in school and out of gangs, counsel and give job training to adults with economic troubles, provide affordable housing for seniors, and organize in-home care services for seniors who need help caring for themselves. Catholic Charities fulfills the Church’s role in the mission of charity to anyone in need by providing compassionate, competent and professional services that strengthen and support individuals, families and communities based on the value and dignity of human life.
House of the Good Shepherd serves with love and compassion women and children affected by domestic violence by offering a safe place with opportunities for emotional, educational and spiritual growth, giving hope and continued support for a better future. Healing and recovery is the focus of all work with our clients. When the women first arrive, after a period of orientation, they begin to take classes consisting of: Domestic Violence, Spirituality, Journaling, Life Skills, Addiction, Financial Management, ESL & GED preparation.
Franciscan Outreach is one of the oldest and largest providers for men and women who are marginalized and homeless. For more than 55 years, Franciscan Outreach has provided men and women experiencing homelessness with the critical services they need to make positive changes in their lives. Franciscan Outreach is a system of support helping men and women who are marginalized and homeless find their path toward stability and self-sufficiency in their lives. Every day, we provide healthy meals to those who are hungry, a warm bed for those who need shelter, vital case management services for those who need guidance, and access to critical resources for those who need specialized assistance.
The Little Sisters of the Poor are an international congregation of Roman Catholic women religious founded in 1839 by Saint Jeanne Jugan. Together with a diverse network of collaborators, we serve the elderly poor in over 30 countries around the world. Continuing the work of Saint Jeanne Jugan, the mission is to offer the neediest elderly of every race and religion a home where they will be welcomed as Christ, cared for as family and accompanied with dignity until God calls them to himself. The vision is to contribute to the Culture of Life by nurturing communities where each person is valued, the solidarity of the human family and the wisdom of age are celebrated, and the compassionate love of Christ is shared with all.
Maryville is a child care organization rooted in Catholic social teaching and dedicated to the preservation of the dignity of children at every age. Maryville’s mission is to help children and families to reach their fullest potential by empowering intellectual, spiritual, moral and emotional growth. Maryville’s children will achieve personal and spiritual fulfillment as they become contributors to their communities and citizens of the world.
Fr. Bob Lombardo came to Chicago in 2005 at the request of Francis Cardinal George. Cardinal George wisely envisioned Fr. Bob directing a mission to serve the poor and maintain a Catholic presence in the huge area on the West Side that was no longer served by any Catholic parishes. The Cardinal specifically chose Our Lady of the Angels for the site of this mission for several reasons; to serve the tremendous needs in the neighborhood, one of the neediest in the city, to maintain a Catholic presence at the approximate geographic center of the West side area no longer served by any Catholic parishes, and to maintain a prayerful presence at the site of a historic fire. Fr. Bob began establishing outreach in the neighborhood. He assessed the needs of the neighborhood simply by walking around and talking with the neighbors. Healthy food, safe havens for kids, and senior citizen programming were identified as the greatest needs.
Looking to get involved? The Illinois Club for Catholic Women is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that supplies compassionate service and relief to the poor, the distressed and underprivileged in the Chicago metropolitan area inspiring women of all ages to sustain its long tradition of charitable social service since 1921. Our mission is accomplished primarily through the annual Presentation Ball, the forum at which over 1,000 young ladies have been welcomed by family, friends and the Catholic community into a world of civic responsibility and awareness.
