Kids First is a model for building durable change in communities by empowering and supporting those closest to the problem to build and advance solutions. Their work to build genuine trust and partnership with communities has paid off, from bringing new school programs to families in Austin to bridging the digital divide for more than 100,000 students.
—Carly Bolger, Walton Family Foundation
Individuals
Anonymous (3)
Amy Allman
Andersen-Formolo Family Foundation
Margot & John Anello
Norma Lopez & Daniel Anello
LaTonia Arnold
Patrick & Melinda Baldwin
Lynn Barnett
Jeffery Beckham Jr.
Jay Beidler & Deborah Witzburg
Nicole Bela
Kristin Bernhard
Heather Fraser & Steven Berry
The Robert Thomas Bobins Foundation
Hannah Borie
James Borishade
Mara Botman & John Downey
Stephanie Braming
Ina Burd
Asia Calcagno
Patrick Canning
Jane & David Casper
Ashley Castaneda
Courtney Castelletti
Sherly Chavarria
Bernard Cherkasov
The David & Debbie Chizewer Charitable Fund
Bogdana Chkoumbova
Sharon & Jim Civitello
Shirley M. Collado, PhD, & A. Van Jordan
Paul Connor
Todd Connor
Cecilia Conrad
Fatima Cooke
Angela Cooper
Julia Cotsen
Ali Cowan
Jami de Lou
Michelle DeMent
Cassandra Di Prizio
Craig & Janet Duchossois
Joshua Epstein
Brian Eschbacher
Vanessa & Pedro Espinoza
Shayne Evans
Suzanne Fisher
Lula M. Ford
Fellicia Foster
Scott Frauenheim
Thomas Funkhouser
Sean Garrett
Adriana Garst
Sabrina Garza
Nelson Gerew
Oscar Gomez
Paul Goren & Gwen Macsai
Rachel Graham
Amy Graves
Anne Gron
Cornelia Grumman
Lilia Guevara
Darrel Hackett
Lisa Harrell
Mary Hasten
Kris Hecheverria
The Kern Family Foundation
Craig W. Henderson Family Charitable Fund
Trevor Henry
Philip Herndon
Caleb Herod
Kali Herrmann
Philip & Carole Hildebrandt
David D. Hiller
Michael Holt
Travis C. Hunter Jr.
Helen Jameson & Eric Bremer
Tiffany Johnson
Tony Kamber
Suzanne Doornbos Kerbow
LeeAndra Khan
Ann Kniola
Krehbiel Family Foundation
Kristin & Bill Krogstie
Linda Kronig
Asha Kuloor & Girish Ramachandra
Lizzy Kunde
Maureen Lagan
Brenda Langstraat Bui
Andrew Larsen
Max D. Leichtman
Peter Leonard
Joshua Levin
Priya V. Linson
Fredrick Long
D.G. Macpherson
John R. & Lauren K. Madera
Nicholas Madgett
John W. Madigan & Family
Evan Makela
Grisel Maldonado
Terry Maxwell
Stacy McAuliffe
Donna & Tim McFlynn
Lester H. McKeever Jr.
Vincent Meno
Denisse Merlos
Evelyn Merlos
Kevin Metke
Dea Meyer
The Judith & Marshall Meyer Foundation
Kerry & Leslie Miller
Demetri L. Morgan, PhD
Chad Neumann
Jonah Newman
Ann Nyhan
Dianne & Daniel O'Donovan
Robert Oda
Patricia Oey
Mary Osman
Maria Owens
Miriam Owens
Renye Owens
Jose Pacas
Jim Parsons
Neil Patel
Dr. Henry Perkins
Jeremiah Phillips
Nate Pietrini
Nichole Pinkard & Chanita Wade
Erika Poethig
Carol G. & James D. Pollock
Elizabeth Pollock & John Zulueta
Kristin Pollock & Rob Civitello
Potter Family Fund at The Chicago Community Foundation
Christopher Powell
Jose Luis Prado
Miles Radakovitz
Kavitha Royapet & Satish Rao
Cricket & Phillip Redman
Nneka Rimmer
Erin Roche
Seth Rockers
Zachary Rosenstock
Beth Sallee
Katherine Scherer
Brooke Schiewe
Sean Schindl
Brett Schommer
Nancy S. Searle
LeShonne & Adrian Segura
Ulric Shannon
Anne Sherline
Susan & David Snyder
Jud Snyder
Chris-Annmarie Spencer
Lois M. Steans*
Robin Steans & Leonard Gail
Jill & John Svoboda
Beth Swanson
Thompson Family Fund at The Chicago Community Foundation
Laura Thonn & Scott Sallee
Steven Thiele
Christopher Thompson
Carolyn Torma
Ellen & Bob Venable
Megan Vidis & Richard Newman
Vignesh
Catherine M. & Frederick H. Waddell
Sara Wasserteil
Dave Weddige
Ellen S. Alberding & Kelly R. Welsh
Lisa Wiersma
DaWana Williamson
Asif Wilson, PhD
Jennifer Wilson
Kevin Windorf
Hal & Alya Woods
Melinda Young
MJ Zaring
*IN MEMORIAM
Corporations & Foundations
7-Eleven Cares Foundation
Anonymous (2)
Abbott
Abode Co.
The Academy Group
Airbnb, Inc.
Ariel Investments, LLC
Bank of America
Bellwether Education Partners
Best Portion Foundation
Black Box Creative LLC
BMO
The Boston Consulting Group, Inc.
The Bridgespan Group
Carnegie Corporation of New York
Chicago Urban League
Christopher Family Foundation
CIBC Bank
Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago
Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education (The CAFE Group)
Coleman Foundation
Crown Family Philanthropies
Dean L. and Rosemarie Buntrock Foundation
Discover Financial Services
DRW
The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust
Exelon Corporation
Finnegan Family Foundation
Flamboyan Foundation
Frechette Family Foundation
Hometown Hats & Apparel LLC
I.A. O'Shaughnessy Foundation
IMC Chicago Charitable Foundation
Infinite Hope Fund at The Chicago Community Foundation
ITW
The Joyce Foundation
The Kadens Family Foundation
Mayer & Morris Kaplan Family Foundation
KPMG LLP
Lefkofsky Family Foundation
Lewis-Sebring Family Foundation
Lloyd A. Fry Foundation
Marquette Associates
McDonald's Corporation
McDougal Family Foundation
Meta Chicago
Miami Corporation Management
Morningstar, Inc.
National Parents Union
New Harbor Charitable Foundation
New Profit
The Northern Trust Centennial Fund for the Education of Children at The Chicago Community Trust
Okta for Good
Origami Works Foundation
Osa Foundation
Peoples Gas
PNC Bank
Polk Bros. Foundation
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Pritzker Traubert Foundation
Reckitt
Reed Smith LLP
Robert R. McCormick Foundation
Schreiber Philanthropy
The Spencer Foundation
Square One Foundation
United Way of Metro Chicago
Vivo Foundation
W. Clement & Jessie V. Stone Foundation
Walton Family Foundation
Wines for Humanity
Our Lead Investors
The following list reflects commitments of $100,000 or more over fiscal years 2025 and 2026. We are grateful for their outstanding generosity.
Anonymous (2)
Best Portion Foundation
BMO
Crown Family Philanthropies
DRW
Finnegan Family Foundation
IMC Chicago Charitable Foundation
I.A. O'Shaughnessy Foundation
ITW
Lewis-Sebring Family Foundation
Peoples Gas
Polk Bros. Foundation
Robert R. McCormick Foundation
Schreiber Philanthropy
Square One Foundation
Robin Steans and Leonard Gail
The Joyce Foundation
Vivo Foundation
Walton Family Foundation
Support Us
Please contact Evelyn Merlos, Senior Coordinator of Development & External Affairs, at emerlos@kidsfirstchicago.org for information about how you and your organization can support our work.
Kids First Chicago is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Our tax ID number is 83-0399727. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.