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One Hope United Receives $25K Grant From Community Foundation

Chicago Daily Herald

Aurora’s finance committee has approved plans for an early childhood center on the city’s east side.

The proposed $5.5 million, 23,000-square-foot facility will be built on Root Street along the west bank of the Fox River. The proposal will be sent to the city council’s committee of the whole on July 20.

The city has received slightly more than $2 million from the state’s 2009 capital bill to get construction rolling. And Wednesday, One Hope United, the organization selected to run the facility, received a $25,000 grant from the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley to be used toward the construction of the Aurora Early Learning Center.

One Hope United is a nonprofit human service agency offering child development, child abuse prevention and family preservation programs as well as counseling, youth and placement services.

The center’s teaching curriculum will promote a healthy and environmentally friendly lifestyle for the children and families it serves. The facility itself will be a Silver LEED Certified Green Building. Many staff members will be bilingual.

“We are excited to lead this early education project in the Aurora community and appreciate the tremendous demonstration of support from the foundation for this important community project,” Executive Director Mark McHugh said. “Research shows that for every dollar invested in high-quality early education, communities see a $16 return on the investment through factors like improved outcomes in school and higher rates of high school completion.”

According to statistics provided by the organization, Aurora shows significant need for full-day early education and child care services because current resources serve only 31 percent of children in need, leaving 7,300 children without a full-day, full-year program.

Mayor Tom Weisner said the city has recognized the need for more day care and early education centers for about 12 years. Aldermen are expected to approve final financial and physical plans for the center on July 27.

I am incredibly grateful for the generosity of the Zari Foundation Scholarship and the Community Foundation in supporting my education. I am majoring in mechanical engineering with a concentration in aerospace engineering at the Rose-Hulman Institue of Technology. In my spare time, I volunteer on campus, in the community and I’m also the principal violist in the symphony orchestra. I hope to make an impact on the next chapter of space exploration by eventually working at a groundbreaking aerospace company such as SpaceX or NASA.

Taytum Newell

Albert M. Zari Scholarship Recipient

YEP has made me realize the importance of being involved in my community, and how to make a difference. There are a lot of problems in the world but if we can do everything that we can to help the world will become a better place. YEP has helped me realize this and encouraged me to help more people in the future.

Madi Porter

YEP Member

Being a part of the Community Foundation scholarship committee is the highlight of my year. For many, a scholarship from the CFFRV is the reason they are able to continue reaching for their dreams and changing the future of our world. I hope each recipients knows just how inspirational they are to those of us who are lucky enough to read their stories.

Jessica Breugelmans

Scholarship Committee Member and Board Member

Education is important to us. We support causes that touch our lives and align with our values. We believe in paying it forward. We are here for a short time,, and it is the next generation that will take on what we leave behind.

Michelle Emanuel

Donor and Past Scholarship Recipient

Give your gift of time and see what it means to the people you impact. Helping others is what life is all about.

Neal Ormond

Donor & Fund Advisor

YEP was a great experience to have in high school. I became a more confident person, someone with a lot more perspective. Coming from a small school, YEP allowed me to branch out into my community, meet students from other schools, and learn about their backgrounds. I made some great friends and still keep in touch with them today.

Abby Vagnoni

YEP Alumni

Grant funds from the Community Foundation helped provide updated technology. These upgrades were transformative. By creating new time saving processes, it turned us into a more efficient organization.

Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry

Grantee

Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley

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