News and Events
We're super excited about what's happening in Humboldt and all the great people we get to engage. Continue to check back for the latest and greatest goings-on:
"It Takes a Village" School Supply Drive : July 19, 2010
Reason to Give and Barista Coffee House at 852 North Damen in Chicago are teaming up this summer to host a school supply drive for Reason to Give families. +more
T-Shirt Mania at Camp Firebelly : July 19, 2010
At the 3rd annual Camp Firebelly, 10 passionate and energetic young designers teamed up with Mike Fretto and Rosa Loves to raise money for three Reason to Give families. Campers were given the opportunity to meet with each of the families, hear their stories, and ask questions to better understand the Humboldt Park community. +more
Lafayette Elementary Students watch themselves on the big screen! : May 26, 2010
Reason to Giive recently adopted the Lafayette Elementary school Orchestra as one of our reasons to give! We spent an entire afternoon with the young musicians listening to them practice and interviewing them about the impact the Merit Music program has had on their lives. The students were so enthused to participate in our program and share their talents with us that we thought it only right that they get the first screening of the video.Principal Shrode and Mr. Weible gathered all the students into the auditorium after school for a special viewing of themselves on the big screen! The students' reactions were priceless! We just had to share them with all of you. +more
Dawn speaks at a TEDxWindyCity Event! : March 15, 2010
Firebelly Founder Dawn Hancock spoke at the TEDxWindyCity event "Creative Convergence" on February 10, 2010. “Creative Convergence” explored the many ways that designers, artists, engineers and inventors marry creativity and technology and thereby revolutionize our world. +more
Reason to watch the Bulls: A Success! : March 03, 2010
Reason to Give's intern Kevin hosted his 23rd Birthday Party at the Chicago Bulls game last Saturday as a fundraiser for Reason to Give participant Steven to go on an educational trip to Europe with his high school. Thanks to Kevin and 24 of his closest friends, operation "Reason to watch the Bulls" was a success. Rosabel and her son Steven were delighted to hear about the success of the event and send their appreciation to everyone that participated. Read more about Rosabel and Steven's cause. +more
Reason to Give gets a spot on Oprah Radio : February 24, 2010
Founder of Firebelly Foundation, Dawn Hancock was interviewed by Derrick Ashong in a fifteen minute spot on Oprah Radio February 6. The focus of the show was about artists that use their work to inspire change in the world around them. Dawn talks about using her own for profit business, Firebelly Design, to make a difference in the Humbodt Park community where the firm is based. +more
Bulls Fundraiser February 26th! : February 09, 2010
Come out to see Derrick Rose and the Bulls take on the Portland Trailblazers at the United Center on Friday February 26th at 7:00pm. Tickets are $46 and half of the ticket price goes to help Rosabell Castillo send her son Steven on an educational class trip to Europe. This will be a fun night for a good cause. To reserve tickets email Kevin at kgsmith2@gmail.com. +more
Participants Enjoy a Chicago Wolves Game : January 25, 2010
Thank you to the Chicago Wolves for their generous donation of 15 tickets to Reason to Give. The tickets were raffled off at our annual holiday party. Three families received four tickets each: the DeJesus family, the Brown family, and the Martinez family. The game was great, a triple overtime win for the Wolves! Thanks again to the Chicago Wolves for brightening the holiday season for these three families. +more
Holiday Party 2009! : January 19, 2010
On December 12, 2009, Reason to Give held a holiday party for families that are currently in program as well as families that were involved with the program within years past. EP Theater generously donated their facility for the event. Photographers Kyle LaMere and Brendan Shanley volunteered their services to take family portraits. Everyone received free coats complements of Cafe Barista. Special thanks to Mary Morelli for her generous contribution to the free store. +more
ABC 7 Features Reason to Give : December 18, 2009
What a beautiful day it was when we had our local ABC 7 television crew run around with us for hours. We are so thankful to them and those who made an immediate donation in response to their 2 minute segment. If you missed it or just want to see it again and again, here's the link. +more
Reason to Golf is a great success! : October 21, 2009
The 1st Annual Reason to Golf Benefit was a huge success! On Saturday August 22, 2009 at the Western Acres Golf Coarse in Lombard, Reason to Give threw its first official benefit. With 56 golfers and over 85 in attendance at the 10th Hole Party, along with all of our wonderful sponsors, Reason to Give was able to raise over $8000. +more
"Donate with Kate" is a big hit! : February 04, 2009
Julie Lowenbaum and her daughter Katie contacted Reason To Give in early January with a great idea to celebrate Katie’s 10th birthday and help the families of Humboldt Park at the same time. Rather than the traditional party, Katie and 20 of her girlfriends and chaperons went on a scavenger hunt through Northbrook Court Mall and collected basic items for Reason To Give participants. +more
Day of Beauty for RTG Families : January 19, 2009
Just 3 days before Christmas, when everyone needed to be finishing their last minute shopping, the wonderful folks at Art + Science Salon in Wicker Park, Elizabeth Neish (a fabulous makeup artist for MAC), Chris Kirzeder (a dear friend and amazing photographer) and a handful of RTG volunteers (Ana, Amy, James and Shannon), came together to give all the RTG families a special experience they will never forget. The entire day was devoted to giving the families a day of beauty, including hair cuts + colors, makeup and photographs. It was truly a special day for all of us. And of course it wouldn't have been complete without a delicious lunch from our friends at the Latin American Restaurant and Coco (two fantastic restaurants in Humboldt Park I can't reccommend enough). +more
Holiday Generosity : December 30, 2008
After a generous outpowering of support this season, Reason To Give was able to issue gift cards to each participating family. Watch the beautiful video of everyone receiving their gifts and share in some of the photos. +more
Listen for us on WGN 720AM : December 06, 2008
Listen to the MP3 now! ----- We're incredibly excited and grateful that WGN Radio believes in our program so much, they have offered to donate a PSA spot beginning the week of Dec 8th. Listen for the amazing Richard Steele of Chicago Public Radio's Eight Forty-Eight, as he explains why Reason to Give is such a wonderful program. ----- Listen to the MP3 now! +more
A+S Had a Reason to Give : October 08, 2008
We are grateful to Art + Science Salon in Wicker Park for opening their hearts to us. Portrait of a Culture in Exile: a photographic journal by David Raccuglia was not only a stunning gallery opening, but our first ever fundraiser. David amazed us with his immense generosity -- proceeds from his photograph's sales benefit Reason to Give! +more
Check out some press.
