For our 20th anniversary, it’s appropriate to spotlight a funder who was there from the beginning. As ChicagoCAC’s original building was taking shape, the Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation made their first grant of $30,000 in 2000 for the purchase of equipment for the center’s medical clinic. Since 2002, the Foundation has supported our mental health programming, including providing funding in 2004 for a new art therapy program.
“Mental health services, including art therapy, provide a restorative and healing opportunity for children who experienced complex trauma,” said Rhiannon Reaves, Director of Clinical Services at ChicagoCAC’s Family Hope Center. “These programs offer a creative way for clients to express their trauma, which is important for children as they often lack language for communicating their experiences.”
Founded in 1984 with the proceeds of the sale of Chicago’s Ridgeway Hospital, one of the Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation’s primary funding areas is the support of nonprofit agencies which provide medical and psychological services to economically disadvantaged children and adolescents. Since then, their mission has expanded to support nonprofit agencies that provide vital comprehensive health care and social services to the economically disadvantaged of all ages. As of Fall 2020, the Foundation provided $39.1 million in grants and program-related investments to a variety of health care and social service agencies. Giving to ChicagoCAC totals $220,000 to date, including a recent grant for the Family Hope Center in May 2021.
“ChicagoCAC is a well-known leader in providing comprehensive victim response services and education on the prevention of child abuse,” said Serena Moy, Executive Director of the Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation. “ChicagoCAC puts children first, by taking great care to meet their complex needs and by bringing public and government, private and community representatives to them, in one location, so that they are not further victimized. ChicagoCAC continues to evolve and find new ways to meet not only the needs of children but also their families and caregivers.”
We are very grateful for our long and productive partnership with the Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation.