CHICAGO, February 7, 2022 – From November to December 2021, the newly launched WGN-TV Family Charities, a fund of the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, held three charity drives: WGN Morning News Food and Toy Drives, as well as a Tornado Relief Drive for the American Red Cross. The combined total of funds raised will be matched by the McCormick Foundation at fifty cents on the dollar. With the Foundation paying all campaign and administrative expenses, one hundred percent of all donations, plus the match, are granted to qualified nonprofit organizations.
Including the match factored into the donations, WGN-TV Family Charities will be donating a total of $100,000 to four charities:
- Greater Chicago Food Depository $53,000
- Off The Street Club $10,500
- Christmas in the Wards $10,500
- American Red Cross $26,000
$100,000 Total in Grants!
WGN-TV Family Charities, a McCormick Foundation Fund, is focused on creating opportunities for children and families to help them fulfill their potential. The charity hopes to bring awareness to various organizations and to enlist community support to help make a difference in the lives of families throughout the Chicago area.
The Greater Chicago Food Depository, Chicago’s food bank, believes a healthy community starts with food. The Food Depository works with a network of more than 700 partner organizations and programs – food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, mobile distributions and other partners – to bring food and hope to our neighbors across Chicago and Cook County. We’re also taking on the root causes of hunger with job training and other initiatives. By working to help those most in need go from hungry to hopeful, the Food Depository is building a Greater Chicago. The Food Depository is a proud member of Feeding America, the national network of food banks. Learn more at chicagosfoodbank.org
Off The Street Club is Chicago’s oldest boys and girls club, providing hope, play and ‘casual joy’ since 1900. The Club currently serves more than 3,000 kids in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the country, West Garfield Park. Providing after-school activities, summer camps and events ‘where kids can be kids’, Off The Street Club’s motto is, “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” Every child seeking a safe place to go is welcome to join Off the Street Club for games, play and mentorship; it’s where ‘hope has a home.’
Since 1996, Christmas in the Wards has served Chicago’s underserved and hard to count communities bringing the spirit of the season to hardworking families, deserving students and youth. Christmas in the Wards dedicates 100% of their resources for a sole purpose, to serve. Annually, this is accomplished by working with local aldermen to select over 700 deserving families from the wards of Chicago who would otherwise go without essentials such as food and clothing and special gifts from Santa. In addition, Christmas in the Wards supports education in marginalized communities through its Laptops on the Lane event, providing over 200 laptops and mentoring services to middle school and high-school-aged students. This 2021 holiday season marks the 25th anniversary of Christmas in the Wards, serving a record 40 wards and families throughout Chicago’s South, West, and North Side communities.
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
WGN-TV is Chicago’s Very Own source for news and entertainment and is owned and operated by Nexstar Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Nexstar Media Inc. WGN News programs more local news than any other Chicago TV station and can be seen on WGN-TV, WGNTV.com and the WGN-TV News mobile app. In-depth local weather coverage is available on all newscasts and the WGN-TV Weather mobile app. WGN 9.2 is the Chicago affiliate for Nexstar Inc.’s 1950s – 1970s classic TV network Antenna TV, WGN 9.3 is the Chicago affiliate for Court TV, WGN 9.4 is the Chicago affiliate for Nexstar Inc.’s 1980s – 2000s retro TV network Rewind TV, and WGN 9.5 is the Chicago affiliate for TBD. For more information on Chicago’s Very Own WGN-TV, go to WGNTV.com
