VC Nonprofit Partners

The mission of A Just Harvest is to fight poverty and hunger in the Rogers Park and greater Chicago community by providing nutritious meals daily while cultivating community and economic development and organizing across racial, cultural and socio-economic lines in order to create a more just society.

We are a not-for-profit parrot rescue, rehabilitation, education, & adoption, no-kill shelter facility.  First and foremost, we work together with other parrot groups to eliminate the need for rescues.

Through our Transitional Living Program we offer our residents a wide array of on-site supportive services - case management, recovery, occupational therapy, and spiritual care. Individual sessions and group services are provided in all areas, including psychosocial support groups such as HIV-support, sobriety support, life skills, and spiritual discussion.

The Alliance for Early Childhood is a collaborative, community organization that supports and guides families and educators to nurture the healthy, well-rounded development of children from birth to eight years old.

Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.

The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers and guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, will provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.

The mission of Argentium Care is to support the efforts of older adults to remain in their homes: we make living easier by delivering the highest level of service and support, and by educating and engaging older adults and their families.

Art Impact Project is a Chicago nonprofit dedicated to enhancing emotional wellness through creative expression.

Our mission is to promote, facilitate, and strengthen the bond between the nature environments in New Trier Township and the children and adults who wish to enrich their lives with direct experiences in nature.

The mission at Beacon Place is to inspire and guide our neighborhood’s children and families toward a brighter tomorrow.  We do this through a community center and 6 core programs that focus on academic support, nutrition and overall health and other life skills development.

Bernie's Book Bank collects new and gently-used books and delivers them directly into the hands of low-income children who have none of their own.

The mission of the Northeast Illinois Council Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

Building Peaceful Bridges is a nonprofit organization supporting people of all faiths whose mission is to foster multicultural relationships by assisting in the integration of refugees into American society and educating communities on the challenges facing refugee populations through their stories.

The Cancer Wellness Center is a non-profit organization that provides education, support and wellness programs FREE of charge to people diagnosed with cancer and their loved ones.

Career Resource Center, Inc.® is nonprofit organization that provides professional assistance to individuals in employment transition, featuring individualized attention, education, training, and coaching by industry professionals.

Our mission is to serve as an advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in juvenile court, by acting as the eyes and ears of the judge - and the voice of the child.

CCI is a nonprofit international exchange organization dedicated to the promotion of cultural understanding, academic development, environmental consciousness, and world peace.

Ladder Up provides free financial programs to help clients secure the tax refunds they deserve, gain the knowledge to navigate today’s complex financial systems, and obtain financial aid to make college dreams a reality.

The Center for Enriched Living exists so that people with developmental disabilities can be fully included in the community, achieve personal success, and enjoy a good quality of life. The Center for Enriched Living is a social enrichment and skill development community center dedicated to serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The mission of the Chicago Botanic Garden is to promote the enjoyment, understanding and conservation of plants and the natural world.

Our mission is primarily educational: to be not merely a chess CLUB but a chess SCHOOL, providing instruction and training to players of all ages and skill levels, including providing instruction to Chicago Title I schools. We also seek to offer a welcoming and safe place for a diverse group of people to play chess and connect with groups whom distance and differences have kept apart.

The Chicago Humanities Festival connects people to the ideas that shape and define us, and promotes the lifelong exploration of what it means to be human. CHF fosters curiosity, celebrates creativity, explores the boundaries of contemporary knowledge and culture, and challenges us to see ourselves and the world anew.

CNE builds strong foundations for young children and pregnant mothers through access to high quality early education and family support.

Founded in 1894, ChildServ continues to give hope to underserved children and their families by offering a wide range of community-based programs as well as services that place children and youth in safe, nurturing home environments.

The annual Christ Church Rummage Sale is one of the largest and oldest Rummage Sales in the country, attracting over 4,000 shoppers annually from Chicagoland, surrounding states, and as far away as Canada. The sale is run each year by 400+ volunteers of all ages, some of whom have been working the sale for over 40 years. Proceeds from the sale are donated to over 70 Chicago area charities.

The City of Evanston has created, along with important community partners, Volunteer Evanston, a program with the aim of connecting volunteers to organizations and opportunities within Evanston.

The mission of CJE SeniorLife is to enhance quality of life and facilitate independence of older adults. 

Clearbrook is committed to being a leader in creating innovative opportunities, services and support for people with disabilities.

CCIS is dedicated to making Northwestern University's international community feel welcome in this country, community and at the University by providing a cross-cultural exchange of ideas information and friendship through a variety of social and supportive programs.

Connections provides housing, employment and supportive services to move individuals and families out of the shadow of homelessness.

Formerly known as Family Service of Winnetka-Northfield, Counseling Center of the North Shore is a private, not-for-profit community service organization that promotes the emotional well-being of individuals and families through quality, affordable counseling and psychotherapy.

Seeking to ensure cancer patients and their families never have to struggle to get the nourishment they need to survive, we provide both the patients and their families with complementary meals while they undergo treatment.

Culture Shock® utilizes Hip Hop & urban dance culture to cultivate education, enrichment and entertainment to inspire positive change in the communities we serve.

It is the primary objective of eAngel to match in-kind donations with the needs of specific nonprofit organizations. eAngel enables individuals and institutions to contribute noncash resources to deserving nonprofit organizations throughout the Chicago metro area.

Elyssa’s Mission® funds and implements the evidence-based SOS Signs of Suicide® program in approximately 50 middle and high schools in Illinois. The SOS program teaches students to recognize potentially suicidal behavior and how to ACT®.

Equestrian Connection has grown to become one of the largest, most unique equine therapy programs in the nation dedicated to servicing children and adults with disabilities.

Erika’s Lighthouse is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating communities about childhood and adolescent depression. Through our free educational programs we promote awareness and early identification of depression and strive to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental illness that acts as a barrier to help. We believe that everyone deserves good mental health and the right to live a healthy, happy and productive life.

No child should miss a day of school for need of warm, sturdy clothing. Each year ESCCA provides a full wardrobe of clothing and shoes and coats to 700+ school children in need.

ESC is a volunteer consulting partner and resource for other nonprofits and public agencies, building leadership, strategy, and solutions critical for their health, growth and sustainability.

Faith, Hope & Good Mental Health provides resources that help people affected by mental health challenges find hope and support through connection with others. Through these resources (small group curriculum, workshops, presentations), people may become more knowledgeable about mental health issues which can increase compassion and reduce stigma.

We provide meaningful opportunities for families to support local families in need through collection drives, fundraisers and events.

Family Focus offers innovative, community-based programs that help parents, grandparents, and foster and adoptive parents, gain confidence and competence as the primary educators of their children.

We seek to promote a stronger community by meeting individual and family needs through services that identify, prevent and resolve social and emotional problems.

The Fred Outa Foundation is devoted to improving the lives of orphans in wartorn and poverty stricken countries. Specifically, the foundation works with orphan children who live in Kibera Slum in Nairobi, Kenya. The foundation raises money to help provide basic food, medicine and school supplies for the students of Spurgeons Academy and St. Esther's Girls High School, located in Kibera Slum, Nairobi.

The Green Bay Trail is an extraordinary community asset available to all to experience and enjoy. Mission Statement. We are environmental stewards of the Green Bay Trail. Our mission is to promote a healthy natural corridor for the well-being of individuals and surrounding communities. We create and maintain healthy habitat along the Green Bay Trail by removing invasive species and planting natives. Core Beliefs. We believe: • In creating, restoring and protecting the health of the natural habitat to mitigate threats of climate change; • In the importance of connecting individuals and communities with nature and its beauty to enrich their mental and physical well-being; and • Excellence will come from developing public and private partnerships which value green space and fresh air.

We INSPIRE students to fall in love with learning and discover their purpose, PREPARE them to think for themselves and care about others, and CONNECT them with the world through their academic subjects.

We put adoption within reach, inspiring good families to embrace children in need by providing the last funds necessary to complete the adoption. We provide a way for supporters to help these children even if they are not able to personally open their homes to help these children.

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.

Girls on the Run-Chicago is a 501(c)(3) non-profit after-school program that uses the power of running to educate and prepare 3rd-8th grade girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. The innovative program combines training for a celebratory 5k event with interactive lessons that encourage positive physical and social-emotional development. The goal of the program is to unleash confidence through accomplishment, while establishing a lifetime appreciation of health and fitness.

Giving Rocks Foundation was founded by Syd Martin, now in her 20's. After being diagnosed at 10 with the little-known but usually fatal disease LCH, Syd decided to help raise funding for research into LCH by creating and selling rock necklaces using the stones she found on the shores of Lake Michigan. The "Syd Rocks" project has now evolved into the Giving Rocks Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and funding cutting-edge research for the treatment and cure of LCH and other pediatric cancers.

The Glencoe Community Garden is a non-profit, sustainable, organic-practicing, food-producing 5,000 sq. ft. mini-farm and garden. 100% of our garden is built and harvested by volunteers, and we donate 100% of our harvest to local food kitchens, pantries and other charitable organizations.

GJHP, a non-profit social service organization based at Glencoe’s Central School, aims to build an inclusive community that fosters self-confidence and positive social behavior through the play, as well as meaningful social service projects and supervised social activities. For more information, www.gjhp.org.

The Glencoe Park District strives to serve the community faithfully by developing and maintaining quality facilities, open spaces, and recreational, educational, and cultural opportunities. To that end the District shall at all times provide responsive and courteous service, exercise fiscal prudence, and manifest environmental awareness. Where possible, the Park District shall cooperated with other community organizations and agencies to enrich further the lives of Glencoe residents.

The Glencoe Public Library seeks to enrich the lives of Glencoe residents by providing the library services and materials needed to meet their informational and recreational interests; to act as a responsive resource for independent, lifelong learning; to support the principles of intellectual freedom; and to encourage use of the library by patrons of all ages as a vital center of community life.

GYS offers teens a place where they can confide in staff, meet new friends and participate in a wide range of activities that are geared toward aiding the youth of the community, and the community at large.

Glenkirk offers an array of programs and services to meet the needs, desires and dreams of individuals with developmental disabilities. Our mission is to provide quality, lifetime supports and services which empower these individuals to participate fully in all areas of community life.

Our mission is to raise environmental awareness, inspire people to take action, and create a more sustainable community.

We raise environmental awareness, inspire people to take individual and collective action, and create more sustainable, just, and climate resilient communities.

Good News Partners' mission is to end homelessness and hopelessness with everyone God brings us, and to build bridges of reconciliation and foster justice among all people. We believe that everyone should have a home at a price they can afford. GNP seeks to create community and a solid anchor to prevent the total displacement of low-income families and individuals.

Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association (GLASA) strives to ‘Let No One Sit on the Sidelines’ and operates under a mission to promote and support the optimal development and well-being of youth, adults and military veterans who have a physical or visual disability through the provision of inclusive recreation, fitness and competitive sports activities. GLASA offers opportunities for empowerment through education, leadership and training in collaboration with community-based organizations.

Habitat for Humanity Lake County (HFHLC) is a Christian housing ministry which welcomes all people dedicated to building decent, affordable housing for families in need, while empowering families to help themselves.

Hadley creates personalized learning opportunities that empower adults with vision loss or blindness to thrive - at home, at work, and in their communities.

Hands of Hope is a community of women committed to helping women and children break free of destitution and hunger to build futures of security and possibility. Our mission is to give entire communities the sustainable tools they need to feed families, educate children, improve health and become economically self-sufficient.

Haven Youth and Family Services was founded in 1976 and began with an outreach program for youth. Soon thereafter, we began a 24-hour crisis intervention and emergency housing program for adolescents and their families. Since then, the agency has continued to grow and develop by offering programs focused on prevention. Some of these programs include psycho-educational workshops, youth boards, service-learning opportunities, around the clock crisis intervention, outreach and ongoing counseling.

We are looking to utilize volunteers in a variety of ways to assist with our daily operations as well as event and seasonal opportunities that provide, promote and engage the community with the resources available at the library.

Our goal is to teach people how food gets from the farm to the table. We tend our crops, raise livestock, provide educational experiences and sell our wares at our Farmer's Market.

The mission of Holiday Heroes is to provide joy and improved quality of life to pediatric patients through a combination of in-person and virtual programs. Holiday Heroes uses its experience, creativity, resources, and passion to inspire long-lasting joy and happy memories for pediatric patients and their families, thereby making a positive impact in their recoveries and their lives.

Horsefeathers Therapeutic Riding is an equine program dedicated to using horses and ponies to improve the quality of life for children and adults with special needs. We serve a diverse range of riders with varying degrees of physical ability, and offer one-on-one instruction and therapy in a calm and supportive environment. Additionally, Horsefeathers offers coaching and support to our Special Olympics Equestrian Team.

Housing Opportunities for Women empowers individuals and families to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness.

Housing Opportunity Development Corporation is a community-based nonprofit developer of affordable housing serving north suburban Cook County and suburban Lake County. HODC serves low income families, seniors, persons with disabilities, individuals and local workers.

ICHV programs include: OnTarget Coalition; Student Voices Contest; Abraham Lincoln Awards; and Speaker's Bureau on Gun Violence. The ICHV Direct email newsletter, available at no cost to current members, is a quick and effective way to keep our members posted on current gun violence news and events in Illinois and nationwide. Sign up at www.ichv.org.

The Infant Welfare Society of Evanston is a social service agency that provides struggling and at-risk families parenting children under the age of three with comprehensive services aimed at promoting self-sufficient parenting, healthy child development and a bright future for all of our children.

Search provides high-quality, person-centered services including supported living arrangements, adult learning programs and career services, as well as medical, behavioral, therapeutic and home-based services. Our programs, which include No Boundaries and JJ's List, serve more than 600 people and their families annually at locations throughout the Chicagoland area.

JourneyCare seeks to enrich lives of people facing serious illness through expert and compassionate care.

Junior Achievement of Chicago is an educational nonprofit bringing financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship programs into classrooms from kindergarten through high school. We give young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices.

Junior League of Evanston-North Shore is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.

Every July over 450 women, men and youth organize and work at the Rummage Sale, which generates proceeds for Kenilworth Union Church’s Christian Outreach agencies.

Kohl Children's Museum of Greater Chicago provides engaging informal learning environments featuring 17 interactive exhibits and programs that encourage young children ages birth to age 8 to become effective learners through self-directed, complex play. 

Founded in 1961, Lambs Farm is a premier non-profit organization serving adults with developmental disabilities. Lambs Farm has grown from a small pet shop in Chicago to a 72-acre campus located in Libertyville, Illinois where opportunity flourishes for the nearly 250 men and women served. For 47 years, we have continued the mission of helping people with develomental disabilties to lead personally fulfilling lives throug a full range of vocational, residential, social and recreational services.

Lawrence Hall Youth Services provides highly specialized and individualized care for children and adolescents with severe emotional and behavioral challenges due to trauma, abuse and neglect. Each year, Lawrence Hall's continuum of care offers a full array of services to nearly 1,000 children, adolescents, and their families.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging informed and active participation in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy.

Learning Bridge Early Education Center is a community based organization whose mission is to strengthen families by providing high quality, affordable care and education for their children. Our highest priority is to help children from all socioeconomic backgrounds gain the skills they need to succeed in school while fostering the shared community values of cooperation and respect.

The Leukemia Research Foundation's mission is to cure leukemia by funding innovative research, and to support patients and families.

LifeSource offers several volunteer opportunities, including but not limited to, Community Blood Drive Volunteers, Donor Center Volunteers, Project Volunteers, and Department of Defense Mobile Blood Drive Volunteers

Light and Leadership Initiative's mission is to respond to the needs of the women and children in the Ate-Vitarte district of Lima, Peru in their struggle out of poverty, by improving the availability and quality of education offered to them.

For more than 50 years, Little City FOundation has successfully created hope, changed lives and challenged the limits placed on children and adults with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. Little City assists hundreds of children, adults and their families, by providing education, training, skills and encouragement that enable individuals to become their own hero.

LYDIA Home is a Christ-honoring organization whose mission is to strengthen families to care for children and to care for children when families cannot. For over 100 years, LYDIA Home has been making a difference in the lives of children who are dealing with extreme abuse and neglect.

Madonna Mission opens the doors of welcome through education. We are a not-for-profit organization providing education and resettlement support programs for refugee individuals and their families.

The Mallinckrodt Community Center is an activity center for adults 50 plus, located in beautiful Mallinckrodt Park, that provides a gathering place for special programs, classes, events, trips and more.

Maot Chitim's mission is the delivery of holiday foods to families and individuals in financial need in the Chicago Community, thus enabling them to observe the holiday in a kosher and dignified manner. Another important objective of our organization is to continue to provide an opportunity for all segments of the Jewish community to come together to volunteer in this heartwarming experience.

Impact Community Project SOAR seeks to provide adult role models who will foster positive and stable relationships with youth, ages 9-14. SOAR's goal is recruitment and training of adult volunteer-mentors and is focused on creating effective mentors who grow to become leaders and resource-builders in the lives of Evanston youth.

We are the North Shore's premier provider of fresh, nutritious meals to homebound older adults and others unable to prepare their own food at home. Our mission is to help eradicate hunger and social isolation in the communities we serve.

The Morrison-Shearer Foundation promotes new creativity in the arts by perpetuating the legacies of dancer-choreographer Sybil Shearer and photographer Helen Balfour Morrison.

The Music Institute of Chicago is a community music school serving students of all ages and abilities with music lessons, music ensembles, and access to world-class concerts and creative arts therapy. The outcome of our work is the quality of our students as performers, listeners and lifelong learners.

NAMI Cook County North Suburban is a non-profit volunteer organization that provides support and information to persons with serious mental illnesses and their families.

The goal of this coalition is to prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth and teens in the New Trier Township community.

New Trier Township plays a vital role in balancing the social service needs of the community, while serving as responsible stewards of Township tax dollars. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities available, including on our Advisory Committees, Peer Jury Program, Food Pantry and Holiday Programs.

Each year, the NSAL's artist faculty, Board of Directors, Executive Director and staff work to keep true to our mission. We offer the community many varied arts experiences by: instructing more than 1,000 students annually, conducting workshops, tours and special programs, awarding high school scholarships, curating and hosting gallery exhibitions, sponsoring Art on the Village fine arts show and hosting our annual Members Art Show.

North Shore Exchange has two boutique locations -- one in Glencoe and one on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago -- and a new store that opened June 1, 2019 at Westfield Old Orchard Mall in Skokie, IL . Our online store resells luxury fashion and home items obtained from consigners and donors.

The mission of North Shore Senior Center is to foster the independence and well-being of older adults, enhance their dignity and self respect, and promote their participation in and contribution toward all aspects of community life.