news
Keep up to date with news about the Evanston Community Foundation and our grantees.

January 11, 2021 — ECF Press Release
Announcing Grants Awarded As Local Need Continues
The local need continues as the pandemic rages. ECF distributed $327,000 in its latest round of grants to address the impact of the pandemic. These Rapid Response grants will provide essential human services to address homelessness, food insecurity and mental health. Read more

August 30, 2020 — ECF Update
ECRR Fund Activities
Learn about the COVID Response Strategy and the up-to-date listings of the Relief, Recovery, and Rebuild grants. Read more

June 3, 2020 — ECF Press Release
Challenge Match Surpassed
The Evanston Community Foundation (ECF) announced that it has met the $1M Challenge for the Evanston Community Rapid Response Fund (ECRR) in just under 2 months and well ahead of the Challenge’s December deadline. The Fund, announced in March, has raised over $2.5M to date. Read more
March 30, 2021 — ECF Statement
ECF Statement
Evanston Community Foundation joins in mourning the lives lost in Atlanta last week, including six women of Asian descent. Read more

January 20, 2021
Gyros Planet: A bridge To The Community
At Gyros Planet, owners Erika and Pablo Castro treat everyone like family. “I pray every day to be in different situation,” said Erika. “It is a painful time to live through. We don’t know when our customers will come back, and so it is hard to keep these doors open. Many have lost jobs and cannot support their families. With support from the Evanston Community Foundation, we were able to provide meals to 100 Latinx Evanstonians from St. Nicholas Church and District 65.” Read more

January 20, 2021
Chef Q. Finds New Purpose
Like so many people across the country and around the world, the nationally renowned chef, famous for her farm-to-table underground dinners, found herself out of work. It did not take long, however, for Chef Q. to find a new purpose: to provide healthy meals to Evanston families affected by the Covid-19 crisis. “My biggest accomplishment is being in the Evanston community and taking care of people,” says Chef Q. “I stay inspired by working with young people.” Read more
February 3, 2021 — Daily Northwestern
Reparations Stakeholders Authority of Evanston Announced Fund
The Reparations Stakeholders Authority of Evanston is set to establish an Evanston Reparations Community Fund, which will be housed at the Evanston Community Foundation. Article by: Maia Spoto, City Editor Download PDF

May 25, 2019 — NBC Chicago Making a Difference (TV)
Spreading the word! Monique Jones talked about ECF on NBC Chicago’s Making a Difference.
Monique Jones interviewed on NBC Chicago Making a Difference, May 25, 2019. https://www.nbcchicago.com/on-air/as-seen-on/evanston-community-foundation-grant-awards-celebration-and-annual-meeting-510430662.html
August 8, 2018 — Evanston RoundTable
EC2C Puts the Focus on 'Systems Change'
Partners of the Evanston Cradle to Career initiative (EC2C) focused on “systems change” at their July 26. Sheila Merry, Executive Director of EC2C, said systems change “may reframe in modest ways the way we approach this work.” The vision of EC2C is “By the age of 23, all Evanston young adults will be on the path to leading happy, healthy, productive, and satisfying lives.” More than 40 organizations, including ECF, are currently partnering in EC2C. Article by: Larry Gavin Download PDF
July 25, 2018 — Evanston RoundTable
Books and Breakfast: A Big Impact in Just an Hour a Day
The program, Books and Breakfast (B&B), has gone through several iterations over three decades, but it is currently serving more than 120 children in District 65 who qualify for federally funded free or reduced lunch but do not attend schools authorized to provide it. ECF is among the stakeholders in this community effort. Article by: Judy Chiss. Download PDF