Premier Leaders Event Raises $251K for Our Education Programs and 211

On May 24, Lake County civic and business leaders gathered for our 10th annual Premier Leaders Event at College of Lake County’s impressive new Student Center in Waukegan. Attendees mingled while enjoying food and cocktails, learned about our work and plans to increase programming, and then raised their paddles in support of our programs.

We are thrilled to share that we surpassed our fundraising goal and netted $251K for our education programs and 211! We are grateful for the generous support we received from so many individuals as well as our sponsors. Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s Premier Leaders Event a great success!

View photos from the event below.

Help Us Stuff the Bus!

Each year, kids across Lake County go back to school lacking the supplies needed to succeed in school. The price for essential supplies is increasing and many families struggle to afford everything on their child’s school supply list.

But together, we can make a difference!

Join our Stuff the Bus community school supply drive! By providing students with new school supplies, you’ll be helping prepare them for their academic studies, build their self-esteem and set them up for success. This is a cause worth getting involved in and we hope you’ll take part!

Now through August 15, you can contribute as an individual or your company can team up to make a difference! You can donate school supplies, make an online donation, or help us spread the word.

Women United Grants $186K to Local Early Education

Women United announced that they will distribute $186K this year through their Little Kids, Big Futures philanthropy fund to support nine critical early education programs. Since 2014, Women United has raised and granted more than 1.2 million in grants to early education in Lake County!

We are so proud of the work Women United does to help ensure the foundation for strong and successful academic futures of Lake County’s young learners.

Learn more about the grantees below.

Volunteer with UWLC this Summer

We have a variety of in-person and remote volunteer opportunities that individuals and organizations would find fun and fulfilling. We hope you’ll get involved! Check out the opportunities on our website.

GLCU Donates Hundreds of Books to Local Schools

We’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Great Lakes Credit Union (GLCU), an incredible community partner, for yet another remarkable accomplishment. Over the past few months, GLCU has been actively collecting brand-new books for local schools as part of their Read Across America initiative. As a result of their efforts, more than 360 books were distributed to schools in Lake County and Chicagoland. This generous donation will provide invaluable resources to students and help instill a love for reading in our youth. Once again, thank you GLCU for your unwavering support and dedication to our community!

We are thrilled to share the exciting news from this most recent Illinois legislative session. The 211 Illinois board has secured a $3 million grant for fiscal 2023-2024 to support 211 services and expand coverage to uncovered counties. The funding announcement is a huge victory and will allow 211 Illinois to plan for and strengthen the future of our statewide 211 network.

The challenging and tireless work to expand 211 coverage for all Illinoisans has been led by 211 Illinois Board Chair, Kristi Long, who also serves as President & CEO of United Way of Lake County. Thanks also to Steve Carlson and Glenda Abbott who continue to champion Lake County’s 211 and serve on the Illinois 211 Board, as well as Kelly Cotter and Michelle Crombie who provided the tremendous support on the grant application and submittal process.

United Way of Lake County is proud to help lead the way to bring 211 services to all Illinois communities and be a model program. 211 has now expanded to more than 90% of the state, up from 36% just a year ago. As of right now, 7 million more Illinoisans have access to 211!

We’re Hiring: 211 Manager

We are seeking an innovative individual passionate about serving others to develop and lead a team in ensuring that 211 Lake County excels in the delivery of referral services and information to the residents of Lake County. The 211 Manager will be responsible for ensuring that 211 Lake County provides a positive experience for individuals, non-profit organizations and government agencies and is a valued partner to stakeholders throughout the county.