It’s been a whirlwind summer at the OPRF Community Foundation, as we’ve said farewell to longtime staff and board members and hello to new ones. We’d like to introduce you to three new members of our team!

The Foundation Welcomes New Program Director Samantha Siers

We are excited to announce that Samantha Siers has joined the Foundation as program director. She comes to us from the philanthropic arm of Wayfarer Pathways, where she oversaw grantmaking and capacity building as Senior Giving Officer.

“Samantha is passionate about racial equity and our community that she calls home. She has deep programmatic experience, and fundraising to boot — an amazing skill set,” says Carrie Summy. “We are proud to have multiple Swiss Army knives like her on the team, shaping the future of the Foundation with our community.”

Originally from California, she lived in Arizona for many years, where she met her husband as high school sweethearts. After graduating from ASU with a degree in secondary education, she had accepted a full-time teaching position when her husband learned he was accepted to law school in Chicago. They and their young son moved to Hyde Park, and Samantha pursued a Master’s degree in social work at the University of Chicago, where she was selected as an Obama Scholar.

“The Obama Scholar program is very competitive, and students have to be in the final year of study to apply, so you only have one shot,” she says. The nine-month program includes an extra workload and a civic engagement project on top of one’s degree work. “I literally went to the information session with a baby on my hip. I was making a transition from education to social work, and I was also new to Chicago, so I wanted to know how to do this work responsibly.”

She says the extra effort was worth it. “One of the things that they help you do is see what is the most responsible entry point for what you bring; the knowledge that you bring, your network, your resources — all of that type of thing, and how to right-size your project as well. It was such a great experience, and I continue to benefit from that network.”

Samantha and her husband live in Oak Park, with their now two children. She enjoys working out at Orange Theory on North Ave., gardening, and loves taking long walks through the community, finding new routes to explore.

“I’ve always led life and my career with a lot of curiosity and feeling things fall into place for a reason,” she says. “You have to listen to that intuition when life is trying to tell you something. I am glad that voice has led me to a place where I can give back to the community where I raise my children, and help raise up organizations doing important work in West Cook.”

Introducing Our New Finance Director, Daniela Bovio

We are pleased to introduce our new finance director, Daniela Bovio. She joins us from the Oak Park-based nonprofit Women’s Global Education Project, where she served as finance manager for nearly 13 years.

“What attracted me to the Foundation is how close and how palpable it is — you can see the results of the work in your backyard,” she says.

Bovio is originally from Venezuela, and immigrated to the US in 1994. “My intention was just to learn English, believe it or not, and I ended up staying to pursue an MBA” at Edgewood University in Madison, Wisconsin, she says. She moved to Chicago for a job after graduation, married, and eventually settled in Oak Park where she and her husband raised their daughter, now a sophomore at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She and her husband can often be found salsa dancing at the Latin Street studio, or trying a new gluten-free dining option.

As finance director Bovio will work with President and CEO Carrie Summy, CFO Sheryl Martin, the board of directors and other team members to oversee the financial health of the Foundation, including accounting and reconciliation, financial reporting and budgeting, strategic planning and analysis, and other duties.

“Daniela has had a very successful career handling financial responsibilities in the nonprofit sector,” says Martin. “She will be a tremendous asset to the Foundation in the years to come, and I look forward to working closely with her.”

Renee Rotatori Joins Future Philanthropist Program as Coordinator

Please join us in welcoming Renee Rotatori as the new program coordinator for the Future Philanthropists Program (FPP). Though new to the team, she is no stranger to FPP, having been on both sides of the program’s mission.

“One of my sons went through the program,” she explains. “He graduated in 2022 from high school, and I saw firsthand the impact it had on him in terms of awareness of community needs, and an awareness that ‘I live in a community, but not every teen or kid has had my experience.’ It had a really profound impact on him that carried on into college.”

Rotatori, who has lived in River Forest for nearly 30 years, also experienced the program as a grantee recipient in her role as development director for Opportunity Knocks, a nonprofit that provides independent living, enrichment and empowerment opportunities for intellectually and developmentally disabled residents of River Forest, Oak Park and Forest Park.

“I got to interact with the kids coming in to do interviews and coming for site visits,” she explains. “I was just super impressed with how the program’s mentors develop that sense of community and share that knowledge with the students.”

As FPP program coordinator, she’ll manage all aspects of the program including student enrollment, mentor communication, preparing and facilitating monthly thematic learning sessions, interfacing with nonprofit grant applicants, cultivating donor and stakeholder participation, and coordinating volunteer activities. Renee will work closely with Sabrina Canchola, the Foundation’s office manager tending to all the day-to-day operations.

“It’s junior and seniors, which can be tough ages,” she says. “But I think they’re also transitioning from not being under their parents’ umbrella and what their parents care about to starting to think about what resonates with them. And that is an exciting time to be able to introduce them to the concept of philanthropy — and most importantly, how they can be a part of whatever community they are in.”

“We’re glad to have found someone with such a strong commitment to introducing young people to philanthropy,” says Rick King, founder of FPP. “This year will be one of the largest cohorts of students we’ve ever had, and I look forward to working closely with Renee to make it the best year yet.”

By Carrie Summy, OPRF Community Foundation President & CEO

Never have community foundations been more important to the places they serve. And never has it been more important to join forces with other foundations across the country to learn from them and fight together for economic mobility, racial justice, and the basic rights and freedoms of our constitution we all know to be “self-evident” (but lately seem less so).

Recently I had the opportunity to travel to Fort Worth, Texas to attend the CF Leads Economic Mobility Summit with one of our board members, Tawa Mitchell. It was hot, alright! And very inspiring. CF Leads is a coalition of community foundations changing the odds together. Meeting colleagues from rural areas to major metropolises, the conference confirmed how much we have in common across the country.

We are all working to move people from surviving to stability, from stability to mobility, and from mobility to lasting prosperity and resilience. We know that “million dollar” problems can’t be solved with “five cents” of support; we need to use all our philanthropic powers available to create durable, sustainable solutions in our communities. We’ve been leveraging our investment portfolio and consumer power to influence companies to create positive outcomes, or at the very least do no harm. Now we’re learning how to use those same dollars to loan out and invest in unique, tangible, local projects.

For example, the Boreal Waters Community Foundation’s strategic focus on affordable housing, and their decision to provide some of the “capital stack” to fund construction of a community housing complex in Grand Marais, MN. Similarly, the Fort Worth Community Land Trust brought together private and public funding to create and maintain attainable housing so teachers, first responders and blue collar workers can continue to live in a region that has seen property values increase at three times the speed of median incomes.

No community can program or grant its way out of economic disparity and racial inequity. It requires all of us — government, local business, nonprofits, donors, you and me and all our neighbors — working together to achieve long-term progress. Community foundations serve as the central hub for these efforts. Through convening power, trusted relationships, and shared leadership, we help shape policy, support community engagement and infrastructure, and promote residents’ collective vision. We speak up as champions for causes, as the voice of our nonprofit community and those they serve, providing not only grant funding but networking and training opportunities.

It was a thrill to meet dedicated leaders from every corner of our country and learn what’s working where they are, and how we can put some of those same great ideas into action in the West Cook region. We hope you’ll join us to make it happen.

Foundation Welcomes Two New Board Members

The Foundation is pleased to introduce the latest addition to its board of directors, Peter (Pete) Case and Jesse Eaves.

Peter is a fiduciary and Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with Northwestern Mutual and has more than two decades of industry experience. His public service began in high school with a local volunteer fire and ambulance corps where he was an Emergency Medical Technician. This spirit of community involvement and leadership continued at the regional nonprofit Seven Generations Ahead, where he served as treasurer, and most recently president, completing his tenure in January 2026.

Peter says, “I am honored to continue giving back to the community in a new capacity and to gain a deeper appreciation of the Foundation’s role across Oak Park-River Forest and West Cook County.”

A longtime Oak Park resident, Peter raised his now-adult sons, Brandon and Pierson, in the community. “My eldest son, Brandon, participated in the Future Philanthropists Program, and I saw firsthand the benefits and growth it fostered,” he notes. “One of my goals on the board is to continue cultivating the next generation of philanthropic leaders, something FPP is already doing very well.” He has long supported the OPRF marching band and remains a proud “band parent,” now that Pierson performs with the Marching Illini.

“As I look ahead, I want to help raise awareness of the Foundation’s work,” Peter adds.

“It’s about more than philanthropic dollars. It’s about creating and deepening connections and collaboration among nonprofits, other foundations, public and private-sector leaders, and the broader West Cook community. I look forward to working together to expand that impact for the benefit of everyone.”

As one of the Foundation’s newest board members, Jesse Eaves finds himself working closer to home for a change.

“My work has mostly been international in focus throughout the years,” he says. “But over the past few years in particular, I’ve been feeling a desire to be more closely connected to my own community and to see what opportunities there were to support the needs of Oak Park, River Forest and the Western Chicago area.”

Jesse spent parts of his childhood in the Philippines and Uganda watching his parents take part in community building projects. He worked at the Environmental Protection Agency out of college before going on to earn his Master’s from Northwestern University. After grad school, he moved back to Uganda.

“I worked in Uganda for a number of years, working with former child soldiers and communities and kids that were impacted by violent conflict,” he explains.

“A recurring theme in my work has been how to bring people together in order for them to work toward a shared goal, and in the process, deepen relationships that not only break cycles of violence or conflict, but then also create opportunities for people to work together towards kind of a shared imagined future.”

After returning to the U.S., Jesse continued to advocate against child exploitation, trafficking and child soldiers in positions with the DC-based nonprofits Resolve and World Vision. He currently serves as senior director of the peacebuilding team at Humanity United, a private US-based foundation focused on human rights and peacebuilding around the world. He connected with the Foundation through the Future Philanthropists Program, first as a guest speaker on the practice of philanthropy, and now as a program mentor.

His wife Stephanie is from Geneva, and in 2018 they moved to River Forest with their three kids to be closer to family. He can be found riding the bike trails in the park district in the summer and playing platform tennis in the winter.

“Jesse’s international experience allows him to offer a unique perspective to the challenges we face here in the West Cook region, and his interest in child welfare aligns with the missions of several of our grantee partners and our community at large,” says President and CEO Carrie Summy. “At the end of the day, we all want what is best for children and families to live healthy, happy lives. That takes the experienced collaboration and positive energy of leaders like Jesse — we are thrilled to have him on board!”

“Grateful for the Small Things”: Foundation Pillar Cathy Craddock Retiring

Cathy Craddock, 71, whose friendly face has greeted visitors to the Foundation for almost 20 years, is retiring. Before joining the Foundation, Cathy worked for organizations like International Harvester, Time Life, and the National Restaurant Association—where she helped at telethons and met celebrities like Pat Boone, Donna Mills, and Lou Rawls. Cathy recalls that former Foundation marketing director Henry Kranz endorsed her as a candidate for administrative assistant.

“I found out that Henry Kranz was instrumental in suggesting to [former Executive Director] Theresa Amato that she hire me, because he had worked for the government in human resources… He saw I had more experience than the other person, so I appreciate that.” She and Kranz remain in touch and have lunch together once a year.

Overall, Cathy views her years at the Foundation as a positive experience. Her main happy memories involve meeting and greeting the many people who stop by the office—from board members to fund-holders to co-workers and volunteers.

“I’m right at the front desk, so I got a chance to interact with them and learn a little bit more about what they did,” she recalls.

“It makes me feel good that I was a part of that—welcoming people in, being the first voice that they hear when they call and ask for information.”

Cathy has several plans for retirement, including spending more time with her daughter, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She is active in her church and its crocheting ministry, where she and others weave scarves for the homeless to help them handle Chicago’s tough winters. She also looks forward to returning to the bowling lanes.

“I’m in a bowling league, and the first year that I joined, we won first place, so we must have been doing something good.”

When asked to share a few life lessons she’s learned, Cathy sticks to the Golden Rule. “Treat people the way you would want them to treat you.”

By Doug Dixon, OPRF Community Foundation Board Chair

Over the past year, threats to our community, and especially to marginalized groups in our community have been increasing. Specifically, the federal level funding cuts to social services, arts, and humanities and immigration enforcement targeting brown people in West Cook and beyond have exacerbated the struggles and experiences of people who live on the margins and the organizations that serve them. While many in our region are thriving, too many are not. Even those who are relatively well off are feeling uncertain about the environment and the economy. It is easy to be disheartened, to not know what to do or how to help.
 
The Community Foundation has never been better positioned to answer the call. We have historically often been thought of as a philanthropic bank — that our role is to accumulate financial resources from donors and institutions and distribute them to local nonprofits. That’s a very noble, charitable service. However, I think the best value of the Foundation is our social capital, not our financial capital.
 
For nearly 70 years, the Foundation has been working with donors, nonprofits, civic and grassroots leaders, and the public at large, addressing the issues facing our community. We know the who, the when, the where, and the how things happen, and we have been a connector and catalyst bringing together resources to address the most pressing issues facing our marginalized communities, and our community as a whole. We work to create a web of care and develop solutions that go beyond the donation dollar and result in robust, resilient aid.
 
The challenge facing us today is, how do we extend the flow of social capital throughout greater West Cook and enable all of our communities to thrive? One of the ways we are choosing to do that is by implementing something called trust-based philanthropy. This approach has guided our community grantmaking over the past two years. It takes time to see the impact, which brings me to my excitement for the upcoming year. We have a new CEO, Carrie Summy, who is committed to the process, and we have a diverse and potent board that represents most of our regional area and serves as ambassadors for our mission. My intent in the coming year is for the Foundation to leverage its social capital to focus on building and strengthening relationships and to provide a voice for people as we help craft solutions. I hope you will join us in working to achieve these vital goals.

What is Catalytic Investing? Putting More of Our Capital to Work for Community

by Bivium Westfuller

Since 2024, Bivium Westfuller has served as the Foundation’s Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO). This specialized, mission-aligned investment firm works with our investment committee and senior leadership to determine appropriate investment goals, asset classes and risk parameters, in accordance with our mission and strategy.

A foundation’s investment portfolio can help advance its mission today — not just fund tomorrow’s grants. Most of us think of a foundation’s resources in two buckets: grants that enact the mission, and an investment portfolio that funds the grants. Catalytic investing can play a special role in a foundation’s portfolio by seeking to spark mission-aligned change through an investment structure rather than through grantmaking alone. We believe catalytic capital in a community foundation’s portfolio can deepen its local work in ways that less targeted investments cannot.

At Bivium Westfuller, we define catalytic capital as investments that accept more risk, lower financial returns, longer timelines, or less liquidity than conventional capital, with the objective of advancing mission-aligned outcomes and encouraging participation from additional investors. To qualify as catalytic, an investment must meet all three tests:

• Additionality: it funds a venture, or accepts terms, that conventional capital won’t.
• Impact: it is intended to advance mission-aligned outcomes.
• Mobilization: it is structured to attract additional investment.

Why is catalytic capital a valuable part of a community foundation’s portfolio? Many promising community solutions — including affordable housing, small business lending in underinvested neighborhoods, emerging fund managers, and community development financial institutions — face financing gaps that conventional markets may not fill on standard terms. Catalytic capital is designed to help bridge those gaps. Recently, BWF helped a client underwrite a low-interest bridge loan intended to support a Native American tribe’s acquisition of 1,000 acres of ancestral land.  The client’s investment helped enable the tribe to complete the land acquisition.

Further, catalytic investing does not always require accepting concessionary financial returns. The MacArthur Foundation’s Catalytic Capital Consortium (C3) launched in 2019 with The Rockefeller Foundation and Omidyar Network reported that more than half of its initial investments were driven by a willingness to accept disproportionate risk rather than lower returns, and that its roughly $123 million portfolio helped mobilize up to approximately $3.1 billion in additional investment. 

For a community foundation, catalytic investing can take the form of program-related investments, loan guarantees, deposits in local Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), or anchor commitments to mission-aligned funds, all while the core endowment remains prudently invested. Deployed thoughtfully, even a small allocation can help extend a foundation’s impact beyond its annual grantmaking.

Catalytic investing isn’t about replacing traditional grantmaking or prudent portfolio management—it’s about putting more of a foundation’s capital to work in pursuit of community impact. It’s about being there for your community when others are not, and showing people that your community is investable by being the first one in, taking more risk, or being loud and proud about supporting the changes that communities are making for themselves.

If you would like to learn more about whether catalytic investing may be appropriate for your portfolio and mission, we welcome the conversation.

Additional Reading:

• Tideline, Catalytic Capital: Unlocking More Investment and Impact (March 2019, commissioned by the MacArthur Foundation) — the foundational field report, including the “Pathways to Impact” framework.
• Catalytic Capital Consortium, “Why Catalytic Capital” and FAQ resources.
• Impact Investing Institute, Bridging Divides: A Guide on Using Catalytic Capital (2023).
• Mission Investors Exchange — resource hub for foundations engaged in impact and catalytic investing.

When discussing the future of philanthropy, Board Vice Chair Sarah Jolie likes to consider the word’s roots, philo and anthropo. “Philanthropy, when you break down the word, is the love of humanity, and the responsibility to care for each other.”

“I like the idea that philanthropy allows every single person to give and support the people out there who are taking action,” she continues. “I can help solve problems, but I know that when I donate money or time to somebody who is out there with a vision, we make a bigger impact.”

Both philanthropy and public service are a big part of Jolie’s family history. She was born in Park Ridge, and her father served as director of operations in Bolivia and Brazil for Catholic Relief Services. The family moved to Bolivia when she was just six months old. While attending kindergarten in Brazil, she says she spoke Spanish and Portuguese before she spoke English—something she regrets not continuing as she grew up. The family returned to the states in 1971 and lived in Chicago for a year before settling down in Oak Park, where she still resides.

Jolie is the owner and president of the Hensley Company, a customized fulfillment and mailing business, started by her grandfather in 1921. Hensley Company has been a certified Women Owned Business since 2017, and under her leadership it has been in the Inc. 5000 twice. She is a graduate of Grinnell College and is the recipient of the Grinnell Distinguished Alumni award.

While she’s lived in other communities, she has deep roots in Oak Park. The village has always struck Jolie for its “deep heart.”

“I think it’s just a great place to live. There are so many different examples and opportunities of care and action.

She remembers an early experience with philanthropy and service as a Girl Scout in Oak Park that had positive repercussions for the future.

“When I was in sixth grade at Beye School, my Girl Scout troop started a Thanksgiving and Christmas food basket project,” she recalls. “Years later, through many passionate leaders, it grew into Beyond Hunger. Our leader, Pat Funke, a visionary herself, helped us build the idea. We worked with our parents to deliver bags of food. We created a color coded 3×5 card system based on family size. At the 40th Anniversary of Beyond Hunger we learned that the card system is still used. The lesson I learned from that, and that I tell people — especially current Girl Scouts — is that every service organization started as an idea to help change something.”

Before joining the Foundation, Jolie volunteered with the Oak Park Community Chest/United Way on its Grants and Program committee and, later, as an officer. Because the Foundation managed the Chest’s endowment she became familiar with its work.

She joined the Foundation’s Grants & Programs Committee as a community member in 2018. In 2020, she was asked to serve on the Board. She still finds it slightly hard to believe. “Honestly, I tend to think of myself as a worker bee, a behind-the-scenes administrative assistant type! But, I really enjoy being a member of the Board. This passionate group of leaders has worked really hard these last few years to re-envision and reevaluate and be leaders in philanthropy. I have learned so much.”

Jolie is an advocate for many Foundation projects and programs, but is especially motivated by the mission behind them. “I am excited about our focus on racial equity and social justice and that we state it as our defining mission. Especially right now. We have to state our values by our actions but also by our voices too,” she says.

In 2021, her home on South East Avenue, which she co-owns with extended family, was lost to fire and had to be knocked down. During the rebuild, a fence was erected around the build site. The last thing they took down off the house was their Black Lives Matter and Pride flags. The first thing they put back up once the fence was in place were these same flags. Soon after, both flags were vandalized.

During the next 24 months, while the fence was in place, their replacement flags were vandalized more than 32 times. They replaced the flags each time. Security cameras showed that it was the same person. As frustrating and upsetting as the process was, there were two important lessons she took from it.

“I remind myself, and others, that racism and queerphobia is everywhere, even in Oak Park. And second, this was the work of one guy. But, guess what, when we look up and down our block, there are so many more flags flying than before he started this.” This episode is a tangible reminder to her of why the Foundation’s work is so important.

Jolie advocates for promoting the Foundation not only as a source of funding, but also expertise. “We’re trying to be more like partners in action. Yes, we make grants. But we also try to be community builders – connecting everyone to work together toward the change we need. Everyone has a role – donors, professionals, neighbors.”

As for the future, Jolie has hope. She points to the Foundation’s recent Community Needs Assessment. The disparity it illuminated became a “stop in our tracks moment” for her and the Foundation.

“We have to figure out how to make our general fund annual giving [and] grants of programs even more effective,” she says. “I want more people…volunteering with us. I want more people to give and be annual donors, because I think the more we build our annual fund with the kind of infrastructure connection we’re making with these nonprofits, the more real impact we have. With nonprofits working together and focused, we can change the reality for more equality and justice and evenness to the lived experience of people in our community.”

We are Your Partner For Community Giving

By Carrie Summy, OPRF Community Foundation President & CEO

Our Foundation is a truly democratic institution — one built by and for the community it serves. We represent the longstanding progressive values of our region, and we work toward our shared goals — those of equity, justice and opportunity. Those values are reflected in our grantmaking and in our investments, both for the Foundation and on behalf of the donor advised funds (DAFs) that we manage. We are held accountable to those values and are dedicated to supporting you, your neighbors, and all those who live and work here.

This trusted relationship is what makes us different from the bigger commercial DAF sponsors. We would not presume to act without our donors’ awareness and involvement — whenever a grant is made we do it in partnership and with deep understanding of our community’s needs, our donor’s wishes and our common values.

Which is why it gives us pause to read that the three largest DAF sponsors — Fidelity Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, and DAFgiving360, formerly known as Schwab Charitable — have halted all grants to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SLPC) in response to a federal indictment, without any due process. The case has not yet gone to court, let alone a verdict rendered, and the organization still maintains its 501(c)3 status. This decision was made without consulting donors. By freezing donor funds based on allegations rather than legal convictions, these commercial vendors have acted as judge and jury, undermining the very freedom of philanthropy. This overreach enforces the exact political chilling effect the prosecutors intended.

We join with community foundations across the country in condemning this preemptive punishment. The OPRF Community Foundation would not withhold such support for an organization — particularly one working towards racial justice — without deep, thoughtful conversations.

The Foundation remains unwavering in our commitment to grow the funds donors have entrusted to us, and we will preserve their wishes regarding how we manage those funds in perpetuity. In fact, as this situation arose, we were pleased to steward gifts to SPLC in support of their work on behalf of two fundholders.

If you want to ensure your charitable dollars are protected by a partner deeply committed to philanthropic freedom and the values you hold dear, we invite you to transfer your Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) assets to us.

If you are already a fundholder, thank you for your continued trust in us. We are proud to serve you and our greater community.

The Symphony of Oak Park & River Forest Celebrates 95 Years in the Community

The Symphony of Oak Park & River Forest is a community orchestra—with an accent on community. Founded in October 1931 by conductor Gladys Welge, the orchestra features up to 80 musicians and presents an extensive repertoire of classical music. Even as it approaches the century mark, the symphony plays on. A rare thing.

“This year, our theme is ‘Not many community orchestras can celebrate their 95th anniversary—but yours can,’” says Beth Hoover, the symphony’s general manager and a symphony member, playing both oboe and English horn.

The symphony’s mission is three-fold: providing opportunities for musicians to perform; offering live symphonic music to the public; and fostering an appreciation of symphony music in present and future generations.

David Leehey—physician, pianist, and orchestra president, stresses that many of the musicians in the orchestra are their Oak Park and River Forest friends and neighbors.

“I think we’re unique in the sense that we are a true community orchestra,” he says. “We really are open to anyone who would like to play with us.”

Cheryl Flinn, orchestra treasurer, retired librarian, and second violin, makes it clear that the word community shouldn’t suggest amateurism.

“Our mission says ‘to present the music at the highest possible level of excellence,’ which I think we do our very best to do. And we have,” she says. “We’re very lucky to be able to have a lot of soloists from the Chicago Symphony and world-class, well-known people come and play solo.”

As for fostering classical music appreciation in young people, the symphony holds an annual Youth Concerto Competition; works with Providing Instruments for the Next Generation (PING) to provide lessons and instruments; and offers free concert tickets to all students, from grade school through college.

Of course the reality of running an arts organization isn’t always harmonious. To keep the music playing, the symphony continues to seek out grants and partnering opportunities. The OPRF Community Foundation has helped in part by establishing an endowment fund, providing grants and nonprofit professional development sessions, and sponsoring volunteer meet and match events that bring in others to help. “We had our strategic plan funded through a grant provided by the Foundation several years ago,’ says Flinn. “And they provide support with ads in our program book and the like too.”

While classical music may not have the drawing power of pop concerts these days, all three orchestra officers make it clear a night at the symphony is not to be missed. From Bach to Beethoven to Brahms and beyond, Flinn underlines the many benefits of attending a performance:

“It’s great music. It’s really convenient, and with free parking. You can attend our concert for less than you would pay for parking in downtown [Chicago], and you hear the same music and great musicians. And it’s a lot of fun when you know your neighbors performing up on the stage.” She continues:

“The more we’re part of the community, I think, the more the community supports us.”

To learn more about the symphony, its programming, and upcoming concerts, visit symphonyoprf.org.

Providing Instruments for the Next Generation (PING) Works to Bring Music to Local Youth

Making music is an artform as old as humanity, but many school children and their parents today lack the opportunities to buy or even rent a musical instrument. Local nonprofit Providing Instruments for the Next Generation (PING) sought a pitch-perfect solution to the issue. They operate several programs to provide band and orchestra instruments, accessories, instruction, and ongoing mentoring for musically inclined  elementary through high school students.

“PING started when some parents were attending a District 97 Oak Park Elementary concert and saw on the stage that the community wasn’t being represented,” says Michelle Dybal, PING’s executive director and a 30-year resident of Oak Park. “They felt there wasn’t enough diversity on the stage yet…and they wanted to dig in and figure out why that was.”

While not a performer herself, Dybal has a long-time appreciation for supporting music and musicians. She was the arts editor for the Wednesday Journal for five years, and became acquainted with PING through her son’s involvement in the Oak Park–River Forest High School bands. She explains the lack of public-school music program diversity often stemmed from socioeconomic reasons.

It costs $50 or more a month, on average, to rent a musical instrument—a big obstacle for many students and their families. PING began by asking community members to donate instruments, often those used by former band and orchestra members. Over the past 25 years, the organization expanded to help districts 90 and 200 as well, serving students from fourth grade through high school graduation.

Today, the organization goes beyond matching students with instruments. Dybal says PING!’s “biggest and most important program” is providing students instruments, including maintenance and repairs, accessories like reeds and bows, and upgraded instruments as students grow physically and musically. Another long-running and successful program involves music mentoring—pairing high school musicians with younger ones, offering near-peer mentor relationships and leadership and role model positions for the older students.

PING has two separate endowments with the Community Foundation, including the Donna D’Oro Anderson Lifelong Music Fund for PING. “We’ve given $22,000 in Graduate Awards from this fund to 22 PING seniors—upon their high school graduations—since 2018.” There are also Experience Awards, which can be applied to opportunities outside PING!’s regular programming, such as music trips. “We had a student who just went to Italy with OPRF for their band trip.”

Dybal is thoughtful about the future of the organization. “It seems like our enrollment numbers over the last few years have gone up and have continued to stay at that level. And so I don’t think it’s going to change that families are going to need PING to help support them.”

“We’re going to keep offering robust programming so everyone can be on a level playing field and have those opportunities moving into the future,” she adds.

For more information about PING, visit their website at pingoprf.org.