Skokie Community Foundation

10/08/2026

Spread the word!

ASKING FOR A FRIEND is back at Skokie Public Library on Tuesday, October 13th!
This free drop-in support group for teens is a collaboration between Turning Point Behavioral Health and Skokie Public Library and is generously supported by the Skokie Community Foundation. Please join us!

In our next session, we’ll explore Challenging Your Inner Critic.
We all have an inner voice that can be pretty harsh sometimes. In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore where the “inner critic” comes from, why our brains focus on mistakes and insecurities, and how our thoughts shape the way we feel. Together, we’ll practice noticing unhelpful thoughts, responding with greater self-compassion, and focusing on the thoughts that truly deserve our attention.

ASKING FOR A FRIEND info at: https://www.tpoint.org/news/free-teen-support-group/
For information about Turning Point Behavioral Health's services, please visit our website at: https://www.tpoint.org/news/therapy-and-much-more/ or contact us by phone at (847) 933-0051 x0.
For immediate crisis support, please call or text 988.
To support our work today, please visit our giving page at: https://www.tpoint.org/giving/

10/07/2026

Celebrate books and support Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Niles Township at Storybook Breakfast! Enjoy performances from your favorite characters while eating delicious pancakes.

When: 9:30am to 12:pm (with two seating options at 9:30 and 11:00)

Where: Devonshire Cultural Center 4400 Greenwood Ave Skokie, IL 60077

There is a suggested donation of $5 for every attendee 5 years old and over. To register, please visit ---> https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdodKA0AEY4rAEOLqP0PxlSF2Y-QfW_Vo0Fnymq7Wy1txP4dA/viewform

Skokie Community Foundation can't wait to attend this event alongside all of our fellow community partners who have worked to bring Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to Niles Township.

10/01/2026

Let's welcome our new Board Member, Sam Plusker!

Sam is proud to have been born and raised in Skokie where his family has been since the 1960s. He now works as senior gift planning associate with The Jewish United Fund. He got his professional start with the University of Illinois Foundation's Gift Planning Department after earning a Bachelor degree in Financial Planning from The Urbana-Champaign campus.

Outside of the Skokie Community Foundation, Sam is an active volunteer with the Chicago Council on Planned Giving and the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center. You might find him playing trivia in downtown Skokie, running the Skokie Valley Trail, or wherever there is good music playing.

We're looking forward to the great impact Sam will have on our Board of Directors, helping support new and innovative programs in the Skokie community.

09/30/2026

We are pleased to announce our new Board Officers!

Board Chair - David Hartley
Vice Chair - Fernanda Perez
Treasurer - Bob Quane
Secretary - George Van Dusen

Under their leadership, we're excited to continue building a strong foundation for Skokie. Learn more about our Board here ---> https://skokiecommunityfoundation.org/about/

09/29/2026

Listen in, Skokie! Our Executive Director Jim Szczepaniak joined Holly Jin (Community Engagement Librarian) and Marni Balint (Experiential Learning Supervisor / Podcast Host) on the "Your Family, Your Library" Podcast in a conversation exploring ways to give back to our community.

Part one is out now! Listen ---> https://yourfamilyyourlibrary.podbean.com/e/community-giving/

Skokie Public Library

09/25/2026

It's Give Like Dolly Day!

In memory of Dolly Parton, the Imagination Library has created Give Like Dolly Day, a special day to celebrate Dolly’s legacy through giving.

This is the first program of its kind in North Suburban Cook County, and Skokie Community Foundation is proud to be one of several community partners collaborating to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Niles Township.

Skokie Community Foundation secured the initial funding to bring the program to fruition via a $30,000 grant from the Madge Goldman Foundation.

Local families can enroll eligible children from under five years old to receive one free book each month - at no cost.

Learn more and support Dolly's Imagination Library of Niles Township here ---> https://www.imaginationlibrarynt.org/

Did you know Skokie Community Foundation has been supporting educational and literacy programs in Skokie since 2015? Learn more and support SCF here ---> https://skokiecommunityfoundation.org/

09/22/2026

Thank you, Una!

Skokie Community Foundation wishes a fond farewell to outgoing Board Chair Una McGeough. Una joined the board in 2022 and served in several leadership positions, including Board Chair from 2024 - 2026. Una's leadership saw Skokie Community Foundation through several impactful milestones:

✅ Our endowment hit $1 million
✅️ We acquired our first major business sponsors
✅ SCF launched new fundraising events & initiatives
✅ Increased our yearly grant giving amount past the allotted $25,000
✅ SCF acquired the seed funding and partnered with other community partners to support Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Niles Township

Join us in thanking Una for her years of leadership to Skokie Community Foundation and the profound contributions she has made to support our village.

09/15/2026

September 15th!

TOMORROW for Skokie area teens!
ASKING FOR A FRIEND is back at Skokie Public Library on Tuesday, September 15 @ 4:15!
This free drop-in support group for teens is a collaboration between Turning Point Behavioral Health and Skokie Public Library and is generously supported by the Skokie Community Foundation. Please join us! In our next session, we’ll explore the Body Budget Model and learn how your brain manages your body’s energy throughout the day. You’ll discover what drains your body budget, what helps recharge it, and how your identity, relationships, and body’s resources can affect your emotions, stress, and reactions.
ASKING FOR A FRIEND info at: https://www.tpoint.org/news/free-teen-support-group/
For information about Turning Point Behavioral Health's services, please visit our website at: https://www.tpoint.org/news/therapy-and-much-more/ or contact us by phone at (847) 933-0051 x0.
For immediate crisis support, please call or text 988.
To support our work today, please visit our giving page at: https://www.tpoint.org/giving/

09/09/2026

Time for that fall garden refresh! And, better yet, you can support Skokie Community Foundation while you're at it!

When you sign up for North Shore Plant Club through our link, 5% of each purchase you make will be donated to Skokie Community Foundation. The club is free to join and gets you quality plants as wholesale prices. Sign up here: https://buff.ly/43JSiij

Already a member? Orders are currently open for Mums, Fall Annuals and Perennials. Orders must be placed by September 13.

09/02/2026

Check out our 2026 grants in action!

Skokie area teens, save the date! ASKING FOR A FRIEND is back at Skokie Public Library on Tuesday, September 15 @ 4:15!

This free drop-in support group for teens is a collaboration between Turning Point Behavioral Health and Skokie Public Library and is generously supported by the Skokie Community Foundation. Please join us! In our next session, we’ll explore the Body Budget Model and learn how your brain manages your body’s energy throughout the day. You’ll discover what drains your body budget, what helps recharge it, and how your identity, relationships, and body’s resources can affect your emotions, stress, and reactions.
ASKING FOR A FRIEND info at: https://www.tpoint.org/news/free-teen-support-group/

For information about Turning Point Behavioral Health's services, please visit our website at: https://www.tpoint.org/news/therapy-and-much-more/ or contact us by phone at (847) 933-0051 x0.
For immediate crisis support, please call or text 988.
To support our work today, please visit our giving page at: https://www.tpoint.org/giving/