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igniting change
—together
Intro
In a region with over 3,000 child-serving nonprofits, too many children and families in Chicagoland still face unequal opportunities.
At Bright Promises Foundation, we believe real change happens when we move beyond silos and act in solidarity.
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Image courtesy UCAN
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Image courtesy Stephen Serio Photography
Intro
For over 155 years, we’ve sparked bold ideas and built bridges between passionate people.
We don’t just fund programs—we connect leaders, communities, and solutions to fuel movements that unlock the full promise and potential of every child.
Intro
In 2024–2025, we advanced our mission through three powerful pathways:
Investing in community-led solutions shaped by lived experience.
Building capacity of caregivers and organizations to drive equitable, innovative, and systemic change.
Mobilizing movements that align efforts and amplify impact across Chicagoland.
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Image courtesy Stephen Serio Photography
dear friends,
Chicagoland is a place of bold ideas—and deep disparities. At Bright Promises, we know that lasting change happens when we act early, act together, and act with purpose.
This past year, our collective work reached
11,800 children, youth, and families. In some initiatives, participation soared by 169% — a powerful signal that our approach is working, and that the demand for coordinated solutions rooted in community is growing.
These numbers tell a deeper story: one of transformation. When we invest in people, trust communities, and lead with empathy, we don’t just improve outcomes—we build a future where every child can thrive.
Thank you for being part of this movement. Your support turns promising ideas into powerful change.
with gratitude,
Katherine Korey
Executive Director
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Image courtesy Matthew Gregory Hollis
when communities lead, transformation follows
—and this past year proved it.
That’s why Bright Promises invested over $561,000 in flexible, multi-year funding to 22 trusted, community-based partners.
This support helped organizations expand their reach, strengthen relationships, and embed lasting improvements—laying the groundwork for long-term, systemic change.
Image courtesy Stephen Serio Photography
Because of you, these partners are:
Building strong foundations in early childhood
Supporting youth mental health
Equipping young leaders to advocate, organize, and thrive
The impact is clear:
when we invest in community leadership, we don’t just support programs—we strengthen the systems that help children and youth thrive.
Image courtesy Chicago Freedom School
At Palenque LSNA, youth aren’t just participating— they’re leading.
With support from Bright Promises, last year young people stepped into roles as facilitators, advocates, and changemakers.
Image courtesy of Palenque LSNA
Through healing circles, journaling, and storytelling, they processed racial trauma and built community.
Their voices shaped a youth-designed racial equity toolkit now being piloted in schools and community spaces.
Image courtesy of Palenque LSNA
The results?
More confidence.
More leadership.
More healing.
Youth are leading peer discussions, facilitating wellness circles, and helping embed trauma-informed practices across programming.
Image courtesy of Palenque LSNA
And they aren’t alone.
At Alternatives and Chicago Youth Programs, teens launched service projects and taught younger children about racial trauma—healing together in the process.
These aren’t isolated efforts.
They’re part of a growing movement led by young people creating lasting change.
Image courtesy of Concordia Place
igniting change, one child at-a-time
Bright promises foundation 2024 / 25 demogaphics
HLC
|
EQUIP
|
FAIR
black:
35%
latinx:
41%
white / non-hispanic:
1%
biracial / multiracial:
2%
arab:
16%
asian:
5%
other:
0%
0-5:
33%
5-11:
2%
11-14:
25%
14-18:
32%
18+:
8%
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In 2024–25, Bright Promises focused on what we do best: connecting people, ideas, and organizations to spark meaningful change for Chicagoland children & youth.
We believe leadership isn’t defined by a title—it’s defined by the ability to create impact.
Image courtesy Northwest Center
With your support, we expanded a powerful network of changemakers—community leaders and young people alike
Who are embedding empathy, creativity, and equity in the ways children and youth are supported.
Together, we’re not only strengthening the adults who shape young lives, but also equipping youth to lead, advocate, and realize their full promise and potential.
Image courtesy A Long Walk Home
and we got results:
90% of early learning grantees reported a significant boost in organizational capacity.
Youth Council participants rated their experience 4.92 out of 5, with many stepping into roles
as mentors, facilitators, and even staff at their home organizations.
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Image courtesy Gads Hill Center
you helped us:
Elevate youth voice and leadership. Young people gained confidence and used creative tools—like poetry and digital art—to raise awareness about racial trauma and advocate for change with local officials.
Embed systems-level change. Through our early learning initiative, 80% of grantees sustained their improvements, and 78% saw those improvements ripple across their organizations.
Strengthen cross-sector collaboration. At our Grantee Convening, 100% of organizations gained new tools for youth engagement, trauma-informed practice, and leadership development.
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Image courtesy Stephen Serio Photography
In a time of rising youth mental health needs, Humanity Rising is cultivating the next generation of leaders—young people who are not only speaking up, but shaping the systems around them.
Image courtesy Humanity Rising
With support from Bright Promises, the RISE UP Challenge reached over 5,000 youth last year through anti-bullying presentations, youth-led podcasts, and the first-ever Humanity Rising Film Festival.
93% of students said the programs sparked meaningful conversations
83% said it would change their future behavior
Image courtesy Humanity Rising
Youth weren’t just participants—they were producers, storytellers, and advocates.
Through podcasting, public speaking, and a Youth Advisory Board, they led efforts to create more inclusive school environments.
Their leadership is helping shift how schools respond to mental health—making space for empathy, connection, and student voice.
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Image courtesy Humanity Rising
Nonprofits across Chicagoland are working hard to support children and families—but they can’t do it alone.
Your support of Bright Promises helps dozens of organizations go further.
Image courtesy Chicago Youth Centers
By funding shared tools, peer learning, and strategic partnerships, Bright Promises helps non-profits move from working in isolation to working in alignment.
We design the spaces, provide the tools, and build the trust that makes collaboration possible. This leads to stronger, more coordinated support for the children and families they serve.
Image courtesy of Concordia Place
igniting change, one dollar at-a-time
Bright promises foundation 2024 / 25 financials
program:
$561,820
administrative:
$313,117
fundraising:
$74,851
Contributions
corporations:
$7,588
foundations:
$139,500
individuals:
$38,175
events:
$128,234
other income:
$19,080
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At Project VISION, young people didn’t wait to be invited into leadership—they stepped up with purpose.
With support from Bright Promises,
375 youth, ages 11–18, 93% of whom identify as Asian American or Pacific Islander—participated in programs that centered healing, identity, and action.
Image courtesy of Project VISION
These experiences weren’t just powerful—they were measurable.
Youth reported increased self-esteem, visibility, and validation.
The program earned top scores for creating healing-centered spaces.
Image courtesy of Project VISION
This year, your support helped us reach over 11,800 children, youth, and families—a powerful reminder of what’s possible when we lead with creativity, courage, and care.
You helped programs grow, partnerships flourish, and young leaders rise. And through Bright Promises, you helped connect the people and ideas that make lasting change possible.
Image courtesy Chicago Commons
As we look ahead, we’re scaling what works and deepening what matters
—building a movement powered by bold ideas, shared purpose, and the energy of a community that believes in every child’s potential.
Image courtesy Project VISION
Join us. Together, we’re not just responding to challenges—we’re reimagining what’s possible for children and youth across Chicagoland.
When you support Bright Promises, you’re not just funding a program—you’re fueling a movement.
Image courtesy Stephen Serio Photography
board of directors
officers
Nancy Synyder
President
Nanette Velasquez Zander
Vice President
Scott Bishop
Treasurer
Nick Bruce
Secretary
members
Dean A. Benson
Ryan A. Biller
Andreason Brown
Christine Calderone
Neelamjit Kaur Dhaliwal
Maricela Garcia
Deepak Gaur
Craig Gutiérrez, Ed.D.
Randall D. Hardy
Aimee Hilado, Ph.D., LCSW
Tara Leja
Jason Nierman
Baronica Roberson
Jay Rosenbloom
Amanda Vallejo
lifetime trustees
Jon N. Will
Paul Bodine
Shari Runner
Gaylord Gieseke
legacy council
Prudence Beidler
Marjorie Craig Benton
Peggy Bodine
Dr. Barbara Bowman
Vern Broders
Robert Finley
Elizabeth Foster
Francia Harrington
Iris Krieg
Rodger Owen
Janet Owen
Neil Peck
Gigi Pritzker Pucker
Judith Walker Kendrick
Bernice Weissbourd (1923-2022)
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our mission
Bright Promises Foundation’s mission is to identify, fund, and share solutions to underrecognized needs of children and youth most adversely impacted by inequity.
our vision
Our vision is for a Chicagoland where all children and youth reach their full promise and potential.
our values
INNOVATION Embrace complexity. Be proactive and adaptive. Iterate. We seek creative solutions and new perspectives. Innovation is a value and a skill. COLLABORATION Co-create. Center relationships. Be a partner and ambassador. We believe in collective work and collective wisdom. EQUITY Treat everyone fairly and with respect. Allow individuals and communities to be experts in how to address the issues that impact them. ACCOUNTABILITY Lead with trust, respect, and humility. Acknowledge historical, systemic, and institutional inequities that are at the root of the issues we address. KNOWLEDGE SHARING Embrace learning. Be curious. Learn from challenges. Capture and disseminate knowledge to scale impact.
brightpromises.org
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