School Partnership

Compassion Fund

Support for our students and families extends beyond the classroom, particularly in times of crisis. Thanks to the generosity and support of our community, the Compassion Fund has provided aid to CPS schools, students, and families across Chicago to meet urgent needs since 2020. Key areas that benefit from the Compassion Fund include:

Financial Relief

We will continue the critical work of providing financial relief or ‘micro-grants’ for families experiencing extreme hardship or extenuating circumstances, so school principals and counselors can directly assist families in need.

Hygiene Care Closets

Hygiene Care Closets empower Chicago schools to support student wellness, meeting both physical and social-emotional needs. Giving students access to personal self-care items with discrete Hygiene Care Closets in their schools removes barriers to learning and supports their confidence. Availability of these resources has been found to improve attendance and academic success.

Holiday and Winter Season

The holiday giving season provides an opportunity to support our students, educators, and families by easing the challenges they face both inside and outside the classroom. Support through the Compassion Fund provides encouragement with gifts, warm weather clothes, and joyful celebrations. The Compassion Fund also supports the annual holiday Legacy of Love luncheon for families of CPS students who have passed away during the previous year, aiming to bring healing, strength, and glimmers of joy during the holiday season.

Back-to-School

CPS welcomes the start of each new school year with Back-to-School Bashes in neighborhoods across the city. These community celebrations are opportunities for CPS students and their families to foster connections within their school community. Essential resources and information are available at Back-to-School Bashes including school supplies, as well as enrollment and health-related assistance. The bashes feature music, food, games, and family-friendly activities. Philanthropic support is needed to make these events possible
and impactful.

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“It's a great opportunity to be connected to a local school that your company can really engage in a meaningful and intentional way and really provide an opportunity not only to make an impact, but also to engage your associates and to help these students achieve whatever that they would like to achieve.”
Karly AshlockTIAA/Nuveen

Sponsor-a-School

The Sponsor-a-School program fosters long-term one-to-one relationships between CPS schools and sponsors who support each school’s unique needs and strengths. Ongoing community and philanthropic support plays a vital role in supporting CPS schools and students as we work to promote safe, equitable learning environments for all. By sponsoring a school, funders are able to partner closely with principals, teachers, and staff to help overcome obstacles in the pursuit of quality education and academic excellence for their students.