Women United is Lake County’s premier women’s organization that strengthens the community through philanthropy, leadership, and volunteerism while cultivating meaningful connections and belonging. In May 2024, it was declared that Women United is distributing $181,000 through its Little Kids, Big Futures philanthropy fund to bolster eight critical early education programs to ensure the foundation for solid and successful academic futures for Lake County’s children. Since 2014, Women United has allocated more than $1.4 million in grants.
The following programs will receive funding:
$86,000 – Kindergarten Countdown Camp (KCC)
Antioch, Beach Park, Round Lake, Waukegan, and Zion
Funding will support United Way of Lake County’s summer learning program for 132 incoming kindergarteners with little to no preschool experience. Kindergarten Countdown Camp teaches social norms and builds key foundational skills such as shapes, letters, and counting.
$26,500 – B.E.S.T. Pre-K Program
Round Lake
Funding will grant 20 scholarships for children to attend Round Lake District 116 Education Foundation’s preschool, providing an essential learning opportunity.
$23,000 – Better Together program
Fox Lake and North Chicago
Funding will support United Way of Lake County’s bilingual early learning program for children, birth to three years old, focusing on early literacy, healthy development, and parent engagement. Each family receives resources and materials to learn, play and develop school readiness skills together.
$16,500 – The Formative Years
Libertyville, Mundelein, and Waukegan
Funding supports Family First Center’s program that provides family education and early childhood enrichment for families in transitional housing with a focus on child development.
$14,000 – Early Literacy Leaders
Lake County
Funding will support Affirm Leadership Christian Academy’s program that provides an academic foundation for girls; tailored to meet individual deficits and close the gap before kindergarten.
$5,000 – Mother’s Trust Foundation
Lake County
Funding will provide scholarships for children to increase access to early educational experiences and services, enrichment, and extracurricular programming including daycare and summer camp.
$5,000 – Early Learning Club Center
Lake County
Funding will support United Way of Lake County’s four ELC Centers, year-round, designed to teach early literacy and parent engagement tailored to each center’s unique community needs. Funding will support programs in English and Spanish.
$5,000 – HUGS Women United
Lake County
Funding will support community engagement initiatives of Women United where members embrace the community with the resources and care it needs to succeed. This initiative will continue to provide an Early Learning Club at Whispering Oaks Apartments in Waukegan, resource fairs, and impact opportunities.
About Women United
Women United of Lake County is a vibrant network of more than 145 women who support each other by leveraging our passions, ideas, expertise, and resources. Together we ensure that Lake County children are prepared for kindergarten and ready to succeed. Women United is a paramount community within United Way of Lake County.
With a forward-thinking mindset, Women United’s philanthropy is growing and mobilizing community-minded women through leadership and resource development to expand its impact on early childhood education.
We encourage you to get involved in Women United of Lake County and learn more about the Little Kids, Big Futures philanthropy fund guidelines. If you have any questions, contact [email protected].