Big Shoulders Fund Celebrates 25th Annual Lend a Shoulder Day (Chicago, IL) – On November 7, nearly 300 business and civic leaders along with devoted supporters and volunteers gathered at Big Shoulders Fund schools across Chicago for the 25th annual Lend a Shoulder Day. The annual event reflected on 25 years of working shoulder to shoulder and demonstrated the impact of the Big Shoulders Fund mission by showing attendees how support from volunteers, donors, business and civic leaders, and others continues to pave the way for the next generation of leaders.
“After a quarter century of hosting Lend a Shoulder Day, we are humbled to see continuous strong support from so many community members,” said Josh Hale, Big Shoulders Fund President & CEO. “Year after year, this event provides hope and inspiration by bringing people together. The support of the community certainly lifts the students up but it’s reciprocal—the enthusiasm and character of the children boost the adults with optimism for our future.”
The 25th annual Big Shoulders Fund Lend a Shoulder Day provided supporters with a firsthand experience to showcase how their support is making an impact on the lives of nearly 20,000 Chicago students. The day featured volunteers participating in student activities, such as judging science experiments and poetry slams, helping students build robots, and reading with students. Following activities with the students in Big Shoulders Fund schools, the event culminated in a celebratory lunch where a Big Shoulders Fund alumna shared her inspiring story and President and CEO Josh Hale expressed his gratitude for the volunteers and shared stories of Big Shoulders Fund’s critical impact.
“Being a part of this year’s Lend a Shoulder Day is such an honor, especially when you see the impact in the schools and on these students,” said Kelly VanCura, co-chair of the event. “I love to see our support in action and how it helps shape these bright, young minds. It’s always a blessing to meet students and hear about the incredible things they’re working on—when I hear a student read a poem they’ve written or showcase a science project they’ve put effort into, it reminds me that our support goes a long way and is changing the lives of young people every single day.”
Big Shoulders Fund schools serve as neighborhood and community pillars in Chicago, as well as in Northwest Indiana where they were invited in 2019 to replicate its successful school model. Collectively, Big Shoulders Fund supports nearly 25,000 students across 92 schools in Illinois and Indiana, building a better and stronger future for the students and their communities. Big Shoulders Fund believes every student deserves access to a high-quality, values-based education, and offers nearly 80 different scholarships and enrichment programs that are essential to helping families and students access a better education and build a brighter future.
“The ultimate goal of Lend a Shoulder Day is to foster relationships between our schools and the civic community,” said Rebecca Lindsay-Ryan, chief schools officer at Big Shoulders Fund. “This annual event provides a unique opportunity for the civic leaders of today to work side by side with and invest in the next generation of leaders.”
On November 20, 2024, Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana will host its annual Lend a Shoulder Day. This will be the fourth annual Lend a Shoulder Day for Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana and is part of its efforts to deepen the connection between the local community and the network of over 20 schools across the Region. For more information on the upcoming Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana Lend a Shoulder Day, please visit https://bigshouldersfund.org/nwi-events/.
Big Shoulders Fund Celebrates 25th Annual Lend a Shoulder Day
