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CUPCAKE OF THE MONTH
Each month, West Town Bakery chooses a different charity for our Cupcake of The Month program. We design a special cupcake and cookie for the charity, and donate all proceeds from each cupcake or cookie sold. We use our platform to bring awareness to these awesome organizations at the same time!
OCTOBER, 2020
LYNN SAGE FOUNDATION
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Lynn Sage lost her battle with breast cancer at age 39. Her daughters, Laura and Halee, established The Lynn Sage Foundation to fund innovative research in her honor. The Lynn Sage Foundation invests in doctors pursuing groundbreaking and innovative breast cancer research here in Chicago.
The Lynn Sage Foundation exclusively funds The Lynn Sage Scholars Program at Northwestern and Rush Universities. This seed funding provides time and resources to advance the Scholars’ most innovative ideas. To date, all Lynn Sage Scholars have leveraged this investment into additional grants from nationally recognized institutions and made advances toward eradicating breast cancer.
Every dollar contributed to the Lynn Sage Scholars fortifies our efforts to fund emerging scientists. The Foundation welcomes contributions of any amount.
SEPTEMBER, 2020
MY BLOCK MY HOOD MY CITY
My Block, My Hood, My City Explorers Program provides youth from under-resourced neighborhoods with an awareness of the world and opportunities beyond their neighborhood. They take students on explorations focused on vocation/education, arts expression, culinary experiences, and recreation. In its four years of existence, the Explorers Program has taken young Chicagoans to hundreds of different exploration sites -- both within the city and beyond.
MBMHMC is trying to challenge pre-conceived notions, widen perspectives, interrupt trauma, and create new opportunities via its Explorers Program: They believe exposure is the first step. Isolation is a common issue in a large number of neighborhoods in the city. Many of the young people we serve have barely left their block, and have never experienced Chicago outside of their neighborhood. By taking teenagers outside of their comfort zones, but right next door in their own city, they can see what Chicago has to offer, and experience a different perspective that will awaken ownership and pride in them.
Participating teenagers get access to 8+ Explorations, receive exclusive MBMHMC
gear, and receive access to select internship opportunities with some of our corporate hosts. Youth are fed on every Exploration and are dropped off to their doorstep at the end of the journey. MBMHMC
served 150 high school students from under-resourced neighborhoods (North Lawndale, South Shore, Little Village, West Garfield Park, Marquette Park, Bronzeville, and Roseland).
AUGUST, 2020
Travis Manion foundation
Travis Manion Foundation (TMF) empowers veterans and families of fallen heroes to develop character in future generations. In 2007, 1stLt Travis Manion (USMC) was killed in Iraq while saving his wounded teammates. Today, Travis' legacy lives on in the words he spoke before leaving for his final deployment, "If Not Me, Then Who..."
Guided by this mantra, veterans and survivors continue their service, develop strong relationships with their communities, and thrive in their post-military lives. As a result, communities prosper and the character of our nation's heroes live on in the next generation.
Due to COVID-19, food pantries that typically serve veterans in-need were forced to close their doors, leaving a critical gap in support. The Chicago Spartan community rallied together to provide food and collect donated goods. They teamed up with local veterans to distribute these items while maintaining CDC guidelines on social distancing. Since starting, the pop-up food pantry has distributed over 15,000 lbs of food to over 800 families.
JULY, 2020
Lost Boyz, Inc
Lost Boyz' mission is to help Chicago's youths. "We do this by working to decrease violence, improve social and emotional conditions, and provide financial opportunities among the youth in Chicago's most needy communities."
- HELP CHILDREN
We target at-risk youth, specifically those that have trouble with their academic performance or behavior in and out of school
- SPORTS BASED YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Youth who participate in organized sports have significantly improved outcomes in discipline, self-respect, teamwork, healthy habits, emotion management, and healthy relationships with peers and authority figures.
- OPPORTUNITY
Provide socialization and character development that are critical to reducing violent behavior or violence victimization.
MARCH, 2020
Polished Pebbles
Polished Pebbles, an Illinois Gold Star rated mentoring program, is a Chicago-based mentoring initiative that increases the
communication skills and employ-ability of young women for the future workplace. Polished Pebbles helps African-American and Latina girls ages 7-17 become effective communicators at home, school, and their future careers.
The organization currently serves girls and young women per school year in Illinois, Indiana, and Texas. Since their inception in
2009, Polished Pebbles has worked with over 1,500 African-American and Latina girls and provided over 500 mentors to girls in more than 40 sites throughout Chicago. These sites include Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Housing Authority communities, and University of Chicago Charter Schools. Polished Pebbles has also built partnerships with businesses such as iHeart Radio, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, ThoughtWorks, The Chicago Sky, University of Chicago, and The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group.
Their successful model has allowed them to expand nationally piloting programs on the college level at Duke University where we provided young women with a safe, identity affirming space, mentors, professional relationships, and fellowship with other women of color.
FEBRUARY, 2020
open heart magic
Being hospitalized can be frightening for anyone, but especially for a critically ill child. As kids undergo difficult or painful treatments – surrounded by strangers – they can become overwhelmed with fear and sadness.
That’s where Open Heart Magic comes in.
Open Heart Magic is a Chicago nonprofit committed to strengthening hospitalized children through humor and the therapeutic power of magic. Our certified, volunteer magicians - who learn all the magic they need to know through our very own Magic University - perform interactive magic with sick children at their hospital bedsides, as a fun way to empower and entertain them during their hospital stay.
In 2019, Open Heart Magic brought joy to over 12,000 children at our 15 partner hospitals including children in isolation, children with physical or language limitations, and children of all developmental abilities.
JANUARY, 2020
foundation for women's cancer
The Foundation for Women’s Cancer is dedicated to our cause to end women’s cancer. The Foundation for Women’s Cancer is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Chicago dedicated to increasing public awareness of gynecologic cancer risk awareness, prevention, early detection and optimal treatment.
Core Values
Awareness: Promote public awareness of gynecologic cancer prevention, early diagnosis and optimal treatment.
Diversity and Inclusion: Commit to cultural humility and diversity of thought and engagement.
Education: Provide innovative education and continuous learning.
Leadership: Set an example of integrity, quality and excellence to eradicate gynecologic cancer.
Partnership: Support efforts of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) to eradicate gynecologic cancers.
Research: Advance innovation and discovery to eradicate gynecologic cancer.
