Community spotlight

March 22 - Girls Play Sports

Girls Play Sports was created to unlock doors and expose girls to positive, strong role models — all while having fun playing sports. Our programs emphasize pride in being a female athlete. We help girls be strong when they are most vulnerable. At the most critical time in a girls development, when their confidence is most fragile, Girls Play Sports instills a source or strength that empowers girls.

March 25 - Greater Chicago Food Depository

The Greater Chicago Food Depository, Chicago’s food bank, believes a healthy community starts with food. The Food Depository partners with a network of 850 organizations and programs – food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, mobile distributions and other partners – working to bring food and opportunity to our neighbors across Chicago and Cook County. The Food Depository addresses the root causes of hunger with job training, advocacy and other strategies that generate economic impact and access to living wages.

April 25 - Girls Inc of Chicago

Girls Inc. of Chicago inspires girls to be strong (healthy), smart (educated), and bold (independent) through programming, mentorship, and community-based support. These programs that ensure girls from Chicago’s South Side have opportunities and experiences to thrive in the classroom, the boardroom, and beyond.

April 29 - After School Matters

After School Matters is one of the nation's largest and most impactful providers of after-school and summer programs for high school teenagers. The Chicago-based nonprofit organization provides more than 25,000 hands-on, project-based program opportunities annually for teens to learn new skills, explore their passions, and earn money for their time. Each year, After School Matters runs 1,500-plus programs across the city of Chicago in the arts, communications & leadership, sports, and STEM.

May 3 - Foundation for women's cancer

The Foundation for Women’s Cancer (FWC) is dedicated to increasing research, education and awareness of gynecologic cancers, risks, prevention, early detection and optimal treatment. The FWC is the official foundation of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO).

May 31 - Kuumba Evanston

Kuumba Evanston's mission is to serve families of color in Evanston that have been marginalized by structural racism by providing access to parental resources while empowering their children through mentorship programs, academic supports, discovery opportunities and real world experiences.

July 5 - Meals on Wheels
 Northeastern Illinois

Located right in Evanston, Meals on Wheels Northeastern Illinois delivers 125,000 meals per year across 43 communities. In 2025, Meals on Wheels Northeastern Illinois served 740 older adults delivered by over 500 volunteers.

July 18 - Make-A-Wish Illinois

For 40 years, Make-A-Wish Illinois has been fueled by the hope we give our kids, granting more than 19,000 wishes across the state since 1985. An incredibly local organization, volunteers and donors from right here in Chicago and the suburbs come together to grant wishes for kids in their own neighborhoods. When a wish is granted, a child replaces fear with confidence, sadness with joy and anxiety with hope. Wishes unite families through life-changing experiences that help them grow stronger, as entire communities rally around them in moments of unforgettable joy. Until every wish is granted, Make-A-Wish Illinois will continue to do it for the love of wish kids, and for the countless lives a single wish can change. 

August 9 - GenderCool

GenderCool fosters hope, inclusion, visibility and joy for transgender and nonbinary youth by sharing stories of exceptional kids creating real change!

August 23 - Evanston Animal Shelter

The Evanston Animal Shelter provides compassionate care and essential resources to animals and pet owners in need, offering services that support adoption, animal well-being, and responsible pet ownership. Through programs such as its Pet Pantry, the organization also helps local families access food and supplies for their pets, helping keep animals healthy, cared for, and with the people who love them. 

Evanston Animal Shelter is a 2026 Wintrust Player Initiative organization with the Stars!

August 23 - Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association (GLASA)

Founded in 1979, GLASA provides inclusive athletic and recreational opportunities that foster confidence, independence, and community while removing both physical and financial barriers to participation. Through a wide range of adaptive sports programs, camps, and competitions, GLASA empowers individuals of all abilities to lead active lifestyles and experience the life-changing benefits of sport.

GLASA is a 2026 Wintrust Player Initiative organization with the Stars!

August 23 - Intentional Sports

Intentional Sports is dedicated to providing low-cost and no-cost programming for children in surrounding communities, primarily through after-school and summer programming. Through a variety of sports offerings and partnerships with community organizations, Intentional Sports works to remove barriers to participation and create pathways for young athletes to build confidence, develop life skills, and stay active.

Intentional Sports is a 2026 Wintrust Player Initiative organization with the Stars!

September 6 - Japanese American Service Committee (JASC)

Since 1946, JASC has been a cornerstone of support, community, and culture across Chicagoland for 80 years. Founded to assist Japanese Americans building new lives in Chicago, JASC’s work is rooted in a deeply held Japanese spirit of care - a commitment to upholding respect for language and culture, honoring family history, and caring for our elders with dignity. 

Through their comprehensive social services, vibrant cultural and community programs, and the invaluable preservation work in their Legacy Center Archives and Education programs, JASC ensures that history is honored while building a stronger, more inclusive future for the next generation.