In my previous column, I wrote about a small giving circle, 100+ Women Who Care South Suburbs of Chicago. Over the past 10 months, it has donated more than $40,000 to four south suburban nonprofits. Below I spotlight two nonprofits that have received funding and how they used it.
You Matter 2
Closing opportunity gaps and empowering south suburban youth to become confident leaders, engaged citizens and future changemakers is the mission of You Matter 2, a youth development organization.
Founder and CEO Destiny Watson, 28, launched the nonprofit 12 years ago at age 16, initially to help get high school students involved in community service. Today, the organization, based out of Flossmoor Community Church, offers a variety of programs that expose sixth through 12th graders to new experiences, help them forge strong connections that promote community service.
“We’re helping provide students with the skills they need to grow academically, personally and professionally,” said Watson, who holds a master’s degree in nonprofit administration from North Park University in Chicago.
You Matter 2’s Inspiring Growth, Nurturing Talents & Empowerment program is an after-school program for sixth through eighth graders. Students can receive assistance with homework and participate in hands-on projects and activities focused on science, technology, engineering arts, math, tech, the culinary arts, financial literacy and other life skills, she said.
Its Discover U college and career program provides students with exposure to different career options, universities, trade schools and industry professionals and helps guide them through the college decision making process. It also includes in-state and out-of-state college tours. The focus is on helping participants make informed choices.
You Matter 2 also has an eight-week paid internship program for high school students, said Watson.
Its Study Break on Us program, designed for middle and high school students, gives participants a break from the academic workload by helping them interact with new people and their peers and explore art, mental well-being, fitness and other interests, she said.
Through CommUnity Connect, students engage in service projects and cultural celebrations. Projects include the Homewood-Flossmoor Juneteenth Festival, which You Matter 2 created in 2021; an annual MLK Day of Service, a Back to School Bash that provides students in need with new backpacks and school supplies and its Adopt-A Family program, that fulfills Christmas wish lists for families needing support, Watson said.
You Matter 2 has roughly 250 students who participate in its programs each year, Watson said. It is funded by government and corporate grants and private donations. Its annual budget recently doubled to roughly $700,000 thanks to increased funding support.
Watson welcomed receiving an $11,200 donation from the 100+ Women Who Care South Suburbs of Chicago giving circle in January. The funds enabled You Matter 2 to expand its Expressions Unleashed program, an art therapy program for high school students.
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“We went from 15 students to 30,” she said, noting they were able to bring on an additional art therapist.
Nonprofits can face barriers to accessing funding, said Watson, whose community service work in high school prompted Magic Johnson to provide her with a full-ride scholarship to Dayton University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in human rights studies and minored in entrepreneurship.
The giving circle, through which members meet for an hour four times a year, hear presentations from nonprofits and then vote on which nonprofit will receive a $100 contribution that night from each member, is fulfilling a need, she said.
It makes it easier for people to support smaller organizations and organizations that are growing within their own communities, said Watson.
She said besides the donation, some giving circle members have asked how they can volunteer and helped share information about You Matter 2’s programs to youth within their circles.
Spotlight Performance Academy
What Carrie Bonanotte began as a children’s choir with eight students in her living room more than 10 years ago has evolved into Spotlight Performance Academy, a performing arts education program that includes the largest children’s community choir program in the south suburbs.
“We have choirs for all ages, a theater program, a spoken word program,” said Bonanotte, executive director of Spotlight Performance Academy, which includes the Bel Canto Community Choir. “We have dance classes, a drawing class, storytelling. We have several different offerings that appeal to the artist in everybody.”
Participants have the opportunity to learn and perform.
A love of music is what has motivated Bonanotte. She previously was a middle school choir director, and both she and her husband are musicians.
“I knew how important music was in my life as a kid growing up, and so I was looking for opportunities for my kids to participate in music,” she said. “They were home schooled, so they weren’t in the school music programs.”
When she looked for programs outside of school days, she didn’t find much, so she decided to start her own children’s choir and things grew from there.
Spotlight Performance Academy seeks “to strengthen community through the arts for people of all ability levels, confident in the power of music and performance to help us all recognize our shared humanity,” according to its website.
Bonanotte believes music making and character building go hand in hand. The qualities that make a great musician — hard work, compassion and the ability to work together toward a common goal also make a great community member, she said. The performance education programs also help build confidence.
The nonprofit has a roughly $200,000 annual budget, and 40% of its budget comes from tuition, roughly 40% from individual donations and about 20% from grants. About 240 people participated in its programs last year including 170 in the choir program, she said.
Bonanotte was thankful when members of 100+ Women Who Care South Suburbs of Chicago voted earlier this year to provide the Academy $10,100. The funding had a big impact. It enabled her to secure a matching grant of $8,000. The funds are being used to support the organization’s tuition assistance program.
“For the first time ever our tuition program is fully funded,” for the program year, she said. “We’re really excited about that.”
Classes take place at the Homewood Science Center, and participants come from throughout the south suburbs.
Mokena resident Hylary Sheleheda is a choir participant and has performed at spring and winter concerts and for Pride Fest.
“Carrie has brought communities together,” Sheleheda said. “You have a sense of being part of something bigger than yourself. She chooses songs that speak to the community.”
Dean Sheleheda, Hylary Sheleheda’s 14-year-old child, previously participated in the musical theater program and now participates in the choir and enjoys performing.
“After months of practicing, you can hear it all come together,” Dean Sheleheda said. “It’s very beautiful. I usually get emotional during the performances. I feel accomplished.”
To learn more about 100+ Women Who Care South Suburbs of Chicago, email [email protected]. For resources on launching giving circles, visit 100 Who Care Alliance at 100whocarealliance.org.