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Chicago Church Daycare Program Receives $99,000 in Grants
CHICAGO, IL (February 13, 2004) - Ravenswood Covenant Community Childcare
(RC4) has recently received four donations totaling $99,000 during the
past month, said pastor Bryan Kletzing.
Two grants totaling $84,000 came from the MacKray Family Foundation.
Other funds came from the Conrad Sulzer Foundation and a private
bequest. In February 2002, the MacKray Foundation had sent $200,000 in
donations and the foundation also gave money in 2003 for RC4. The Sulzer
Foundation has given money to RC4 in the past as well.
RC4 is a partnership between Amundsen High School, Ravenswood
Evangelical Covenant Church and Advocate Ravenswood Healthcare. The idea
of a daycare center was first conceived in 1973 when the church built
its Christian Education wing. It became a reality after Kletzing and
Amundsen High's principal at the time, Ed Klunk, began discussions in
1998 for how the church could help teen parents trying to finish their
high school education.
High priority has been given to students at Amundsen High who are trying
to finish their education while parenting children. The daycare center
has served approximately 15 children of Amundsen High students and
students at nearby Lake View High. A total of 45 (up to age 5) are
currently at RC4, which opened in September 2002 under the leadership of
executive director Adrienne Edlen.
Early on, Ravenswood Healthcare Foundation (a giving arm of Advocate
Healthcare) pledged $75,000 for equipment. And the Illinois Department
of Commerce & Community Affairs, under the legislative sponsorship of
then State Senator (17th District) Lisa Madigan, pledged a gift of
$125,000 to be used toward remodeling the church's education building
facilities. Another $50,000 came from a church fund source to aid
startup costs.
Along with RC4, a church sponsored program called Parenting ProGRESS,
directed by Alice Westlind, has benefited the parents of children at the
daycare facility. A Life Skills group now meets on Wednesdays to help
parents, a Grandma's group at a local retirement home prays for
families, and special programs at holiday times have also been started
to support RC4.
For more information about RC4 call Edlen at 773-271-4495 or email her
at RC4cares@yahoo.com.
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