Join us for a fun night of Pickleball Open Play! Registration is limited to the first 100 players so sign up now! $30 per person that includes swag ,food and drinks

Dinks, Drinks, and Donate supports Brightpoint’s (formerly Children’s Home & Aid) mission to help move children and families from surviving to thriving. This is a fun social event, not a tournament. It will be open play format with foursomes rotating onto one of the 14 pickleball courts as they become available.

Registration

Register as an individual player or a sponsor! View our sponsorship form here.

Questions?

For sponsorship and event inquiries, contact Laura Cordero at lcordero@brightpoint.org.

Location:

Evergreen Racquet Club

3203 E. Washington St.
Bloomington, IL 61704

Meet Sixto Cancel, Breaking Barriers Speaker

Sixto Cancel is the Founder and CEO of Think of Us. Think of Us (TOU) is a Research + Design Lab driving systematic change in child welfare. Through focused projects and sweeping initiatives, TOU drives structural changes in child welfare policy and practice.  

Sixto was named as Forbes Top 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs and is on the 2021 Forbes Under30 Lister Board. Sixto has been recognized by the White House as a “White House Champion of Change”, a “Millennial Maker” by BET, and named “Top 24 Changemakers in Government under 24” by the Campaign for a Presidential Youth Council and Sparkaction. Sixto has served as a Young Fellow at Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative since 2010 where he has played a key role in the initiative’s work of extending foster care permanency for older youth.  

Sixto is a Clinton Global Initiative University Alum, a FastForward Alum, an Ashoka Fellow, a Board Member of Adventr – an interactive SMART video tech company – and most recently on the Advisory Board for Box, Inc. Sixto and the team at Think of Us are working to ensure that every person has the conditions they need to heal, develop and thrive. 

Watch Sixto’s TED Talk here.

Read Sixto’s New York Times op ed here.

Donations

In lieu of attending, please click here to make a gift!

Location

Fairview Park
949 N Main St, Normal, IL 61761-1501

Why we run/walk

The annual race is in memory of young Duncan and Jack and Leichtenberg of LeRoy, victims of domestic violence.

Please join us on Saturday, April 27th for our run/walk to help change lives. All proceeds from the race go to the Family Visitation Center

The only one of its kind in the McLean County region. The center provides a safe, neutral child friendly environment for supervised visitation and exchanges for families where there is an active order of protection in place.

Race Details

Fairview Park in Normal

9:30am – Check-in/Registration

10am – Bubble release

10:15am – 1 Mile walk begins

10:30am – 5K run begins

Cost

$40 per participant 13yrs and up

$10 per participant 6-12yrs

$90 family of 4

Free for 5 and under

Strollers and dogs are welcome.

Registration

All participants must register

Online registration closes Thursday, April 25th at 5pm. On-Site registration at the event will be available.

You can register here.

Donation

If you are unable to attend but would like to make a donation. You can donate here.

Volunteer

Sign up here to be a volunteer for this event!

Thank you to our generous sponsors!

Save the Date!

Venue West
221 N Paulina St, Chicago, IL 60612

You’re invited to the 2nd Annual Brightpoint Benefit on September 12th at Venue West. This year, we’re shining a spotlight on El Hogar Del Niño, one of our early childhood education centers serving Chicago’s Pilsen, Little Village, and South Lawndale communities. At El Hogar Del Niño, our dedicated staff are trained in supporting children experiencing trauma, loss, and houselessness, while providing bilingual community-based programming that enhances the development of young children and promotes healthy family functioning.

Join us for a fun evening of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, an exciting silent auction, music, and mingling with the Brightpoint community as we raise funds to fuel our mission to support thriving families across Illinois.

Note: there is a free parking lot across the street from the venue.

Registration & Sponsorships

Please visit our event website, here.

Donations

Can’t attend but would still like to give a gift?

Please donate, here.

Questions

For sponsorship and event inquiries, contact Kelsey Sappington at ksappington@brightpoint.org.

Join the Central Region Advisory Board of Brightpoint in celebration of those who are working to improve the lives of Illinois’ children, youth and families. 

On Wednesday, June 12th, Brightpoint’s Central Region will be hosting the complementary breakfast.  Our goal is to bring together our community’s most influential businesses, community leaders, and corporate partners. Together we will celebrate the success that is achieved when our generous community supports Brightpoint’s mission. 

Wednesday, June 12, 2024 

DoubleTree by Hilton 
10 Brickyard Dr. 
Bloomington, IL 61701 

Networking Reception 
6:00 a.m. to 6:50 a.m. 

Breakfast and Program 
7:00 a.m. to 8 a.m. 

Sponsorship

Sponsorship opportunities are available. Please view our sponsor packet for more information. 

Donations

Donate to this event, here

Registration

Sponsor Registration 

Attendee Registration 

Questions?

To learn more about the event or if you have any questions, please contact Laura Cordero at 309-834-5294 or email lcordero@brightpoint.org 

During Stuff the Bus, we invite the community to help us stuff a Rockford Mass Transit District (RMTD) bus with anything and everything you might need to care for littles –diapers (sizes 4 and up), pull ups, wipes, formula, snacks, clothing (NB-Youth S), cleaning supplies, you name it! 

Dates and Location:

April 4th: 10am-6pm at Sam’s Club (7151 Walton St, Rockford, IL 61108)

April 5th: 10am-6pm at Sam’s Club (7151 Walton St, Rockford, IL 61108)

April 6th: 10am-6pm at Sam’s Club (7151 Walton St, Rockford, IL 61108)

Volunteer

Sign up to volunteer during our Stuff the Bus event.

Donate

We are accepting cash donations, diapers in all sizes, gift cards, games, toys, batteries, baby food, juice, bottles, sippy cups, child-friendly soaps and lotions, laundry detergent, fabric softener, pacifiers and teething rings.

Sponsor Stuff the Bus

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Fill out this form!

Thank you to our partners!

Wilson Park
2900 Benton St, Granite City, IL 62040

Registration

Register for the run now!

Sponsor

Sponsor this event by using this link, or filling out this packet.

Donate

Donate now!

Volunteer & Questions

If you would like to volunteer, or have questions about this event, please reach out to Beth Hunter at ehunter@brightpoint.org

Our essential needs drive provides crucial support to families served by Brightpoint. Every donation, no matter how big or small, can make a significant impact on someone’s life. Your generosity provides families access to essential items that many of us often take for granted.

With your help, this donation drive will support the buildout of a new Essential Needs Pantry at our Western Avenue office location. Case workers and social workers can access the pantry when families are in need of items and supplies. Thank you for your donation!

Donate Essentials by March 8th

Visit our Amazon wish list to contribute household items, hygiene supplies and baby essentials. Items will ship directly to our office.

Spread the Word

Share this page with your friends, family, and community. Together, we can reach more hearts and make a bigger difference.

Your Impact

Items donated through the essential needs drive will support children who are recovering from trauma through Brightpoint mental health and wellness programs, families seeking stability so they can remain together and children living in foster care or with extended family.

Click here to read about Brightpoint’s comprehensive statewide impact.

Photographs

This is a rain or shine event-there is no alternate date.

Sharin’ of the Green Parade is an opportunity for our community to come together celebrate, “share the green” by donating to Brightpoint’s Central Region Home Visiting.

Brightpoint has been a resource for families of McLean County and the surrounding area for over 130 years. The agency offers a comprehensive array of services and programs, annually serving the needs of more than 3,000 children and families in McLean County and the surrounding area.

Parade Route

The parade route starts at the corner of School St and North St. (The Alamo) and moves east down North St. through Uptown Circle to Linden St.

Registration

To register for this event, use the online form! Online registration will also be available the day of the event in the staging area.

Participant Waiver:

Each participant must agree and sign the waiver!

As a driver/participant in this parade, we ask you to follow these rules for the safety of yourself and others:

1. Please do not throw candy due to the danger of children in traffic.
2. Candy is to handed out to the children as to keep them out of the street.
3. Please avoid gaps in the parade order – stay close.
4. Large vehicles must have escorts on both sides.
5. Please use extreme caution at the circle.
6. Do not unload until you have arrived at the parking lot disignated for unloading.
7. If you have animals in your entry- YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEAN UP.
8. Have you paid your entry fee and signed your waiver? If not, see Brightpoint staff in the check in area.

Donate

Donate using this link!

Volunteer

Volunteers will sell t-shirts, line up participants, carry the flag, collect donations, throw candy, assist with crowd control, or other tasks as needed.

Sign up here! Fill out the volunteer waiver here.

Questions

For questions, contact Laura Cordero at lcordero@brightpoint.org.

Location

You’re invited to Fat Jacks annual beer event. Half of the proceeds benefit Brightpoint. Ticket price includes three flights of Christmas Ales, one appetizer and a pint or half pint of your choice.

Tickets

Tickets are $30 each and can be purchased in advance at Fat Jacks during open hours and are also available online:

Click here to purchase tickets online!

Tickers are also available at the door on December 8.

Questions

For questions, contact Laura Cordero at lcordero@brightpoint.org.

Location

Silent Auction is Open!

Even if you are unable to attend the event, you are welcome to participate in the silent auction. Just follow the link below!

Derby Day Silent Auction

Event Co-Chairs: Beth Lyons & Margo Facchini

Location

Butterfield Country Club
2800 Midwest Rd.
Oak Brook, IL 60523

Schedule

4:30pm – Cocktails Begin
5:57pm – Run for the Roses
6:30pm – Dinner & Program
8:00pm – DJ & Dancing

Registration

Individual tickets – $185 each
Table of 10 guests – $1800

Click here to register by 12pm on Wednesday, May 1, 2024.

Sponsorship

We offer a variety of sponsorship packages for Derby Day or are happy to consider a custom package for your company.

Click here to review our sponsorship opportunities.

Click here to sign-up as a sponsor online.

In-Kind Donations

Derby Day offers guests raffle, silent and live auction opportunities. If you are interested in contributing sports/theater tickets, golf/vacation packages, restaurant experiences, spa/wellness packages, jewelry or other items, please let us know.

Click here to complete our in-kind donation form.

Questions

If you would like to learn more about Derby Day, please contact Maria Taylor at mtaylor@brightpoint.org.

On Saturday, August 12th, our Marshfield location celebrated a Back-to-School event and unveiled our beautiful new Brightpoint mural! We were joined by Dr. Cristina Pacione-Zayas, First Deputy Chief of Staff for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, artist Barrett Keithley and Angela McLemore from Senator Mattie Hunter’s office for the unveiling.   
 

In partnership with Brightpoint and Barrett Keithley, One Summer Chicago youth learned about art and design, sketched concepts, and assisted with the mural’s installation for six weeks. The mural’s unveiling was a culmination of all their hard work and an example of how our youth can create something positive.

The pride in their work and community was evident as the One Summer Chicago youth pulled the cloth from the wall to unveil the mural to the party attendees. Brightpoint CEO Mike Shaver introduced the mural to the crowd and invited both Dr. Cristina Pacione-Zayas and Barrett Keithley to speak.

Both shared the sentiment that the One Summer Chicago program provides positive experiences and the opportunity to design a mural shows youth that their contributions to the community can last years.

Volunteers and music welcomed children and their families as they received free backpacks with school supplies and were treated to snow cones, hot dogs, face painting, and games. Brightpoint was joined by community partners including Think Outside the Block, Access Health, Teamwork Englewood, Angela’s Illustrations, True Believers/Stay LIT, The Blessed Child, Alternatives, and Growing Hands Essentials.  During our party, our CEO Mike Shaver spoke with WBEZ to discuss how our new identity promotes our belief that the greatest asset for children and youth is their family.

Event Photos

Donate

You can still make a gift in support of our Back to School campaign.

Donate

Questions

For questions, contact Maureen Kelly at mkelly@brightpoint.org.

Location