November 2020 Donation supports Family Shelter Service

Family Shelter Service was selected to receive the 100+ Women Who Care - Elmhurst Area quarterly donation in November 2020. The funds will purchase technology, a significant need in this pandemic environment, to support their clients. Family Shelter Service is the largest domestic violence shelter in DuPage County, helping victims escape abuse and rebuild their lives.  

ACCESS SPORTS AWARDED August 2020 DONATION 

​Using email, video and on-line voting, 100+ Women Who Care – Elmhurst Area came together in a unique way, given on-going pandemic restrictions, to select Elmhurst Access Sports as this quarter’s recipient. 
“It is an honor to be chosen,” commented Dena Seidenfuss, Founder and Director of Elmhurst Access Sports. “I am humbled that Access Sports joins the list of organizations that 100+ has supported since 2013.”
Seidenfuss founded Access Sports over a decade ago to provide all children, regardless of differences, access to sports. Today, more than 75 young athletes with disabilities have access to year-round soccer, basketball, baseball and track. 
“Through sports, the program provides the community’s most vulnerable members the opportunity to experience the camaraderie of teammates, the confidence from achieving goals, and the joy that comes from playing with friends in their own community,” states Michael Felten, Access Sports Board Member. 
The 100+ Women Who Care donation will be used by Access Sports for athlete and volunteer uniforms, sports equipment, field and gym space and this season for a Zoom account. 

Unprecedented Times Call for a Unique Response

I​For the first time since our start in November 2013, we weren’t able to gather for our quarterly meeting in May 2020 due to the pandemic. The impact of COVID-19 created a unique call to action, and required rethinking the normal process.
 
This quarter, we chose three non-profits that were providing emergency relief in response to COVID-19 and our members chose one to support.  As a result, over $23,000 was donated across the three non-profits - Elmhurst-Yorkfield Food Pantry (EYFP), Elmhurst Walk-in Assistance Network (EWAN) and United Community Concerns Association (UCCA). 
 
“We are people who want to help, to make a difference in the lives of those in need,” said 100+ member Carolyn Heiney. “A chance to donate to one or all of these Elmhurst non-profits that do so much for our community was the perfect opportunity, especially during this time of shelter-in-place.”  
 
“The need is tremendous,” said Jackie Crnkovich, Executive Director for EWAN, an Elmhurst-based non-profit providing emergency relief to their clients for rent or mortgages; gas, electric, water bills and limited medical assistance. “We quite literally could not do what we’re doing without the generosity of the community. When so many people are hurting,” she added “it’s remarkable to see those in a position to help reach out.”