Chicago HOPES for Kids

🌟👟Marathon Monday: Runner Spotlight 👟🌟

Meet Haleigh, a preschool teacher with a massive heart and a big running goal! Haleigh joins our 2026 Chicago Marathon team all the way from Queens, NYC. As an early childhood educator, she sees firsthand how critical classroom, home, and community resources are for students. After witnessing her own students face housing insecurity, she chose to run for Chicago HOPES for Kids to ensure every child gets the support they need to discover a love of learning.

For Haleigh, running is a powerful tool for mental health, stress relief, and joy. Chicago will mark her 5th marathon on her journey to conquering all six Abbott World Marathon Majors! She will be tackling the course alongside her sister, Paige. Whenever the miles get tough, they will be repeating their favorite mantra: "Slay the day, rep the steps!"

"I truly believe so strongly in their mission to help support and empower students who are at risk or experiencing homelessness.”

We are incredibly proud to have Haleigh’s bright energy and dedication on our team. Welcome to the hustle, Haleigh!

Want to learn more about joining our 2026 Bank of America Marathon Team? Check out our
HOPES Hustlers page: https://ow.ly/LAFB50Z6mH9

🎲✨ 4 days until Seeds of HOPE 2026! ✨🎲
➡️ bit.ly/Seeds2026

We are so grateful for the continued support of Gordon & Pikarski Attorneys at Law, one of our long-time gala sponsors!

As Literacy Champion Sponsors, their gift of $2,500 will help make Seeds of HOPE Casino Night possible, in turn helping us raise critical funds for our after-school programs across the city.

Thank you so much to the entire team at Gordon & Pikarski! Your generosity over the years has made such an impact 🌟

🌺 This semester, Chicago HOPES for Kids proudly celebrated Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month through stories that sparked curiosity, connection, and meaningful conversations in our classrooms. Our students explored themes of family, identity, courage, and culture while discovering new perspectives through reading together. 📚✨

Some books honoring AAPI heritage in our curriculum included:
-Jenny Mei is Sad by Tracy Subisak
-Minh and the Magic Grains of Rice by Do Nguyet Ha
-The Boy and the Bindi by Vivek Shraya
-Natsumi! by Susan Lendroth
-Usha and the Big Digger by Amitha Jagannath Knight
-Amy Wu and the Patchwork Dragon by Kay Zhang
-Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho
-Ten Blocks to the Big Wok by Ying-Hwa Hu

At HOPES, we are proud to celebrate all cultures and create spaces where every student feels seen, valued, and encouraged to share their story. Learning from one another is one of the many ways we continue building a strong and supportive community together. 🌏❤️

🎲✨ One week until Seeds of HOPE 2026! ✨🎲
➡️ bit.ly/Seeds2026

As we count down to the big night, we want to say a tremendous thank you to Deloitte one of our wonderful returning gala sponsors!

As Literacy Champion Sponsors, their gift of $2,500 will help make Seeds of HOPE Casino Night possible, in turn helping us raise critical funds for our after-school programs across the city.

Thank you so much, Deloitte, for all your support! We can’t wait to see some of your team at the event 🌟

Spring 2026 Semester Recap 🌸🎨✨

What an amazing and memorable semester it’s been! From painting colorful masterpieces and reading various books to embracing their silly side and letting their personalities shine, our students brought so much joy and energy every day. 💛

We loved watching our students grow in confidence, express themselves freely, build friendships, and celebrate all of their hard work as the school year came to an end.

A huge thank you to the entire HOPES team — our incredible site coordinators, AmeriCorps and community volunteers, social work interns, and staff. Your support, care, and dedication helped create such a positive and meaningful experience for our students this semester. We truly couldn’t have done it without all of you! 🌟

We’re so grateful for this community and all the memories we made together this spring. Can’t wait to do it all again this summer ☀️💫

A huge thank you to GATX, the newest sponsor for Seeds of HOPE 2026! ✨🎲

As Literacy Champion Sponsors, their gift of $2,500 will help make Seeds of HOPE Casino Night possible, in turn helping us raise critical funds for our after-school programs across the city.

This all-star team has also offered their support with the night’s auction and entertainment, and we couldn’t be more grateful. Thank you so much, GATX! We are so glad to have you as part of the HOPES community.

(Want to join us at the event? Get your tickets now ➡️ bit.ly/Seeds2026)

🌟👟Marathon Monday: Runner Spotlight 👟🌟

Meet Lia, a HOPES Hustler returning to her hometown to run with a powerful mission! Lia joins our 2026 Chicago Marathon team with seven years of experience as an NYC public school special education teacher. She currently manages a community-based transition program in East Harlem for young adults with developmental disabilities. With two master's degrees in special education and literacy, Lia knows exactly how vital tailored educational support is for student success.

This isn’t Lia's first time racing for a cause. She ran a marathon in Kolkata as a Fulbright Scholar in India and recently completed the 2025 NYC Marathon for education equity. Now, she is back in Chicago to hit the pavement for Chicago HOPES for Kids, with a goal to raise at least $2,200!

"Chicago HOPES for Kids ensures that the educational experiences and access to resources for students experiencing homelessness are not compromised," Lia shares.

We are incredibly honored to have Lia’s expertise, passion, and heart on our team. Welcome home and welcome to the hustle, Lia!

Want to learn more about joining our 2026 Bank of America Marathon Team? Check out our
HOPES Hustlers page ➡️ https://ow.ly/RWwJ50Z1kIq

Don't wait to claim your place at Seeds of HOPE! ✨ ➡️ bit.ly/Seeds2026

This show-stopping night of casino-inspired fun is packed with chances to win big...just check out our sneak peek at this year's Golden Raffle and Live Auction 📣🌟

Raffle tickets and bidding will only be available for Seeds of HOPE attendees, so make sure to get your event ticket early!

Thankful Thursday: Pedals and Petals Recap 🌸✨

Pedals & Petals was such a beautiful celebration of community — featuring floral arranging, tarot card readings, live music, dancing, and so many meaningful moments shared together 💐🎶

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make the event so special, including: Attack the Sound for a phenomenal performance, the Bookclub Venue for such a beautiful space, and Emma for the amazing tarot readings ✨

Again, we want to thank our amazing Associate Board for organizing two successful fundraising and community-building events this past April. Because of their efforts, we were able to raise over $3,000 for our mission We’re so grateful for all the hard work that goes into creating these meaningful spaces for our community ✨

Most importantly, thank you to our community for continuing to show up, support, and celebrate with us. We’re so excited for what’s ahead 💖

Thankful Thursday: Pedals and Petals Recap 🌸✨

Pedals & Petals was such a beautiful celebration of community — featuring floral arranging, tarot card readings, live music, dancing, and so many meaningful moments shared together 💐🎶

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make the event so special, including: Attack the Sound for a phenomenal performance, the Bookclub Venue for such a beautiful space, and Emma for the amazing tarot readings ✨

Again, we want to thank our amazing Associate Board for organizing two successful fundraising and community-building events this past April. Because of their efforts, we were able to raise over $3,000 for our mission We’re so grateful for all the hard work that goes into creating these meaningful spaces for our community ✨

Most importantly, thank you to our community for continuing to show up, support, and celebrate with us. We’re so excited for what’s ahead 💖