Who We Help

The Benjamin B. Green-Field Foundation makes grants to a wide array of organizations that support and promote the interests of its benefactor. Organizations both big and small are aided, with some of the larger grants being made over a multiyear period. Each organization receiving a grant is evaluated by the foundation’s Board of Directors and deemed to fit the foundation’s criteria.

The following are just a few of the organizations that have been aided by grants from the foundation.

   The Chicago History Museum

The Chicago Historical Society, founded in 1856 and renamed in 2006 to The Chicago History Museum, is Chicago’s oldest cultural institution. It contains millions of historical items, pictures and documents. Prior to his death Mr. Green-Field made a significant contribution to The Chicago Historical Society.  The contribution funded The Benjamin B. Green-Field Gallery and in memory of his sister The Bessie Warshawsky Gallery.  For over thirty years the galleries have paid tribute to Chicago’s cultural and historical heritage. Every year tens of thousands of children and adults visit the space and have the opportunity to learn from the gallery exhibits. Upon Ben’s death his business papers, clothing, memorabilia, and other personal effects were all donated to The Chicago History Museum and to this day are stored and categorized in the museum collection. The galleries have served as a fitting memorial to the legacy that both Ben and Bessie left to Chicago.

Lamb’s Farm

Lamb’s Farm is a private nonprofit organization providing vocational, residential, and social support services for developmentally disabled adults. A combination workplace and residential facility, Lamb’s Farm enables handicapped adults the opportunity to achieve their maximum potential.

With a challenge grant from the foundation, in September, 1994, Lamb’s Farm broke ground on the Benjamin B. Green-Field Adult Residence Center. Today, the 16-bed facility provides a home for retired or semi-retired adults with mental disabilities who wish to remain a part of the Lamb’s Farm community. The residence includes eight semi-private bedrooms, a spacious living room, dining room, and lounge areas.
http://www.lambsfarm.org

Lyric Opera

Every year since 1988 the world-renowned Lyric Opera of Chicago has hosted its annual OperaReach Seniors’ Matinee, enabling more than 2,000 Chicago area seniors to enjoy an afternoon of opera at no cost for admission.

For many years the series has been partially underwritten by grants from the foundation. Program interest and requests have become so great that the Chicago Park District now employs a lottery system to ensure equitable ticket distribution.
https://www.lyricopera.org/lyricunlimited/experience/access

Bleeding Disorders

The Bleeding Disorders Alliance Illinois (BDAI) supports families affected by inherited bleeding disorders by providing its members with medical information and resources that allow them to live a healthy and active lifestyle. BDAI also organizes social and educational events for its constituents, including orchestrating a summer camp for children with bleeding disorders that has reached almost 2,000 children since its inception. Since 2004, the Green-Field Foundation has supported this organization, consistently providing financial scholarships to enable children with bleeding disorders to attend this camp.
http://www.bdai.org/

The Boulevard

The Boulevard of Chicago, formerly Interfaith House, provides medical respite care, holistic support and housing services to help ill and injured homeless adults break the cycle of homelessness, restore their health and rebuild their lives. Since 2011, the Green-Field Foundation has supported this organization’s Assessment-Respite Program, which helps homeless individuals obtain medical help and launch their recovery process physically and mentally while helping to secure stable housing.
http://www.blvd.org/

By The Hand Club For Kids

By The Hand serves almost 2,000 children grades K through College from the most under-resourced dangerous neighborhoods who are failing in school and in critical need of intervention. The organization emphasize a holistic approach to child development, providing a safe learning environment during the after-school hours, offering a blended learning program that is a combination of one-on-one tutoring and technology-enabled learning, providing support services to address their emotional needs, and meeting their basic nutritional and healthcare needs. The Green-Field Foundation has partnered with this organization for over 10 years, providing grant support to help By the Hand build its blended-learning program and also supporting specific initiatives such as their Back to School drive and holiday meal program.
http://bythehand.org/

Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra

Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO) provides music education through orchestral programs and performance opportunities. CYSO serves nearly 600 students ages 6-18 through four full orchestras, three string orchestras, multiple steel orchestras, and supplemental programs including chamber music ensembles and composition. The Green-Field Foundation has provided grants to the organization over the years in support of their student financial aid program for children who cannot afford to participate in the CYSO.
https://cyso.org/

Jewish United Fund

The JUF offers many human services including The Uptown Cafe, which provided meals in a restaurant-style setting for people of all religions and races. Besides serving meals, the volunteers at the cafe are encouraged to socialize with the patrons who are often lonely and in need of companionship.

While the JUF has a wide array of programs, the Green-Field Foundation has been instrumental in providing meals for The Uptown Cafe as well as providing funding for the JUF Hanukah Coat Club.
https://www.juf.org/

Keshet

Keshet fosters children and adults with intellectual disabilities in Chicago and elsewhere, allowing them to rise up to their full potential. Keshet’s experiential based programs break down social barriers for their clients and allow them to integrate successfully into their communities.

Donations from the foundation have allowed the recipients the opportunity to grow their skills sets, thus promoting their self esteem and contributing to successful relationships within the communities in which they live.
http://www.keshet.org/

Merit School of Music

For the past 38 years, Merit School of Music has taught young people personal growth skills by giving them access to musical education. Breaking down socioeconomic barriers and opening doors to a wide variety of ethnic diversities, the school has long been known as a launching point for many talented musicians who would have never had this opportunity elsewhere.

Contributions from the foundation have allowed Merit to provide services to their students in spite of financial, social and geographical barriers the students face. Giving these students the opportunity to explore their musical talents helps give them the confidence and ability to excel in other aspects of their life including school and personal development.
http://meritmusic.org/

National Kidney Foundation of Illinois

The National Kidney Foundation of Illinois is a multi-faceted organization that focuses on prevention, education and empowerment for people at risk or affected by kidney disease. The organization works to educate the public about high blood pressure, diabetes and other ailments that can lead to kidney disease.

Ongoing contributions from the Green-Field Foundation have allowed the organization to offer free health screenings and  free prevention education throughout the Chicagoland area. The contributions have allowed the NKF to be one of the leading sources of funding for medical research for this growing epidemic.
http://www.nkfi.org/

Sertoma Centre, Inc.

Sertoma Centre, Inc. is an accredited not-for-profit agency serving nearly 1,200 individuals with developmental, physical, emotional disabilities and/or mental illness from Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. They strive to create an environment where all its clients can fully participate in a wide variety of activities designed to promotes self-advocacy and personal success.

Funds donated from the Benjamin B. Green-Field Foundation were directed towards the Music, Art and Nutrition Programs, and have been instrumental in ensuring the continued success of the arts therapy program. To honor the foundation’s generosity, Sertoma renamed one of their rooms the ‘Benjamin B. Green-Field Music Room’.
http://sertomacentre.org/

The Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation

The Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing comfort and distraction from painful procedures to children and teens who have been diagnosed with cancer, by providing gifts from a treasure chest. Through their generous donors, they are able to supply the chests with toys, books, crafts, games, hats and so much more.

The Benjamin B. Green-Field Foundation is proud to partner with the Treasure Chest Foundation in raising the spirits and hopes and dreams of these brave youths while they are receiving treatment at hospitals or cancer centers in the Chicagoland area.
http://www.treasurechest.org/

The Night Ministry

The Night Ministry is a Chicago-based organization that works to provide housing, health care and human connection to members of their community who are struggling with poverty or homelessness.

The Benjamin B. Green-Field Foundation has teamed with The Night Ministry to aid in supporting The Crib Program. The Crib supports the health, safety and well-being of homeless youths in Chicago by providing safe, overnight emergency shelter for young adults of all genders, ages 18 to 24. Services focus on tending to the immediate physical and emotional needs, while teaching long-term social and leadership skills.
https://www.thenightministry.org/

Other organizations that have received grants from the Benjamin B. Green-Field Foundation include: