Illumination Foundation Named 2023 Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Awards Grant Recipient
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Illumination Foundation Named 2023 Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Awards Grant Recipient
Illumination Foundation Selected to Receive $125,000 from Chick-fil-A, Inc. to Provide Housing and Healthcare to Single Mothers and Seniors Experiencing Homelessness
ORANGE, Calif., January 10, 2023 – Illumination Foundation, a nonprofit organization with the mission to disrupt the cycle of homelessness, has been named the recipient of a $125,000 grant through the annual Chick-fil-A® True Inspiration Awards® program. This grant will help further Illumination Foundation’s efforts in providing housing and healthcare services to those experiencing homelessness in the community.
Illumination Foundation is creating an intergenerational campus that will bring together single-mother families and seniors who are experiencing homelessness. It will provide interim housing to stabilize families as they transition from emergency shelter to permanent housing as well as permanent supportive housing for seniors. The grant funding will support this new campus.
“We are thrilled to be named one of this year’s Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Award recipients,” said Jack Toan, Co-CEO of Illumination Foundation. “This grant will allow us to provide home, health, and dignity to single mothers and seniors experiencing homelessness.”
Illumination Foundation’s Bewley Intergenerational Campus in Santa Ana, Calif., is an innovative solution to address the unique challenges of the vulnerable population of women, children, and seniors experiencing homelessness. The campus will address the needs of single-mother families and seniors by integrating multiple support systems for continued client success. Bewley Intergenerational Campus will provide programming designed to integrate the populations housed at the site and foster a sense of community and mutual support.
“Single women, children, and seniors are particularly vulnerable and at risk of experiencing homelessness,” said Dr. Pooja Bhalla, Co-CEO of Illumination Foundation. “We will be able to provide housing and healthcare services on one campus to meet the specific needs of this population and create a thriving community that increases housing stability, addresses social isolation, and increases health outcomes.”
Illumination Foundation is one of 46 True Inspiration Awards grant recipients in 2023 that are receiving a collective $5 million. To be selected for a grant, organizations must work to address key issues that align with Chick-fil-A's corporate social responsibility priorities: Caring for People, Caring for Others through Food, Caring for our Communities, and Caring for our Planet, a new category added this year.
The True Inspiration Awards were established in 2015 to carry on Chick-fil-A Founder S. Truett Cathy’s legacy of generosity and community service. Since that time, 250 grants have been distributed to organizations located across 36 states, Washington, D.C., and Canada, impacting more than 3.5 million people. Individual grants range from $30,000 to $350,000.
“Through our True Inspiration Awards grant program, Chick-fil-A helps empower local nonprofits that are leading positive change and creating tangible impact throughout the communities they serve,” said Brent Fielder, senior director of corporate social responsibility for Chick-fil-A, Inc. “It is our pleasure to invest in the growth and legacy of all our 2023 recipient organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada.”
To learn more about the Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Awards program, visit chickfila.com/true-inspiration-awards.
About Illumination Foundation
Illumination Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides targeted, interdisciplinary services for the most vulnerable homeless adults and children in order to disrupt the cycle of homelessness. The organization provides a full continuum of care from street to home, including case management, medical coordination, behavioral health and substance use counseling, and housing navigation to our vulnerable clients in shelters/navigation centers, family emergency shelters, recuperative care/medical respite facilities, and permanent supportive housing. https://www.ifhomeless.org
About Chick-fil-A, Inc.
Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A, Inc. is a restaurant company known for the Original Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich and signature hospitality. Represented by more than 190,000 Team Members, Operators and Staff, Chick-fil-A® restaurants serve guests freshly prepared food at more than 2,800 restaurants in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. The family-owned and privately held restaurant company was founded in 1967 by S. Truett Cathy and is committed to serving the local communities in which its franchised restaurants operate.
Known for its leadership and growth opportunities, in 2022 Chick-fil-A was named a Best Employer in America by Forbes and a top company for career opportunities for Black employees by Glassdoor. The company was also awarded the Employee’s Choice by Glassdoor honoring top CEOs and was named a Culture 500 Culture Champion in 2020. A leader in customer service, Chick-fil-A was named QSR magazine’s Drive-Thru Restaurant of the Year in 2021. More information on Chick-fil-A is available at www.chick-fil-a.com and @ChickfilANews.
