Ignite Nominated for Nonprofit of the Year by YNPN Chicago
Ignite has been nominated for Nonprofit of the Year as part of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Chicago's 25th Annual Celebration Awards, which honor outstanding achievements in the Chicago nonprofit sector. Winners will be announced at YNPN Chicago's Annual Celebration on Wednesday, August 5th at the Obama Presidential Center. Voting by the general public is now open and closes Friday, July 24 at 11:59pm.
This nomination comes during a landmark year for both organizations. YNPN Chicago is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and Ignite is marking 50 years of serving young people experiencing homelessness across Chicago. In June, Ignite celebrated its 50th anniversary with a community celebration at Belfort House in Bronzeville, where the City of Chicago formally recognized June 12 as Ignite 50th Anniversary Day.
Last year, Ignite enrolled more young people than ever before, with 831 youth served across its programs. Among youth in Ignite’s residential programs, 91% are employed or in school and 86% exit Ignite achieving health and wellness goals. Ignite operates over 50 units of housing, with 30 more due to open this year, a mobile outreach team serving 48 Chicago neighborhoods, and programs spanning prevention, outreach, housing, education, employment, healthcare, and skills development.
For an organization that has been lighting the way for young people experiencing homelessness since 1976, this nomination is honoring five decades of community investment and the young people at the center of it all.
"This nomination is a reflection of the young people we serve and the community that has stood behind this work for 50 years," said Stephanie Piccirilli, President & CEO of Ignite. "We are honored to be recognized alongside so many incredible organizations doing important work across Chicago."
For more information or media inquiries, contact Christie Shanahan at cshanahan@ignitepromise.org
About YNPN Chicago: The Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Chicago strengthens the nonprofit community by providing accessible professional development, resources, and networking opportunities for young professionals in the Chicago-area nonprofit sector. Learn more at www.ynpnchicago.org
About Ignite: Ignite serves youth experiencing homelessness, ages 10 to 26, in pursuit of not just a home, but a future in which they thrive in every way. For 50 years, Ignite has provided housing, supportive services, and advocacy to help young people build safe, stable lives and brighter futures.
Through a spectrum of services that begins with homeless prevention and street outreach and carries
through to housing, education, employment, healthcare, and skills development, Ignite celebrates each unique young person and the bright future in front of them. This year, Ignite will enroll more than 850 young people across its programs. Learn more at www.ignitepromise.org