Join our Circle of Friends

Emily, 12, organized a garage sale fundraiser to benefit brain tumor research in honor of her brother Andrew. Read more.

Fundraisers play an important role in philanthropy at Children's. The generous people who plan these fundraisers and events are so important to us that we refer to them as our Circle of Friends. They raise valuable funds and build awareness about children's health issues. Your involvement and the collaboration of your Circle of Friends, will allow us to better serve kids and families.

Join the Circle

Planning a fundraiser should be fun! When you join the circle, our staff is ready to offer you support.

Follow these simple steps to get started!

• Fill out and submit our Community Fundraiser Proposal form.
• For fundraiser ideas and Circle of Friends information, take a look at our Community Fundraiser Guidelines.

• Check out our Community Fundraising Toolkit, a step-by-step guide for planning a successful fundraiser to benefit Children's Memorial Hospital.

We're here to help

Our staff is ready to make sure that your fundraiser is a success. Here's what we can do for you:

• Offer advice and expertise on event planning and fundraising.
• May attend check presentations.
• May provide promotional/give-away items (such as pins with our logo).
• Acknowledge direct contributions to Children's.
• Provide and approve use of our logo, as appropriate.
• Assist in directing contributions towards areas of special interest or areas of need within the hospital.
• Provide a letter of authorization to be used to validate the authenticity of the event and its organizers.

There are some things we can't do:

• Provide our tax exemption number unless it is agreed upon beforehand.
• Provide a certificate of insurance and permits for events.
• Offer funding or reimbursement for expenses unless it is agreed upon beforehand.
• Share mailing lists of donors or vendors unless it is agreed upon beforehand.
• Provide Hospital or Foundation stationary.
• Guarantee attendance of patients, physicians, or staff at the event.

For more information, e-mail or call us at 773.880.8116.

Do you work at a restaurant or retail store and want to give back to Children's? Businesses of any size can demonstrate support of children, families, customers and employees through the Drink, Dine and Donate for Children's program to benefit the hospital. By participating in the program, Chicago area establishments can generate revenue and establish a community partnership with Children's through the Circle of Friends program. For more information or to participate, please contact Traci Bruce.

Check out our Circle of Friends Facebook page here!

Find information on Toy and Gift Donations, or contact Children's  Services at 773.883.6169.

Content last reviewed: February 2012