• The Union League Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago receive a $10,000 grant from the INEOS Community Fund, providing critical programs for children impacted by the effects of the
  COVID-19 pandemic.
  
  

As Chicago’s Englewood community navigates the effects of the pandemic, families are facing food insecurity, significant educational gaps, and the need for more mental health support.

Chicago’s Englewood community has made headlines for the highest hardship index in Chicago. Socioeconomic disinvestment, poverty and violent crime have affected schools and families within the community for many years. Now, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate effect on the community. “98% of Englewood’s youth identify as African American, a group of which has experienced 45% of COVID-19 cases in the city of Chicago.” states, Kimberly Coady Hawkins Director of Development, Union League Boys & Girls Clubs.

Throughout the pandemic, The Union League Boys & Girls Clubs have continued to find ways to support Chicago’s youth and their communities. The significant impact of the pandemic felt by the Englewood community has caused more families to turn to organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs for support than ever before.

The grant from INEOS Styrolution on behalf of the INEOS Community Fund will provide immediate funding towards meal distribution, mental health support, PPE, educational resources, and programs towards the enrichment for Englewood’s youth who have been hit the hardest in the city of Chicago throughout the pandemic.

        

“With Chicago Public Schools going virtual for the fall, we will continue all day operations in a safe setting for our youth to assist them with their school work, meal distribution, etc. throughout the fall. This $10,000 from the INEOS Community Fund is one of the reasons we are able to make this happen and I want to reiterate our gratitude. This is so fantastic.” Says, Kimberly Coady Hawkins Director of Development, Union League Boys & Girls Clubs.

Gregory Fordyce, President INEOS Styrolution Americas says, “The Boys & Girls Clubs have a long history of being an integral part of the communities in which they serve. We are happy to contribute towards the good work being done by the Union League Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago and the very deserving kids in the Englewood community.”   

The £1m INEOS Community Fund was established by INEOS Chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe in March 2020 in tandem with the company’s Covid-19 “Hands On” campaign, which set up new production lines to provide millions of bottles of free hand sanitizer per month to hospitals and frontline healthcare. The fund enables INEOS sites across the world to support the charitable organizations doing vital work in their local communities at this particularly difficult time.