More than $1 million in grants made to Chicago area non-profits through Cubs Care and Chicago Cubs Charities

The Chicago Cubs today teamed up with the Robert R. McCormick Foundation to announce more than $1 million in grants to non-profit organizations serving those in need in the Chicago area. This marks the eighth consecutive year more than $1 million has been donated to Chicago communities through Cubs Care, a McCormick Foundation Fund.

"Today's Cubs Care grant luncheon is about empowering non-profit organizations in Chicago and providing the necessary resources to help communities in need," said Cubs owner and board member Laura Ricketts, who serves as chair of the board of Chicago Cubs Charities. "We're proud to once again give more than $1 million to further these organizations' missions through Cubs Care and Chicago Cubs Charities. We thank our fans for generously supporting the community events that make these donations possible."

"Chicago is filled with passionate fans and caring neighbors," said David Hiller, president and CEO of the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. "We are honored to join the Chicago Cubs and the Ricketts family to support these amazing community organizations that are working tirelessly to improve the lives of underserved youth, adults and families across Chicagoland."

Through Cubs Care, more than $17 million has been donated to Chicago non-profit organizations since 1991. Events such as the Chicago Cubs Bricks and Ivy Ball, Race to Wrigley 5K Run presented by AthletiCo and Catch in the Confines, along with activities such as the Cubs Caravan and Convention, personal scoreboard messages, financial contributions from Cubs players and private contributions from fans have helped raise funds for these efforts.

The 2012 grants include the Chicago Park District to provide funding for more than 13,000 low-income and special needs youth to play baseball this summer. A donation to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago provides access to adaptive sports and wheelchair softball for nearly 1,500 individuals with physical disabilities. A contribution to the Chicago Public Library Foundation supports the Family Summer Reading program, a high-impact summer reading initiative which aims to keep 50,000 Chicago children reading and learning over the summer. Organizations receiving grants include:

Academy for Urban School Leadership
Advocate Charitable Foundation
Alexian Brothers Bonaventure House
Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation
Between Friends
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago
Black Ensemble Theater
Breakthrough Urban Ministries
Casa Central
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago
Center on Halsted
Chicago Children's Advocacy Center
Chicago House
Chicago Park District
Chicago Public Library
Children's Memorial Hospital
Children's Place Association
Counseling Center of Lake View
Deborah's Place
Domestic Violence Legal Clinic
Family Rescue
GiGi's Playhouse
Gilda's Club Chicago
Girls in the Game
Heartland International Health Center
House of the Good Shepherd
Housing Opportunities for Women (HOW)
Inspiration Corporation
Lake View YMCA
Little City Foundation
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois
Metropolitan Family Services
Midtown Educational Foundation
Misericordia Home/Heart of Mercy Center
Mujeres Latinas en Acción
National Runaway Switchboard
Neighborhood Boys and Girls Club
Neopolitan Lighthouse
Night Ministry
North Side Housing and Supportive Services
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Ravinia Festival Association
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Ronald McDonald House Charities
Saint Joseph Hospital
St. Joseph Services
St. Vincent de Paul Center
Teen Living Programs
Union League Boys and Girls Clubs
Urban Initiatives
YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago