MEF is Finalist for the Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Awards
Residents Can Cast Their Vote to Support the Only Chicago-based Charity in the Running
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CHICAGO - Midtown Educational Foundation (MEF), a Chicago nonprofit that offers after-school and summer enrichment programs for low-income students in the Chicagoland area, has been named a finalist for the Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Award. The True Inspiration Awards™ program was created in 2015 to honor the legacy of Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy and will award $5 million in grants to qualifying nonprofits that are either Black-led or serving primarily Black communities or other communities of color. MEF has an opportunity to win up to $150,000 to support its local mission with the help of your vote on the Chick-fil-A app from November 7th - November 21st.
Chic-fil-A Niles Restaurant Operator, Rob Meier, cutting the ribbon for the stores grand opening in October 2019. Meier nominated MEF for the Chic-fil-A True Inspiration Award.
MEF was nominated for this award by Chick-fil-A Niles Restaurant Operator, Rob Meier. “I am proud to nominate Midtown Educational Foundation for the Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Award because of the incredible impact they are having on the lives of so many youth,” said Meier. “MEF gives generously to enrich the lives of their students, empowering them to be successful in life and give back to others. I cannot think of a more deserving organization, and I would love to see our community support them toward this award.”
Though there are six charities nominated for the award in the Midwest Region, MEF is the only Chicago nonprofit and the only charity based in Illinois. “MEF is thrilled to be the only Chicago nonprofit selected as a finalist for this year's Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Award,” said Brent Bridwell, MEF’s Sr. Managing Director of Advancement. “We are excited about potentially taking our years-long partnership with local Chick-fil-A franchises and forging a deeper connection that will ultimately benefit the kids and families we serve. Chick-fil-A embodies many of the virtues that we teach to our students and we look forward to this opportunity.”
(Left to right: MEF Executive Director, Glenn Wilke; Chick-fil-A Niles Operator, Rob Meier; MEF Sr. Managing Director of Advancement, Brent Bridwell)
Voting for the True Inspiration Awards runs now through November 21st and is done solely on the Chick-fil-A app. A guide to voting in the app, as well as more information about the award and MEF’s mission, can be found at www.midtown.org/chickfila.
About Midtown Educational Foundation: Midtown Educational Foundation (www.midtown-metro.org), through its Metro Achievement Center for girls and Midtown Center for boys, has helped close the achievement gap for underserved students in Chicago since its founding in 1965. Their programming focus on academic excellence, virtue development, individual attention, and parental engagement has led to 100% high school graduation and college enrollment for its students for 21 consecutive years.