Midtown Educational Foundation is the 2021 True Inspirations Awards Midwest Region Winner
Chicago Nonprofit is One of Thirty-four Community Organizations to Receive Grants Through Chick-fil-A's True Inspiration Awards
On December 15th, Chick-fil-A announced the winners of its 2021 True Inspiration Awards™ grants. Midtown Educational Foundation (MEF) was proud to be named the winner of the Midwest Regional award, a grant of $150,000. The same day, MEF was surprised with a check presentation from Chick-fil-A Niles Restaurant Operator, Rob Meier, who originally nominated MEF for the award. Meier has supported MEF’s programs for years through food donations and by hosting field trips for students.
Chick-fil-A Niles Restaurant Operator, Rob Meier, presenting the True Inspiration Awards check at MEF’s Midtown Center for boys surrounded by MEF & Midtown Center staff as well as alumni of the Midtown Center programs.
“MEF is incredibly grateful to receive this award from Chick-fil-A and owes an extra special thanks to Rob Meier, from Chick-fil-A Niles, for believing so strongly in MEF’s mission,” said Glenn Wilke, Executive Director of MEF. “The relationship we started with Rob and Chick-fil-A four years ago has become fruitful in so many ways. We share so many similar values, including a deep respect for the dignity of every human being we serve. We also like to thank all of those who voted for us. We are a small organization, but our supporters showed up big for us when it counted. This grant will go a long way toward supporting our underserved students and families through this pandemic and beyond.”
Meier, along with staff from the Chick-fil-A Niles restaurant, sent this picture to MEF staff to let them know MEF had won the Regional award.
Thanks to votes from its supporters on the Chick-fil-A app, MEF won out against four other Midwest regional finalists and was one of thirty-four organizations to be awarded True Inspiration Awards this year. The True Inspiration Awards were founded in 2015 to honor the generous spirit and legacy of Chick-fil-A’s founder, S. Truett Cathy. Each year, Chick-fil-A honors and supports community organizations from across the U.S. and Canada that are making a positive impact in the areas of hunger, homelessness and education. This year, nearly one million guests cast their vote for the awards using the Chick-fil-A App.
You can learn more about the awards as well as see a full list of the recipients by visiting the Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Awards website.
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. Its programming, focusing 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.