One Hope United, a nonprofit human service agency that provides a diverse array of prevention, intervention and community-based programs throughout Illinois, recognized Grand Victoria Foundation for Visionary Excellence in 2010. The award is given to an individual or an organization for its vision to support causes aligned with the mission of One Hope United—protecting children and strengthening families.

Once again the Grand Victoria Foundation has partnered with One Hope United to address the need for child development for low-income families.

“For its devoted support of early childhood education for low-income families, we selected the Grand Victoria Foundation to be recognized for Visionary Excellence in support of our agency,” said Mark McHugh, executive director of One Hope United. “Grand Victoria Foundation has supported this critical issue throughout Illinois since its inception and recently helped fund a study by IFF, which identified the need for early education for low-income facilities in Aurora. This specific study shaped the foundation of One Hope United’s partnership with the City of Aurora to plan, build and open the Aurora Early Learning Center, which will serve more than 200 families starting in 2011.”

“We are both gratified and humbled by this recognition of our work. One Hope United is a terrific partner, not just with Grand Victoria Foundation, but with the thousands of families who benefit from One Hope United’s excellent early childhood services,” said Nancy Fishman, executive director of Grand Victoria Foundation.

Past award recipients included Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, for her dedication to protecting Illinois’ children and families, and to IFF, a nonprofit corporation serving low-income communities with affordable financing for capital projects, for the body of work the organization has done for the nonprofit world.

About One Hope United

One Hope United is a nonprofit human service agency dedicated to protecting children and strengthening families through a diverse array of prevention, intervention and community-based programs. With principal offices in Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri and Florida, One Hope United serves more than 15,000 children and their families each year. For more information, visit http://onehopeunited.wpengine.com.

About Grand Victoria Foundation

Grand Victoria Foundation provides strategic funding to Illinois organizations working for long-lasting economic, educational and environmental change. Since it was established in 1996 by the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, Illinois, the Foundation has provided more than $150 million in grants to help communities across the state become vibrant places to live and work. Through grantmaking and leadership initiatives, GVF supports five elements of great communities: good jobs, a healthy environment, great places for kids, capable organizations and homegrown philanthropy. For more information, visit www.grandvictoriafdn.org.