Unique fundraising effort provides children and families with services and tools that change lives.

(CHICAGO, IL November 13, 2018) One Hope United has unveiled its 2018 Wishbook in advance of Giving Tuesday, November 27, 2018. The unique fundraising initiative is a creative way individuals, employees and corporations can help children and families reach their full potential by supporting a wide range of One Hope United programs including early childhood education, family support and youth services, foster care, adoption and more.

Wishbook officially launches on GivingTuesday, however donors can jump start their holiday giving and begin shopping now by visiting wishbook.onehopeunited.wpengine.com to find a variety of ways to make holiday giving more meaningful.

Wishbook is set up like an online catalog, where donors can virtually “shop” by making monetary donations that offset the costs of services that One Hope United provides — as well as goods that directly enhance those services. These items provide more than a one-time toy or an afternoon of fun; donations to Wishbook are aimed at transforming people’s lives.

This is illustrated – quite literally – in the printed Wishbook, a children’s book that highlights the items available and how they impact a child and family. In this year’s story, “Sam and the Science Center,” Sam’s friends and teacher help him continue his education and develop his interest in science and discovery.

Wishbook has items for every budget, ranging from $30 to $250. Many donors choose to “buy the whole Wishbook” for $1,000, which covers every item listed. Highlights from this year’s Wishbook include:

• Send a teen to OHU’s SPARCS youth anti-violence program ($250) – When teens have undergone significant stressors such as abuse or neglect, loss of a parent, or even community violence, they can be more likely to turn to violence to solve their issues. This gift helps One Hope United send one teen to participate in a 16-week program to learn effective ways to deal with difficult situations, which can help reduce violence in their community.
• Preschool scholarships ($100) – In low-income communities, if parents lose their jobs, they also lose their government assistance to send their child to preschool. Scholarships enable their child to stay in school — and on track — while the parents look for new work.
• Animal therapy for a child who has experienced trauma ($60) – Connecting through animal therapy can augment traditional therapies to help a child who has experienced trauma advance through the healing process.
• Science center for a preschool classroom ($55) – Adding a science center to a preschool classroom can inspire future minds to enter STEM occupations.

“Wishbook enables everyone to make a gift that will have a big impact on the children and families we serve,” said Todd Schultz, CEO, One Hope United. “It’s a great way for our generous donors to give and know how their gift will be used. It’s also a way for local companies to engage their employees in holiday giving that directly benefits families in their communities,” said Schultz.

Many global corporations with Chicago offices have made Wishbook the centerpiece of their employee philanthropy programs. Mintel, LinkedIn and McKinsey & Company are just a few of the companies that have joined thousands of individual donors who enthusiastically support Wishbook.

“Wishbook is a wonderful way for us to engage our employees in giving back,” says Adiat Baker, Financial Specialist at Mintel and Chair of Mintel Gives. “Wishbook aligns with our employees’ collective philanthropic spirit. By partnering with One Hope United, Mintel is making a lasting impact in the lives of families in our communities,” Baker added.

Wishbook continues to be one of One Hope United’s most successful fundraising campaigns. In the 2017 giving year, the nonprofit raised more than $85,000 in donations and nearly tripled its contributions received during the previous year.

A printable pdf copy is on the Wishbook website and hard copies will be at all One Hope United locations, corporate partners and available to anyone who requests one.

To learn more about Wishbook, get copies, and make a donation visit wishbook.onehopeunited.wpengine.com.

About One Hope United
One Hope United is a private human service organization that offers a diverse array of early childhood education, prevention, intervention and community-based programs. The non-profit began over 120 years ago with the same vision it holds today: for every child and family, life without limits. One Hope United’s team of nearly 800 talented professionals serves thousands of children and families each year in Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Florida. For more information, please visit www.onehopeunited.wpengine.com.