Sponsor a Program

 Volunteers in Parks Program   
 
From litter removal, recycling, and tree and garden planting, to organizing special events, FOTP’s Volunteer Program offers volunteers the opportunity to promote community pride in Chicago’s greatest resource, and a chance to become directly involved in the protection, preservation, and maintenance of Chicago’s historic neighborhood parks, playgrounds and forest preserves. Through our Volunteer Program, interested individuals, company employees, universities, and community organizers work together to improve local parks, beaches, open spaces and forest preserves.
A donation of $1,500 would support a clean-up day for over 200 volunteers.

Nature Along the Lake                       
The Nature Along the Lake Program provides lakefront park experiences that are customized to the CPS curriculum. Students learn about the lake as a complete habitat system. Through this program, they experience birds and their migratory patterns, aquatic life, native plants and trees, as well as other outdoor science topics. They learn that our local environment is part of a larger ecosystem and that a clean environment does not happen by accident, but is the result of people who care about leaving a healthy environment for future generations to enjoy.  Children in this program obtain experiences not usually found in a city setting, nor offered in indoor classrooms.
A donation of $2,500 will support buses for 20 field trips to the Magic Hedge and the lakefront at Montrose Harbor.

SEED Grant Program 
     
Friends of the Parks developed the SEED Grant Program in 2000 to provide resources for park advisory councils and stewardship groups to complete volunteer-led projects in Chicago’s parks and forest preserves in Cook County. The Seed Grant Program is designed to build stronger communities, develop alliances and foster a sense of stewardship for our parks. Through this program, park advocates may request financial support for a neighborhood park, playground or forest preserve project. Through the years, these projects have helped to advance capital and program improvements at more than 100 Chicago parks and have generated hope and pride in our neighborhoods. 
A donation of $5,000 to our Seed Program would fund 5 local park projects.
If you would like to learn more about supporting one of these programs please contact John O’Connell, Vice President of Administration and Development at 312-857-2757 x16 or oconnellj@fotp.org