The event benefited The Chicago Academy for the Arts, InZone Project, Jessie Rees Foundation, Royal Family KIDS, and Turning Pointe Autism Foundation
BARRINGTON HILLS, Ill. And COSTA MESA, Calif. (October 19, 2024) – The Carousel of Possible Dreams Chicago, hosted at the breathtaking Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington Hills on Saturday, October 19, 2024, successfully raised significant funds to benefit five impactful children’s charities: The Chicago Academy for the Arts, InZone Project, Jessie Rees Foundation (NEGU), Royal Family KIDS, and Turning Pointe Autism Foundation. Presented by Festival of Children Foundation, the magical evening featured world-class performances, a captivating program, and immersive experiences, all in support of life-changing initiatives for children.
The event kicked off with exclusive tours of the Sanfilippo “Place de la Musique” and the Perfume Passage, where guests marveled at rare antique mechanical musical machines and other rare collectibles. Attendees were also treated to carousel rides on the spectacular Eden Palais Carousel, a centerpiece of the evening.
The formal program, emceed by Stefan Holt of NBC Chicago, highlighted the critical work being done by the beneficiary organizations. The night’s entertainment was headlined by a remarkable performance from Kodi Lee, America’s Got Talent winner, whose emotional musical talent moved the audience. Additionally, students from The Chicago Academy for the Arts delivered a stunning dance performance, further showcasing the talent supported by the event.
“This evening was about coming together to make a real difference in the lives of children who need our support,” said Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, founder & executive director of Festival of Children Foundation. “We are grateful to the generous donors, attendees who showed up to support these wonderful charities and to the Sanfilippo Family for graciously opening up their home to make it all possible.”
The Carousel of Possible Dreams Chicago is produced each year in partnership with the Sanfilippo Foundation of Barrington Hills by Festival of Children Foundation (FOCF), a national non-profit organization based in Orange County, California, that serves and supports nearly 500 children’s charities across the country. FOCF has also produced several other Carousel of Possible Dreams in Central Park in New York City, in Griffith Park in Los Angeles, at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, California, at the Children’s Creativity Museum in San Francisco, and Disneyland. To date, the initiative has raised over $5M to fund 245 high-impact programs for children’s charities across the United States.
The five children’s charities in this year’s event are:
The Chicago Academy for the Arts, whose Possible Dream is to offer full scholarships through the young men’s dance initiative. chicagoacademyforthearts.org
InZone Project, whose Possible Dream is to support disadvantaged families of minority boys in grades 7 through 12 by providing them with access to wrap-around support services in a safe and nurturing living environment. inzoneproject.org
Jessie Rees Foundation, whose Possible Dreams is to provide Jessie’s JoyJars® to kids fighting cancer and ongoing encouragement to Never Ever Give Up! negu.org
Royal Family KIDS, whose Possible Dream is to provide 5-day summer camps and monthly mentoring clubs that are free to children in foster care across the northwest suburbs of Chicago. rfk187.org
Turning Pointe Autism Foundation, whose Possible Dream is to improve the safety of their students at school and give them every opportunity to learn important new skills, grow socially, and broaden their access to the world in a safe and enriching setting. turningpointeautismfoundation.org
About Festival of Children Foundation
Festival of Children Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves to bring together and coordinate the efforts of charities, companies and individuals who work to improve the lives of children. 100% of the administrative costs are covered by designated funding, allowing donations to go further in direct support of programs and services that improve the lives of children nationwide. For more information, please visit festivalofchildren.org
Contact: Cassady Taylor
Festival of Children Foundation
(714) 438 – 3205
ctaylor@festivalofchildren.org
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