MACOMB, IL – The Tracy Family Foundation (TFF) is offering up to $25,000 in prizes to help further the missions of participating west central Illinois nonprofit organizations through the foundation's 'friendly competition,' West Central Illinois (WCIL) Gives, which kicks off Monday, June 9.
Participating McDonough County organizations include Colchester District Library, Genesis Garden, Giving Gardens, Youth for Christ, Humane Society of McDonough County, St. Paul School, Western Illinois University Food Pantry, Lamoine Christian Service Camp, NAMI West Central Illinois. More than 80 churches, schools and nonprofit organizations have registered to participate in the 2025 event.
According to Callie Niederhauser, TFF Capacity Building Program manager, during the four-day event, west central Illinois nonprofits, schools and churches will promote their causes, compete to reach milestones and win monetary prizes for their efforts. WCIL Gives goes live at 8 a.m., Monday, June 9 through 11:59 p.m., Thursday, June 12.
'WCIL Gives is driven by the belief that the generosity found in the hearts of west central Illinois residents can empower nonprofits, churches and schools in their vital work,' Niederhauser explained. 'When you contribute during WCIL Gives, the organizations you select benefit from flexible funding, enabling them to maximize their impact in the areas that matter most.'
Tom Jalinski, and his wife, Waynette Smith, who works at the Colchester District Library, are the driving force behind the library's participation in WCIL Gives, noted Library Director Debbie Sullivan.
'The Tracy Family Foundation provides support for our Story Hour and Summer Reading programs, so we decided to take part in this new initiative offered by the TFF,' Jalinski explained. 'Any funding we receive will help to replace budget deficits caused by federal budget restructuring so we can continue to support community literacy and bridge the gaps created by rising costs.'
According to Sullivan, along with many others, the Colchester Public Library is facing financial challenges, so when a fundraising offer or a grant application comes along, it always grabs the library's staff and volunteers' attention. With an annual budget of just over $30,000 and a 125-year-old building, Sullivan said they are 'experts at making do.' The Colchester Public Library is open 20 hours per week, employs four part-time people and serves a population of 1,108 within the city limits of Colchester. In 2024, the library welcomed 3,289 individual library visits, and sponsored 164 programs that drew 1,906 participants.
'Building maintenance and upkeep are a constant concern, and utility and insurance costs never end. But we will keep focusing on our people and living up to our image of being little but mighty,' Sullivan added. 'The Tracy Family Foundation is wonderfully philanthropic and offers so many opportunities to this area of the state. When I received the email introducing the program, I registered right away, seeing it as an opportunity for the library to receive funds for muchneeded repairs to our building. Our tax base and revenue are not increasing but all costs are. Big projects and enrichment programs that our patrons deserve simply do not fit into the budget so fundraising initiatives like this can make a real difference.'
Bonnie Smith-Skripps, president of the Humane Society of McDonough County (HSMC), said the WCIL Gives campaign is an excellent way to reach a larger audience, particularly as the society continues to raise funds for the construction of the county's new animal shelter.
'Now that we have the land just east of the shelter on Tower Road, which has been leased to HSMC by the City of Macomb, we are eager to start the building process. We have over $960,000 in the building campaign fund, and we anticipate needing another $500,000 to complete the project,' she pointed out. 'The new animal shelter will be a valuable asset for McDonough County and an inviting place for those in surrounding communities to find a new pet as well.'
Grand prizes will be awarded to the top four organizations that raise the most dollars during WCIL Gives. An organization must have a minimum of 10 unique donors to be eligible to win a grand prize. The first-place winner will receive $4,000; second place, $2,500; third, $1,000, and fourth, $750. In addition, there will be milestone challenges totaling $3,750 and daily prizes totaling $4,00. More information can be found at wcilgives.org.
About The Tracy Family Foundation & WCIL Gives The TFF was incorporated in December 1997 by the Robert and Dorothy Tracy family as a vehicle to share their many blessings. TFF is supported by Dot Foods, the nation's largest food industry redistributor. Dot Foods is owned and operated by the Tracy family and operates across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
To date, the foundation has awarded over $80 million to organizations serving their communities. TFF seeks to make the world a better place through engaged, thoughtful and strategic philanthropy that exemplifies the values of the Robert and Dorothy Tracy family.
The second generation of the Tracy family started the Tracy Family Foundation because they were inspired by the generosity of their parents, Robert (RT) and Dorothy Tracy. WCIL Gives begins on the day that, in 1949, RT and Dorothy Tracy were united in marriage. As the backbone of the Tracy family and the driving force behind Dot Foods, it seems fitting that WCIL Gives would honor RT and Dorothy's unwavering commitment to each other and their positive impact on west central Illinois.
WCIL Gives goals include engaging the community in philanthropy, raising awareness about causes that matter, inspiring a spirit of generosity and making a difference in the region.
