By Michelle DeHaven Quast, CEO
Northwest Illinois is home. Its more than 1500 square miles of rolling hills, fertile farmland, rural communities, and micropolitan areas are home to roughly 85,000 hardworking Illinoisans. It is a place where community is valued, and friends and neighbors are one of its many assets. It is the place of my birth, my childhood. My values were molded and forged in Northwest Illinois, most notably, an engrained sense of grace to treat others as I would like to be treated by them—with a respect, equity, and a unifying sense of humanity. These humble love thy neighbor qualities are true Northwest Illinois values and have long been the hallmark of rural America. And while the face of Northwest Illinois may be changing as it continues to age, that growing diversity brings new talent, new momentum, and new opportunities for our region, all of which, when viewed as the new assets that they are—complement and strengthen the achievements of all those who came before.
But for the many bright spots in the colorful tapestry that is Northwest Illinois, there are also gray areas of challenge. Poverty in our region runs much higher than many other parts of our state including some urban areas. Our population rates have been in steady decline—more so than many other Illinois counties. Educational disparities are more pronounced. Access to health care – particularly mental healthcare – childcare, affordable quality housing, a diversity of competitive jobs, all are at levels that we need to quickly and collectively address if we wish to reverse our population decline. And the demand that these myriad factors place on our nonprofit business community continues to grow exponentially.
We at The Foundation for Northwest Illinois believe our organization is uniquely positioned to seize opportunities and help meet our region’s growing needs. As a regional community foundation, we have strong ties to community partners in Stephenson, Jo Daviess, and Carroll counties, as well as strong statewide and national ties within the professional philanthropy community. We provide exemplary stewardship to our donors’ charitable funds as we partner with them to help them achieve their philanthropic goals. Collectively, our staff holds more than 50 years of nonprofit management experience. Fold in our Board of Directors, and that number soars well over 100 years. These collective resources enable us to respond effectively to locally identified needs and create initiatives geared toward change. Our work continues to be strengthened through partnerships across business, government, and the nonprofit sector.
This strategic plan and annual report represent The Foundation for Northwest Illinois’ commitment to steward every resource at our disposal as we work together with our regional neighbors toward our ultimate goal—a stronger, vibrant, self-sustaining Northwest Illinois. In this plan we identify our areas of major focus, where we believe The Foundation can assist in making real impact resulting in a real change in the quality of life for those who live, work, play, give, and grow in Northwest Illinois. We all own a part in Northwest Illinois’ future, and that collectivity, when embraced, will make us stronger, together.
