James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family Foundation

About James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family Foundation

A defining feature of the James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family Foundation is its repeated support for Chicago organizations at the $40,000 to $50,000 level, often for general operations, wellness, or program support. In the recent grants list, Start Early appears twice at $50,000, while Thresholds received $50,000 for the Veterans Project & Wellness and a prior $40,000 award for the Thresholds Veteran Project. That pattern points to a funder that backs ongoing service delivery rather than one-off project spikes. The foundation also supports arts institutions with regular operating grants. Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Shattered Globe Theatre, Porchlight Music Theatre, and Remy Bumppo all received recent support, with several awards structured as general operations. Beyond the arts, the portfolio includes education and early-childhood work, housing and supportive services, and reproductive health access. Recent grants to Planned Parenthood of Illinois, Midwest Access Project, Midwest Access Coalition, La Casa Norte, Deborah's Place, and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago show a mix of civic, health, and social-service priorities. The foundation’s giving also reaches beyond Chicago when a program aligns with its interests, as seen in New Teacher Center and Theatre Aspen.

What James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family Foundation Funds

In early childhood and teacher development, the foundation gave $50,000 to Start Early for general operating support and $50,000 to New Teacher Center for Chicago and Oak Park programming & wellness. It also supported Golden Apple Foundation, showing a continuing interest in education work tied to Chicago. In arts funding, it made $40,000 grants to Chicago Shakespeare Theater for general operations, Shattered Globe Theatre for general operations, and Porchlight Music Theatre for general operations. Remy Bumppo also received $50,000 for general operations, reinforcing a recurring emphasis on theater institutions. The foundation’s social-service and health portfolio includes $45,000 to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, $40,000 to La Casa Norte, $40,000 to Deborah's Place, and $40,000 to Planned Parenthood of Illinois for general operating support and wellness. These grants sit alongside support for veteran and counseling services through Thresholds and Thrive Counseling Center.

How James P and Brenda S Grusecki Family Foundation Gives