The John & Mary Lambert Memorial Fund for Children concentrates its support on local youth-serving organizations in the Joliet/Romeoville area, funding direct services, recreation, and school-based programs for children and adolescents. They repeatedly fund a small set of community anchors—particularly organizations serving children with disabilities, afterschool and recreational programs, and initiatives aimed at underserved youth—suggesting a place-based, child-centered philanthropic focus.
Concentrated, local giving with repeat grants to a small group of community organizations; moderate-sized grants focused on program support for children rather than broad national initiatives.
A clear pattern defines the John & Mary Lambert Memorial Fund for Children C/o Bmo Harris Bank Trust Dept: it repeatedly supports child-focused organizations in Joliet and nearby communities, with grants concentrated in services for children with disabilities, youth recreation, and school-based programs. The largest recent award in the data went to Easter Seals for a children’s benefit, and that same organization appears again in earlier grant years, pointing to a continuing relationship. Another recurring recipient, the Greater Joliet Area YMCA, also received multiple children’s benefit grants, underscoring the fund’s interest in places where children can participate in structured activities and support services. The foundation’s recent giving shows a practical, local style centered on direct services rather than broad, statewide initiatives. Its supported organizations include community anchors that serve children through recreation, special-needs support, and youth development. The presence of grants to groups like the George Werden Buck Boys & Girls Club and school-based recipients fits a pattern of funding programs that reach children through familiar local institutions.
In services for children with disabilities and special needs, the foundation gave $15,000 to Easter Seals for a children’s benefit in 2025, and the organization also received $11,000 in 2023 and $10,000 in 2024. For youth recreation and after-school activity, it awarded $10,000 to the Greater Joliet Area YMCA in 2025 after giving $10,000 in both 2023 and 2024, and it also supported the George Werden Buck Boys & Girls Club with $11,000 in 2023 and $10,000 in 2024. The funder also backs local school-linked support: Romeoville High School received $4,000 in 2023. Community-based leadership appears as well, with National Hook Up of Black Women Inc Joliet Chapter receiving $6,000 in 2023 for a children’s benefit.
Grant sizes cluster around a modest core: the 25th percentile is $4,000, the median is $10,000, and the 75th percentile is also $10,000. That means most awards are at or near $10,000, with a smaller number below that level and a few larger grants such as $15,000. The recipient list shows repeat giving across multiple years, especially to the same local organizations, which suggests ongoing support rather than one-time project funding. The fund appears to operate as a private family-style memorial fund and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$39K
$680K
$51K
$49K
Most grants fall between $4K and $10K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$4K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$10K
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Notable grantees: Easter Seals, Greater Joliet Area YMCA, George Werden Buck Boys & Girls Club, National Hook Up of Black Women, Joliet Chapter, Romeoville High School
Giving is entirely local and entirely in Illinois, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. The strongest concentration is in Joliet, where multiple grants landed with Easter Seals, the Greater Joliet Area YMCA, the George Werden Buck Boys & Girls Club, National Hook Up of Black Women Inc Joliet Chapter, and Step Into the Light Foundation. Outside Joliet, awards also went to Romeoville, Shorewood, and Mokena, all in Illinois. The recipient-country distribution is exclusively U.S.-based.
The fund supports child-focused groups serving children and adolescents, especially organizations tied to disabilities and special needs, youth recreation and after-school activity, and school-based programs. Recent recipients include Easter Seals, the Greater Joliet Area YMCA, the George Werden Buck Boys & Girls Club, Romeoville High School, and National Hook Up of Black Women Inc Joliet Chapter.
Typical grants cluster at $10,000. The distribution provided is p25 $4,000, median $10,000, and p75 $10,000, so most awards are around that amount, with some smaller grants and a few larger ones.
Yes. The recent grants show multi-year support for several recipients. Easter Seals appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; the Greater Joliet Area YMCA appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and the George Werden Buck Boys & Girls Club appears in 2023 and 2024.
The foundation gives locally, and 100% of grants in the data went to recipients in Illinois. Most awards go to organizations in Joliet, with additional grants to recipients in Romeoville, Shorewood, and Mokena.
No. The foundation’s profile lists funds individuals as False, indicating it does not fund individuals. The grants in the data go to organizations rather than people.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EASTER SEALS | JOLIET, IL | $15,000 | 2026 | CHILDREN'S BENEFIT |
| GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA | JOLIET, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | CHILDREN'S BENEFIT |
| NATIONAL HOOK UP OF BLACK WOMEN | JOLIET, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | CHILDREN'S BENEFIT |
| MIRACLE LEAGUE OF JOLIET | JOLIET, IL | $3,000 | 2026 | CHILDREN'S BENEFIT |
| KICKING IT BACK | BEECHER, IL | $1,000 | 2026 | CHILDREN'S BENEFIT |
| EASTER SEALS | JOLIET, IL | $15,000 | 2025 | CHILDREN'S BENEFIT |
| GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA | JOLIET, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | CHILDREN'S BENEFIT |
| ST MARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL | MOKENA, IL | $2,800 | 2025 | CHILDREN'S BENEFIT |
| EASTER SEALS | JOLIET, IL | $10,000 | 2024 | CHILDREN'S BENEFIT |
| GEORGE WERDEN BUCK BOYS & GIRLS CLUB | JOLIET, IL | $10,000 | 2024 | CHILDREN'S BENEFIT |
| GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA | JOLIET, IL | $10,000 | 2024 | CHILDREN'S BENEFIT |
| STEP INTO THE LIGHT FOUNDATION | JOLIET, IL | $3,000 | 2024 | CHILDREN'S BENEFIT |
| EASTER SEALS | JOLIET, IL | $11,000 | 2023 | CHILDREN'S BENEFIT |
| GEORGE WERDEN BUCK BOYS & GIRLS CLUB | JOLIET, IL | $11,000 | 2023 | CHILDREN'S BENEFIT |
| GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA | JOLIET, IL | $10,000 | 2023 | CHILDREN'S BENEFIT |
| NATIONAL HOOK UP OF BLACK WOMEN INC JOLIET CHAPTER | JOLIET, IL | $6,000 | 2023 | CHILDREN'S BENEFIT |
| 604 INITIATIVE NFP 2022 GRANTS | SHOREWOOD, IL | $4,000 | 2023 | CHILDREN'S BENEFIT |
| ROMEOVILLE HIGH SCHOOL | ROMEOVILLE, IL | $4,000 | 2023 | CHILDREN'S BENEFIT |
EASTER SEALS
$15,000CHILDREN'S BENEFIT
NATIONAL HOOK UP OF BLACK WOMEN
$10,000CHILDREN'S BENEFIT
MIRACLE LEAGUE OF JOLIET
$3,000CHILDREN'S BENEFIT
KICKING IT BACK
$1,000CHILDREN'S BENEFIT
EASTER SEALS
$15,000CHILDREN'S BENEFIT
ST MARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
$2,800CHILDREN'S BENEFIT
STEP INTO THE LIGHT FOUNDATION
$3,000CHILDREN'S BENEFIT
NATIONAL HOOK UP OF BLACK WOMEN INC JOLIET CHAPTER
$6,000CHILDREN'S BENEFIT
604 INITIATIVE NFP 2022 GRANTS
$4,000CHILDREN'S BENEFIT
ROMEOVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
$4,000CHILDREN'S BENEFIT