Why We Do What We Do

Chicago’s northwest and western suburbs include some of the wealthiest communities in the region. However, take a quick look at the 14 towns in the Woodfield area, and you’ll find that on average 12.2 percent of all families of four with children between the ages of 6–11 live below the poverty level, defined as a total household income of $25,750/year or less. (The numbers vary by town and school, with Elgin and Carpentersville hitting peaks of 22 and 29 percent living below the poverty level.)

Can you imagine, as a parent, having to provide all essentials (food, housing, transportation, childcare, and medical care) for your family of four on a budget of less than $500 a week?

Consider the impact on school success when one-quarter of the children in a single city or school are living at or under the poverty level. Then consider that in Illinois, a family’s income must be at 185 percent or below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) for the family to be income eligible for the Childcare Assistance program, as administered by the Illinois Department of Human Services.

At a November 2018 conference hosted by Harper College (made possible by United Palatine Coalition and Northwest Education Council for Student Success) Elizabeth Kneebone, research director of University of California-Berkeley's Terner Center for Housing Innovation, reported:  

• Low-income populations more than doubled since 2000 in 12 suburban communities -- nine of them are the Northwest suburban towns of Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Carpentersville, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Hanover Park, Palatine, Schaumburg, and Wheeling. Nearly half of the low-income population in the Northwest suburbs is children and seniors.

Highlights from 2024

In the last year, thanks to your generous donations, contributions, and volunteer efforts, WACO was able to positively impact 2,443 economically disadvantaged children and families, while also supporting our agency partners and local businesses!

• • Partnered with local banks to host the WACO Community Baby Shower, collecting thousands of diapers, wipes, and other basic needs, through lobby drop-boxes.
• • Purchased hundreds of diapers for children served through our nonprofit early childhood agency partners.
• • Teamed up with corporate partners to provide non-perishable food for 1,000 community members in need (children and families).
• • Gifted new winter coats, accessories, and shoes to 550+ children ages 0–11.
• • Joined forces with local businesses to purchase nearly 100 gift bags filled with educational toys for children in need.
• • Took hundreds of preschoolers shopping for $100+ in gifts through our Holiday Shopping Tours, impacting 600+ (children and families).