1 in 3 children in Chicagoland lives in poverty.

Let’s help them.

At Cradles to Crayons, our entire organization is driven by a focused and all-important goal: to make life better for children in need. To make this happen, it takes a wide variety of individuals and groups coming together to make a difference in their local communities.

Ways to Give

Find A Local Drop Off

You can help us get everyday essentials into the hands of children. Learn more about how you can help.

Please check out our Fiscal Year 2019 Annual Highlights Report, to see what strides we made last year thanks to your continued support.

Child Champion is our all-new monthly giving program that fuels the heart of our organization and helps to launch a child’s full potential.

MLK Collection Drive

On MLK Day, Monday, January 20, 2020 Cradles to Crayons is proud to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy of service in the community by going region-wide for our largest product collection of the year.

Donate essential items for children ages 0-12 experiencing poverty at 30 sites throughout Chicagoland from 10 AM – 1 PM CST.

Families Helping Families

Once you experience the joy of giving back and see the benefits of your philanthropy firsthand, you will want to pass those feelings and values on to your children. When coming together as a family to help Cradles to Crayons, you have several opportunities to make a real and immediate difference in your local community.

Learn about our Family Leadership Circle >

Take Action

We work with over 7,000 families, individuals, community groups and companies to serve over 30,000 children every year in Chicago. Your time is vital to getting children the everyday essentials they need.

Make a Difference

Our Stories

On a human level, what we do is bring a little sunshine into the life of a family or child in need. Learn firsthand about the difference we make on a day-to-day basis. From our service partners and volunteers and from the families themselves.

The Difference We're Making

Service Partners

Our whole focus is to make our collaborative process as easy and streamlined as possible. This helps us to empower the children you serve at home, at school and at play by providing the everyday essentials that match their individual needs.

Learn More