Serving Families Collaboratively

Our extensive network of Service Partners is the crucial link between Cradles to Crayons and the children we serve. Everything we distribute is in partnership with organizations that provide a variety of services and meet a range of needs. This partnership model allows us to all focus on what we uniquely do best.

Cradles to Crayons works with more than 85 Service Partners. Our Partners use our mobile Partner Portal to place orders for essentials; each order is based on the needs of a specific child in their care. These orders are processed and packaged in The Giving Factory and are then ready for pickup by our Service Partners, who deliver them directly to the families. Together, we distribute over 2 million items annually across Chicagoland.

Cradles to Crayons and our Service Partners collectively serve racially and linguistically diverse, tight-knit, caring, and committed communities. 82% of the families C2C supports make under $30,000 a year—which is under the federal poverty line—and more than half earn less than $10,000 a year. Working with Cradles to Crayons ensures better success for Service Partners and the families they serve.

The role fulfilled by our diverse network of Service Partners is a crucial link between Cradles to Crayons and the children we serve. So our whole focus is to make our collaborative process as easy and streamlined as possible. This helps us to empower the children we serve collaboratively — at home, at school, and at play — by providing the everyday essentials that match their individual needs.