Issue 4 Volume 2 April 2025

Strengthening the lives of at-risk youth and young adults so they may be mentally healthy and receive needed mental health programming and support.

Spring is an exciting time for Meg’s Legacy of Hope as we announce our 2025 grant awards.

Although only in our second year, Meg’s Legacy is becoming a recognized entity for granting funds in the mental health community. This is reflected in our many new connections with professional organizations making an impact throughout the Chicago area.

Meg’s Legacy nearly doubled our grants in 2025, awarding almost $170,000 to non-profit organizations, all thanks to your very generous donations! Together we are impacting the lives and mental health of our youth with your continuous support.

Thank you to our dedicated grant committee who thoughtfully selected seven grant recipients from many applications. We look forward to growing our partnerships with these groups to support their important missions in improving and saving lives. Growing with our grantees in 2025 means Meg’s Legacy can fulfill our mission to strengthen the lives of at-risk youth so they may be mentally healthy and receive mental health programming and support if needed.

As I write this letter, a female cardinal is perched on the feeder outside my window staring inside, which I have come to believe is Meg saying “Hi, Dad.” I feel Meg’s presence in these moments, and it reminds me of the kind works she did in her too-short life to make a difference for the young people she helped in her volunteer work. Meg’s volunteer work fuels us to do the same.

We are an all-volunteer organization, and especially during National Volunteer Month, we recognize and thank the enthusiastic and dedicated board of directors and ambassadors who are working on behalf of Meg’s Legacy. Also, we extend a warm welcome to our growing list of advisors and volunteers, to whom we are so grateful. If you feel a connection to our mission at Meg’s Legacy and you would like to volunteer, please reach out: info@megslegacyofhope.org.

Together we can make a difference.

Gratefully,

Larry Butz

Our Grant Committee of ten individuals has the responsibility and privilege to review grant proposals and select awards to be funded by Meg’s Legacy of Hope.

We are proud to announce nearly $170,000 in grant awards this year, which is almost double the gifting during our 2024 grant cycle.

Elyssa’s Mission (Northbrook) - $20,000
Josselyn Center (Grayslake) - $25,000
Juvenile Protective Association (Chicago) - $30,000
Partners for Our Communities (Palatine) - $25,000
Willow House (Bannockburn) - $15,000
Youth and Family Counseling (Libertyville) - $30,000

Meg’s Legacy also provided $23,600 to Megan Butz’s alma mater, Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein, to fund their mental health curriculum expansion.

Our overriding goal in providing grants is selecting programs that align closely to the mission and goals of Meg’s Legacy. Although we are unable to award grants to all the organizations who submitted proposals, we remain humbled by their wonderful programs. Truly amazing work is being done in our communities. Later this year we will announce the next grant cycle.

A well-known quote from Helen Keller rings true here at Meg’s Legacy. "Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.”

April is National Volunteer Month, and we could not be more thankful for all the volunteers involved with Meg’s Legacy of Hope. We run on volunteer support only. With no paid staff, we rely on the expertise and donation of time by our dedicated volunteers, which includes our event planning team, professional advisory board members, grant committee members, grantee relationship managers, board members and others who make time in their lives for our growing organization.

Please consider volunteering with our team in one capacity or another. Click below to meet our newest volunteers and see how you can join in the efforts to volunteer in your own way.

Together, we have raised and donated $300,000 in the past 18 months.

SAVE THE DATE

TWO YEARS OF HOPE: CELEBRATING MEG’S LEGACY

Thursday, JUNE 19, 2025

More than 200 enthusiastic supporters joined us at the summer bash last year for the anniversary celebration of establishing Meg’s Legacy of Hope. It’s a true testament that our community shares in this mission to improve mental health.

We are happy to repeat the fun! Plan to join the festivities on Thursday, June 19th at Phase Three Brewery in Lake Zurich for the anniversary celebration of establishing Meg’s Legacy of Hope.

Come enjoy casual food and drinks plus live music. More details about registration to follow.

EXPERT'S CORNER

Here at Meg’s Legacy, we think it’s important to be a voice to address mental health issues. We feature an educational article in each newsletter, and today, we address the common concern of how social media influences our mental health.

According to Dr. Christopher Bibby, Psy.D., “Use of social media networking sites is associated with increased risks of depression, anxiety, disrupted sleep, psychological distress and even physical affects. Just as what we put into our physical bodies impacts our functioning, so too what we ingest through our eyes and ears impacts our mental functioning. And because the mind and body are one machine and highly inter-connected, our psychological diet will impact our physical functioning.

The good news is – you can do something different! With some intentional shifts, you can learn to create more pleasant, positive emotions in your day. Here are a few starter recommendations that may help you manage social media instead of it managing you…”

Read Full Article Here

Dr. Chris Bibby, Psy.D., is an advisor for Meg’s Legacy of Hope.

In January, we received a heartwarming email from Megan’s former co-worker at ITW, Jillian Economy. Jillian spearheaded a creative fundraising effort in her MBA program resulting in the contribution of $4,045 to Meg’s Legacy.

Jillian said, “I honestly was so excited to be able to execute this project and have it support Meg’s charity. I am thrilled that the ITW triple match is processing and that our small project is making a little bit of an impact.”

We cannot thank Jillian and her team enough for their support of Megan this way! This is truly amazing to see how Meg’s spirit is being kept alive! In Jillian’s own words, “My life is simply better for having known Meg.”