Participants from Park View and Lincoln visited The Morton Arboretum and enjoyed the unseasonably warm October afternoon while exploring all of the beauty of the fall season. GECRC is so grateful for our partnership with The Morton Arboretum for supporting learning in the outdoors with participants from across all program sites. 

The 2025-26 GECRC program kicked off the first week with a tremendous start with more than 100 participants across six program sites - Churchill, D41 Kindergarten Center, Lincoln, Hadley in District 41 and Glen Crest and Park View in Consolidated School District 89. As we head into the winter season, the program has been growing with new participants each week and is presently at more than 200 students.

“With every new enrollment at GECRC, it is a reminder of the hope and potential living in our community. Each child who joins us brings a unique story, a bright spark, and the promise of growth—and we are honored to walk alongside them on their journey,” says Executive Director Sarah O'Donnell. 

As enrollment grows each month, so does GECRC's need for volunteer support from across the community. If you have an hour or more a week that you are able to share helping a child learn to read, please consider joining our team of nearly 100 volunteers. To learn more about becoming a GECRC volunteer and to register, click here.

GECRC is excited to welcome new talent to our expanding after-school team! As enrollment continues to grow, the need for caring adults who can nurture academic confidence, spark curiosity, and build meaningful relationships with our participants has never been greater.

Our newest team members bring diverse skills, fresh perspectives, and a shared passion for helping children thrive. Whether guiding literacy and math activities, leading enrichment clubs, or creating safe spaces for social-emotional growth, they play an essential role in shaping each child’s experience after school. With their energy and commitment, we look forward to another year of learning, connection, and big dreams unfolding for the young neighbors we serve. Click here to read more about our new team members on our Facebook page.

This fall at GECRC, learning, creativity, and community spirit have been in full swing!

We celebrated National Hispanic Heritage Month by inviting staff to share their favorite books honoring the richness of Hispanic cultures. Families can explore these titles through The Bookstore of Glen Ellyn or the Glen Ellyn Public Library.

At Park View, students have been loving Friday STEM activities through DuPage Children’s Museum’s Wonder Club. Their recent “Secret Messages” project—writing with baking soda slurry and revealing notes with turmeric and hand sanitizer—made science feel like magic.

And a big thank you to everyone who donated new and gently used Halloween costumes! Students had a blast choosing from hundreds of fun options, ensuring every GECRC elementary participant found the perfect costume for Halloween.

Welcoming Three New GECRC Board Members

Madeleine Winter

Nell Gallagher

Penelope Johnson

GECRC is proud to welcome Madeleine Winter, Nell Gallagher, and Penelope Johnson to our Board of Directors. Each brings a wealth of experience, a heart for service, and a deep commitment to strengthening our community.

Madeleine Winter, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with Northwestern Medicine, specializes in treating anxiety disorders and has a strong background in community outreach. A Glen Ellyn native and former GECRC summer intern, Madeleine is excited to give back to the community that shaped her.

Nell Gallagher joins us from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, where she serves as Assistant Vice President in Member and Bank Operations. With an MBA in finance from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and a new home in Glen Ellyn, Nell is eager to make a positive impact on local students and families.



Penelope Johnson, newly rooted in Glen Ellyn, brings extensive experience in museum work, historic preservation, and nonprofit service—including board leadership with The Cradle Society. Her passion for community engagement, combined with diverse volunteer work, enriches GECRC’s mission in meaningful ways.

We're grateful for the dedication each of these leaders brings to GECRC and look forward to the vision, expertise, and energy they will contribute. Please join us in welcoming Madeleine, Nell, and Penelope to the board!

Thank You to Our Retiring Board Members

Rebecca DePorter

Penelope "Penny" Linneweh

Catherine Voight

GECRC extends heartfelt gratitude to three outstanding board members—Rebecca DePorter, Penelope “Penny” Linneweh, and Catherine Voigt—as they conclude their terms of service. Their leadership, volunteerism, and deep commitment have strengthened GECRC in countless ways and helped shape the growth of our programs.

Rebecca DePorter, who served for more than five years, brought invaluable HR expertise, strengthened staff retention, and helped guide our expansion into District 89. She also made a lasting impact as a volunteer tutor—experiences she says allowed her to see GECRC’s mission come to life. We are grateful she will continue supporting Park View students through tutoring.

Penny Linneweh, a board member for more than three years and a GECRC supporter since the early Kiwanis days, enriched our community through her love of reading and her commitment to connecting children with books. As Finance Committee Chair, she helped solidify GECRC’s financial foundation, and her hands-on engagement with students leaves a joyful legacy.



Catherine Voigt, who served eight years—including as Board Vice President—contributed steady guidance, thoughtful leadership, and a deep dedication to the sustainability and success of GECRC. Her long tenure helped guide the organization through important transitions and growth.



To Rebecca, Penny, and Catherine: thank you for your years of service, leadership, and heart. GECRC is stronger, more resilient, and more connected because of you. You will always be part of our GECRC family.

Celebrating Volunteers of the Month

GECRC is delighted to honor three outstanding volunteers whose energy, compassion, and commitment have made a remarkable impact this fall. Congratulations to Luke Roen, Ruth Ahern and Nicole Kain, our September, October and November Volunteers of the Month! Click here to read more about them and their good work around GECRC and the community on our Facebook page.

This fall has been a powerful reminder of how deeply our community shows up for GECRC. From hands-on service projects to in-kind donations and local partnerships, your generosity continues to fuel joyful experiences for our students and strengthen our programs in meaningful ways.

At the Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce Steak Fry, GECRC received a generous check for volunteering at the Taste of Glen Ellyn Beer Tent—thank you to the Chamber for supporting our mission and lifting up local nonprofits.

We are also grateful to Eagle Scout candidate Noah Potoshnick, a D41 alum, who built and delivered custom storage shelves for our office as part of his service project. Thanks to the Potoshnick family, our staff can now stay organized with the supplies needed across all five program sites.

As cooler weather sets in, partners like Warm Coats for Cool Kids and the Kiwanis Club of Glen Ellyn ensured our participants are bundled up for winter by donating coats and helping distribute them alongside a welcome visit from former board member Penny Linneweh. And thanks to State Representative Diane Blair-Sherlock and the Unravelers group, our students are now wrapped in colorful, handmade hats and scarves crafted with love.

Halloween was especially magical thanks to hundreds of donated costumes from our neighbors and families. Every GECRC grade school participant found a “new” costume—from dinosaurs to butterflies. All participants enjoyed festive Halloween To-Go bags generously supported by community partners including KidMatter, Endeavor Health, Glen House Pantry, YWCA, NAMI DuPage, People’s Resource Center, DuPage Health Coalition, ICFIRR, Centro, and many more.

We also celebrate a joyful moment from our GECRC Literary Event: The Bookstore of Glen Ellyn hosted a private party for the winners of the “Battle of the Bookclubs,” recognizing the Greenfield Book Club’s creativity and community spirit. A special thanks to The Bookstore’s Shannon Burgess and our Literary Event Committee for making the celebration memorable.



Finally, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to everyone who cast their votes for GECRC in the Target Circle Guest-Directed Giving Program. With 44,397 votes, your support resulted in a grant of $2,828.90, directly fueling our programs and affirming the value of our work in the community.

Thank you to every donor, volunteer, partner, and neighbor who continues to lift up GECRC. Your in-kind support not only meets essential needs—it brings joy, dignity, and opportunity to the children and families we serve. We are grateful beyond measure. If you have a unique idea for supporting GECRC families, please feel welcome to reach out to us. To share your ideas, email Sarah.

Rock the Block & Rocktoberfest:

A Neighborhood Celebration of Music and Community

GECRC sends a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who helped make this year’s two-part Rock the Block and Rocktoberfest celebrations such memorable community events! These neighborhood gatherings were hosted as third-party fundraisers in support of GECRC, and we are deeply grateful for the creativity, generosity, and heart behind them.

Special thanks to the Cheney, Winter, and Lobdell families and their wonderful neighbors for opening their blocks and creating such warm, joyful spaces for connection. Your hospitality brought the community together in the best possible way.

We also extend enormous gratitude to our talented musical performers—Lucy Dallman, Matt Gasaway, John Condon, Courtnay Roberts, and Justin “Bronco” Ullman (pictured above)—for filling the evenings with energy, artistry, and fun.

To everyone who attended, celebrated, and donated: thank you. Your support fuels GECRC’s programs and helps our participants learn, grow, and thrive.

If you’re inspired to host your own third-party fundraiser for GECRC, we would love to partner with you! Please reach out to Sarah O’Donnell to learn more.

GECRC & Churchill PTA’s First-Ever BBQ Drive-Thru:

A Delicious Success!

GECRC is pleased to celebrate the success of our first-ever Books & BBQ To Go drive-thru fundraiser, cohosted with Churchill Elementary PTA! Despite the chilly weather, the community showed up with warmth and enthusiasm as we served more than 100 meals on a beautiful fall evening.

A tremendous thank you goes out to our dedicated volunteers, GECRC Churchill staff, PTA partners, District 41, and every neighbor who purchased a meal or helped spread the word. Your support made this inaugural event both fun and impactful.

We're deeply grateful to our generous sponsors Foundation Wealth Strategies, Camp Ruff It, Hogan Plumbing, Addlawn Landscaping, the Bridget Carroll Group, and community member Rachelle Kienlen—for making this fundraiser possible. Thank you as well to Gnome Colony and Orange Theory Fitness Glen Ellyn for your thoughtful in-kind donations.

Finally, a very special shout-out to our year-long sponsors, Glen Ellyn Bank & Trust and The Ball Foundation, whose ongoing commitment strengthens GECRC’s programs throughout the year.

Thank you to everyone who helped make our BBQ drive-thru a success—we can’t wait to fire it up again next year!

A huge thank-you to the organizations who recently supported GECRC’s five after-school programs—through grants, financial gifts, and generous in-kind donations. Your partnership advances our mission and makes a real difference for our students!

Grants:

Alfred Bersted Foundation

Fred J. Brunner Foundation

DuPage Foundation

DuPage Community Transformation Partnership Fund

Dr. Scholl Foundation

Annual Business Partners:

Ball Foundation

Glen Ellyn Bank & Trust

In-Kind Donations:

Abby Woenker | Alan Taylor | Alexandra Romero | Alyse Borla | Amanda Scanlon | Amanda Vallejo | Andrea Atkin | Andrea Derdinger | Angela Hubbard-Fragozo | Anna Kreissler | Anne Meyer | Ashonte Steele | Brian & Jen Hanlon | Brian & Sarah O'Donnell | Caitlin Ramos | Carrie O'Halloran | Celia Rodee | Chelsea Ciardiello | Chelsea Randall | Chris & Emily Lobdell | Christine Dougherty | Colleen Costello | Corinna Weckerle | Denise Agger | Diana Evans | Diana Valladares | DuPage Children's Museum | Elizabeth Boulus | Elizabeth Greco | Elisabeth Soto | Ellen Brannegan | Erica Nelson | Elizabeth Soto | Esther & Joseph Thang | Evelyn Rodriguez | First Presbyterian Church | Frank Szewczyk | Gnome Colony | Heather Liay McCauley | Jack Cavanagh | Jaclyn Dougherty | Jami Dougherty | Jan Baldwin | Jasmine Rivera | Jennifer Dietzler | John Walker | Karen Lisook | Karla Kampen | Kate Brooks | Kathryn Anderson | Kathryn Check | Katie LaDow | Lauren Bukrey Laramie | Leah Harding | Lindsay Williams | Lindsey DeKuiper | Lisa Hepner | Lisa Johnson | Liz Skirvin | Lucy Fragozo | Lucy Pask | Lynne Steiner | Mark & Karen Winters | Maven Sipes | Marci Meyers | Mark Brillantes | Mary Kampen | Maureen Eckroth | Miles Evans | Monica Comparan | Navy Pier | Nell Bocenek | Nell Galagher | Orange Theory Glen Ellyn | Patrick & Jean O'Donnell | Randy Poole | Rebecca DePorter | Representative Diane Blair-Sherlock | Rob & Jodi Herbold | Robert Dieter | Ryan Hagan | Susan Dudish-Poulsen | The Bookstore of Glen Ellyn | The Morton Arboretum | Tom & Janet Rynne | Tonancy | Yuritzi Santiago

End of Year Annual Appeal

Thank you so much to everyone who donated to our Giving Tuesday appeal! Giving Tuesday officially launched our End of Year appeal. Our students at GECRC have Big Dreams! Please consider joining us and making a donation to help our students achieve those dreams.

With a charitable gift to GECRC, you can help hundreds of local children gain academic and social-emotional support while giving their parents hope, stability, and peace of mind through GECRC’s nurturing programs and services powered by volunteer tutors, many of whom are also local high school students, college students, and community members.

Your generosity also has the potential to be doubled today dollar-for-dollar up to $10,000 as part of GECRC's Board of Director's Matching Gift Challenge. On behalf of all of us at GECRC, we wish you and your family a healthy and peaceful holiday season.