IICF Midwest Blazing the Trail Benefit will be held in an indoor space at the Ritz Carlton, Chicago. IICF continues to monitor the recommendations and mandates in accordance with the CDC, the State of Illinois, Cook County and the City of Chicago.  Those who have not been vaccinated should continue to wear a mask and socially distance. Please do not attend if you are suffering from COVID-19 symptoms. All guests will be asked to sign a waiver in advance of the event.

About

Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation Midwest Division

About

The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) is a unique nonprofit that unites the collective strengths of the insurance industry to help communities and enrich lives through grants, volunteer service and leadership. Established in 1994, IICF has served as the philanthropic voice and foundation of the insurance industry for more than thirty years, contributing $53 million in community grants along with over 400,000 volunteer hours by more than 130,000 industry professionals. 

IICF reinvests locally where funds are raised, serving hundreds of charities and nonprofit organizations, for maximum community impact. IICF Midwest Division awarded more than $660,000 in 2025.  

2025 Grant Recipients

A House in Austin
Chicago, IL
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Agape Pamoja Blessing House
Kansas City, MO
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Boys & Girls Club Greater Kansas City
Kansas City, MO
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Boys Hope Girls Hope
Chicago, IL
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Bridge Communities
Glen Ellyn, IL
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By the Hand Club
Chicago, IL
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Camp One Step by Children's Oncology Services
Chicago, IL
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Cara Collective
Chicago, IL
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Chicago Debate Commission
Chicago, IL
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Children's Place Association
Chicago, IL
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CircEsteem
Chicago, IL
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Connections for Abused Women and Their Children (CAWC)
Chicago, IL
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Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery
Minneapolis, MN
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HER Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH
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Helping Hands and Horses
Festus, MO
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HopeBUILDERS Home Repair
Overland Park, KS
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Humanitri
St. Louis, MO
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Inspiration Corporation
Chicago, IL
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JOURNEYS The Road Home
Palatine, IL
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KEEN St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
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Kids' Chance of Missouri
St. Louis, MO
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Lead to Read KC
Kansas City, MO
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Lower Lights Health
Columbus, OH
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Meals on Wheels of Southwest Ohio & Northern Kentucky
Cincinnati, OH
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Momentum Excellence
Columbus, OH
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North Country Food Bank
East Grand Forks, MN
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Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society, The Children's Clinic
Oak Park, IL
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Open Books
Chicago, IL
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Opportunity Knocks
River Forest, IL
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PRISM
Minneapolis, MN
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Pete's Garden
Kansas City, MO
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Pink Ribbon Good
Englewood, OH
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Pray Hope Believe Foundation
Cincinnati, OH
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Providence House
Cleveland, OH
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Ravenswood Community Services
Chicago, IL
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Sarah's Inn
Chicago, IL
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Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley
Youngstown, OH
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Simply from the Heart
Hinsdale, IL
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St. Louis Crisis Nursery
St. Louis, MO
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The Night Ministry
Chicago, IL
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VOCEL
Chicago, IL
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Woodlawn Community Food Pantry
Chicago, IL
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Midwest Board Members

Deborah Babcock

Katie School of Insurance
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Maura

Insureon
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Sam Carson

Burns & Wilcox / H.W. Kaufman
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Arun D'Silva

KPMG
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Mimi Fiske

Markel
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Eric Flatt

Swiss Re
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Brent Gaeta

Chubb
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Jen Gentry

Chubb
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Mike Hayes

Allianz Commercial
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Kelsey Higgason

Lexington Insurance
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Sara Hogan

Aon
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Gianne James

First Insurance Funding
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Christopher Johnston

Liberty Mutual
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Jennifer Kratochvil

Mayer Brown
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Joe LaRocco

Alliant
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Emily Landa

SPG
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Ron Levitt

CRC Chicago
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Jessica McMahon

Zurich
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Heather Posner

Burns & Wilcox
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Sean Prestipino

The Hartford
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Bryan Pritchett

Aon
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Breck Seitz

RPS
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Marcie Stephan

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance
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Sarah Stephens

Marsh
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Andy Swenson

Crum & Forster, Surplus & Specialty
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Patrick Talley

Lloyd's
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Darcy Waddell

Applied Systems
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Jim Wasserburger

Intact Insurance
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Jeff Wolfe

CNA
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Chapters

Midwest Division Associate Board

Chicago, IL

The Midwest Division Associate Board partners with Children's Place Association, Inspiration Corporation, and the Woodlawn Community Food Pantry, raising funds and providing volunteer services throughout the year. The Associate Board is comprised of 30 emerging leaders representing many sectors of the insurance industry.

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Heartland Chapter

Missouri and Kansas

Founded in 2017, the IICF Heartland Chapter unites the collective strength of the insurance industry in St. Louis and Kansas City to help their communities through volunteer service and grantmaking. To date, they have awarded more than $760,000 in grants to over 35 local nonprofit partners.

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Ohio Chapter

Ohio

Since 2014, the IICF Ohio Chapter Board of Directors has established its annual Oktoberfest event as one of the premier insurance industry events in the Great Lakes region, awarding more than $900,000 to Ohio nonprofits with a focus on health, education, and safety.

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Katie Weil

VP of Philanthropy, Camp One Step

We're so grateful for IICF for helping to bring smiles, connections and fun to the pediatric cancer patients and survivors we served during our wintertime camp programs. Together we are creating memories, friendships and hope that will fuel them all year.

Erin Kerr

BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK

Blessings in a Backpack is grateful for the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation’s generous donation of $112,885 that provided 28,220 bags of weekend nutrition to 5,260+ food insecure kids across 32 programs in Illinois and Ohio.