CIACO 2020 Scholarship Recipients

Honor and Hope Gala is our second major fundraiser. Formerly the Man of the Year and Scholarship Banquet, CIACO has altered this format to not only award scholarships to deserving students (Hope) but also to Honor wounded heroes. Funds are raised by selling various-sized ads in the Program Guide, or in the form of special sponsors. Revenue from this event contributes to our operating fund and is used solely to further CIACO’s charitable endeavors throughout the year.

CIACO’s tradition of giving lives on!

They say you can’t keep a good man down. The same goes for a good organization. The Chicagoland Italian American Charitable Organization has a remarkable legacy of giving that dates back to its founding in 1999. Each year since then, we have provided hundreds of needy families with full Thanksgiving meals, presented tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships to college-bound students, and bestowed tens of thousands of dollars more upon veterans in need and other worthy causes. The pandemic may have curtailed our activities, but it hasn’t dampened our spirit of generosity.

We had to cancel our Honor & Hope Gala, golf outing and Baskets of Love campaign for safety reasons, but several members and benefactors came through in the clutch with generous donations. As a result, we were able to present 19 scholarships to worthy college-bound students and three grants to families in need. Please accept our best wishes for a safe, healthy and happy holiday season.

CIACO’s 2020 Scholarship Recipients

Anthony Arnoni

Nicholas Atkins

Kylie Bentley

Gaetano Console

Angelo and Dominic Giannotti

Frankie Guida

Angelica Herrera

Joe Leonardo

Reanna Madeson

Emily Mytych

 

Lorraine Noonan

Juliana Saviano

Carmela Scambiatterra

Ava Vaccaro

Elena Vaccaro

Luc Vasilevich

 

Jack West

Tyler Wottman

Three grants to families in need

THE SOEPRASETYO FAMILY

Husband and father, Kyle, is battling epilepsy. CIACO’s donation will help with uncovered medical expenses and specialized equipment.

THE LIMA FAMILY

Daughter Lilly suffers from anoxic brain damage. CIACO’s donation will be used to buy specialized equipment, including an adaptive tricycle.

THE GOOCH FAMILY

Husband and father, Robert, is a military veteran suffering from a traumatic brain injury. CIACO’s donation will help the family recover from financial hardship.