CHICAGO – Camelot Illinois is proud to announce that non-profit organizations Ladies of Virtue (LOV) and Step Up received $30,000 in total funding from the Camelot Illinois Grant Program.
"We are pleased to support these two incredible organizations that foster the development of young women," says Keith Horton, General Manager and General Counsel of Camelot Illinois. "One of our core values at Camelot Illinois is to 'spark enthusiasm.' Ladies of Virtue and Step Up exemplify this value by uncovering passion and drive in our youth to improve themselves and their communities."
Ladies of Virtue, a Gold Star mentoring organization, received $20,000 in grant funding from the Camelot Illinois Grant Program. Funds will be put towards enrolling 100 teens in its career and civic engagement program called Power to the Professional. Young professionals participate in workshops, like financial literacy, and manage innovative leadership projects that involve collaboration with community organizations. Ladies of Virtue strives to instill purpose, passion, and perseverance in girls, ages 9 to 18, while preparing them for college, careers, and becoming change agents in their communities.
"When you invest in girls from under-served communities, you are also building up their families and communities, which have too often lacked the proper resources for those girls to grow and thrive," says Founder and CEO of Ladies of Virtue, Jamila Trimuel. "Ladies of Virtue is proud to partner with Camelot Illinois to ensure that our girls have the resources they need to succeed during this COVID-19 pandemic and beyond."
Similarly, Step Up empowers girls in under-resourced communities to become college and career-ready through social and emotional skills development and mentoring. Step Up received $10,000 in grant funding from Camelot Illinois. This funding will support after-school programs for 9th-11th grade teens. Funding will also be applied to the Young Luminaries program to instill a sense of responsibility, self-confidence, leadership, and initiative in students while further defining career aspirations.
"Step Up is helping teens to mitigate the long-term impacts of trauma of the current climate through consistent after-school programming and mentorship focused on well-being," Step Up CEO, Delores Druilhet Morton said. "We thank Camelot Illinois for enabling our work and investing in the next generation of women leaders."
The Camelot Illinois Grant Program promotes community and neighborhood development by funding programs that foster educational opportunities and support technological initiatives. Grants are awarded to eligible non-profit organizations four times per year. Annual grant reviews take place in January, April, July, and October.
Interested applicants can learn more information about the Camelot Illinois Grant Program, including details on how to apply, at www.camelotillinois.com/grants/.
Ladies of Virtue
Step Up
About Camelot Illinois:
Camelot Illinois is the private manager of the Illinois Lottery. In partnership with the State, Camelot operates a modern lottery that truly benefits the people of Illinois. Camelot is dedicated to working with transparency, integrity, and responsibility to grow the lottery and generate essential funding for education across the state. The company's innovative approach places consumers and social responsibility at its core, providing funding for schools, capital projects, and special causes. To learn more, visit www.camelotillinois.com.
ABOUT STEP UP
Step Up believes when all girls have the opportunity to fulfill their potential, our communities will be more just and will flourish. Offering mentorship programs for high school girls, the nonprofit works with the next generation of womxn leaders on becoming confident, college-bound and career-focused. Connect at suwn.org.
