CHICAGO (July 23, 2018) – More than 25 local restaurants and culinary partners will come together in support of mentorship at Shine & Dine benefiting Step Up on Thursday, August 9, 2018. During the event, the nonprofit will honor alumna English Henderson for inspiring women and girls to fulfill their potential.
The event will return to Revel Fulton Market (1215 West Fulton Market) and is expected to welcome 700 guests. Between 6:00-9:30 p.m., guests will sip and snack their way through tasting stations from Chicago's top eateries, while raising funds for Step Up's mentorship programs for high school girls.
"Shine & Dine unites the community for a culinary celebration while raising vital funds that enable our mentorship programs to reach Chicago's teen girls," Step Up CEO Jenni Luke said. "We're excited to highlight our alumna English as Step Up marks 20 years of service and impact."
The event's host committee includes boldfaced names like Torrey DeVitto (Chicago Med), Amy Laughlin and Chris Johnson (The Orville), Val Warner (Windy City LIVE), Candace Jordan (Chicago Tribune and CandidCandace.com), and Danielle Robay.
Christine Cikowski of Honey Butter Fried Chicken and Sunday Dinner Club returns as Chef Chair and will offer small bites alongside Bang Bang Pie Shop, bellyQ, Boka, Boleo, Dough Mess Around, Do-Right Donuts, Eden, Eno, The Florentine, Floriole, Foiled Cupcakes, Le Colonial, Lifeway, Madison & Rayne, Michael Jordan's Steak House, Nico Osteria, Naoki Sushi, Piccolo Sogno, Ronero, The Signature Room, Troquet, Upstairs at The Gwen and Wow Bao. Beverage partners include Beam Suntory, Giuliana Prosecco and MillerCoors.
The event also receives support from platinum sponsors Allstate Insurance Company and Ulta Beauty, along with gold sponsor PwC.
Shine & Dine is chaired by Jessica McLaughlin of Northern Trust. Cindy Sobel of Barlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott LLP chairs the Step Up Chicago chapter board of directors and sits on Step Up's national board of directors with past national chair Angela Elbert (Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg) and Marcy Twete.
Henderson, a member of Step Up's Class of 2014, will share her Step Up story during the event's brief program. Henderson graduated this spring from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
This year marks the 20th year of service for Step Up, founded in 1998 by Kaye Popofsky Kramer. Step Up now offers after-school and weekend mentorship programs for high school girls living or going to school in under-resourced communities in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Dallas and Atlanta. The Chicago chapter increased its reach this past school year by enrolling 500 girls from eight high school partners across the city.
Shine & Dine tickets begin at $250 and can be purchased at www.suwn.org/sd.
ABOUT STEP UP
Step Up believes all girls should have the opportunity to fulfill their potential. Through after-school and weekend mentorship programs, the nonprofit works with girls from under-resourced communities on becoming confident, college-bound, career-focused, and ready to join the next generation of professional women. Connect at suwn.org.
