CYC Foundation Announces Ambitious Plans For 2023
February 20, 2023
Fueled by the generosity of CYC Foundation donors and building on the success of new initiatives launched in 2022, your Foundation is gearing up for the most ambitious year of programming to date.
“We’ve got big plans for 2023,” said Greg Miarecki, CYC Foundation President. “We’re ramping up high-impact programs to get more Chicagoland children on the water and offer more kids transformational experiences.”
Here’s a preview of key Foundation plans for 2023:
Quadruple our Community Sailing Immersion Program: Last year we launched our first community sailing camp bringing 10 children from SOS Illinois to Belmont Station for six full-day sessions taught by CYC sailing school instructors. This year we’re planning to host four community sailing camps, partnering once again with SOS Illinois as well as additional community groups serving underrepresented Chicagoland children.
Double the capacity of Lead HER Ship and introduce new STEM training initiatives: Now in its 13th year, the “Lead HER Ship” program offers underrepresented Chicagoland girls ages 14 through 17 an opportunity to learn to sail, lead, and work together during a five-day cruise on a tall ship on Lake Michigan. In the past, we’ve hosted one cruise each summer, but this year we’ll be hosting two. We’ll also be bringing the tall ship to Chicago for a week to hold a series of half-day STEM-focused cruises for Chicagoland children.
Double enrollment in the Foundation’s Maritime Academy and add swim lessons to the curriculum: Nearly 30 Chicagoland teens participated in the inaugural season of the Foundation’s Maritime Academy last year where they learned skills needed to work on Chicago’s many commercial boats. The training was followed by a job fair where many of the teens secured summer jobs. This year, we plan to double the number of teens participating in the program, expand the job fairs and add swimming lessons – an important component of boating safety – to the training.
Introduce a Foundation-sponsored scholarship program: Teens participating in any Foundation initiative will be eligible to apply for college and trade school scholarships.
Launch a Competition Fund to support competitive sailing: This new initiative, funded by Foundation donors who specified their donations be used to support competitive sailing, will be open to all Chicagoland sailors. We’ll be offering block grants and partnering with other organizations to host fundraisers in support of competitive sailors.
Hire a professional program manager: As we look to expand the scope and reach of our programs, we plan to hire a full-time manager to add structure and impact to Foundation initiatives.
This is just a sampling of the many plans underway for 2023. Other initiatives include significantly increasing our support of the Sea Scout Ship Privateer and building new partnerships with community outreach groups to help introduce Lake Michigan and the joys of boating to more Chicagoland children.