Grants

Where does the money go?

Funding for National and International Programs

Up to 75% of the net revenue raised from the Komen Chicago Race for the Cure®, special events, and the generosity of individual and corporate donors are distributed right back into the Chicagoland Area. The remaining 25% directly supports Komen’s National Research Grant Program.

Committed to caring for those coping with breast cancer while trying to rid future generations of the disease, Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization, recently announced $60 million in research grants to U.S. and international scientists. In its 27 years, Komen for the Cure has invested more than $400 million in life-saving research that has touched every major advance in breast cancer treatment and care. “Cancer research has been the cornerstone of our organization since our very first year, and despite the downturn in the economy, our pledge to fund quality research remains unabated. Breast cancer doesn’t care about the economy, and with more than 1.3 million new cases of breast cancer expected this year, the need for new and continuing cancer research is more urgent than ever,” said Hala Moddelmog, Komen’s CEO and President.

The wide spectrum of research to be funded this year by Komen’s National Research Grants Program includes the following:

• Investigations into treatment and outcome disparities (racial, ethnic) among groups of women,
• Improved diagnostics and screening (biomarkers, new imaging techniques),
• New targeted therapy and methods of delivery (nanotechnology),
• Better understanding of breast cancer types (triple negative breast cancer), and
• Drug resistance and metastasis.

For a complete listing of research grants approved by Komen's national board of directors click here

Funding to Fulfill the Promise to End Breast Cancer Right Here in our Community

The Chicagoland Area Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is a grant-making organization. As one of a network of more than 122 affiliates around the country, the Chicagoland Area Affiliate contributes to the Komen mission by awarding funds to not-for-profit organizations that provide innovative, non-duplicative breast health and breast cancer services directly to the medically underserved, uninsured, or underinsured individuals. The Komen Chicagoland Area Affiliate is organized by more than four hundred volunteers. This enables the affiliate to keep its administrative costs as low as possible and allows the organization to fund many worthy programs that provide assistance to women who have traditionally been medically underserved. Our affiliate is reaching into surrounding communities to keep the subject of breast cancer high in the public consciousness. Since 1997, Komen Chicagoland Area Affiliate has raised over $10 million toward local education, screening, and treatment for underserved women and national research.

Community-Based Grants

Through our Community-Based Grants program, we awards grants to non-profit organizations providing breast cancer screening and treatment as well as breast health education and survivor support in one of the following counties: Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake and McHenry. We are currently funding 22 innovative projects totaling $1,453,821.40. Applications are available each fall.

Our net proceeds will target local grant programs that

• Pay for mammograms, diagnostic testing and treatment as needed,
• Educate women, particularly those who are medically underserved, about the importance of breast self-awareness, clinical breast exams and screening mammograms, and
• Focus on treatment support as well as providing easier access to existing treatment resources for women with breast cancer.

2011 Community Health Grants

To find out if you qualify for one of the Komen-funded programs listed below, please contact the identified staff person for assistance.

The Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program at Erie Helping Hands Health Center
Erie Family Health Center
312-666-3494
Breast health education, clinical breast exams and screening for low-income women in the Albany Park area.

Your Health/Your Life (Su Salud/Su Vida)
Metro South Medical Center‘s Women's Health Program
Sandra Wilks, RN, MSN
708-597-2000 or 708-385-1702
Trans-cultural breast cancer education and early detection workshops for low-income, uninsured Chinese and Hispanic women residing in Metro Chicago‘s Southside neighborhoods.

State of the Art Breast Cancer Risk & Prevention Program for Underserved Women
Stroger Hospital of Cook County
Ursula Hunt, Project Coordinator
312-864-4457
This project provides predominantly minority women with access to breast cancer risk assessment, genetic counseling and testing as well as chemoprevention trials.

Project Access
Family Health Partnership Clinic
Suzanne Hoban, Executive Director
815-334-8987
No-Cost/low-cost clinic for low-income and medically underserved, primarily Hispanic women in McHenry county. Also provides out-reach education, clinical breast exams & screening mammography.

Buy A Mom A Mammogram
A Silver Lining Foundation
Kathy Kalesperis Smith
312-345-1322
Free mammograms and diagnostic testing to individuals in a timely, dignified and respectful fashion.

Breast Health Outreach
Access Community Health Network
866-88-ACCESS
Providing linguistically and culturally appropriate education and linkages to screenings and treatment to low income and medically underserved women on Chicago's South and West Sides.

Bright Pink Outreach Program for High-risk Women
Bright Pink
Lindsay Avner, Executive Director
312-519-9509
Breast cancer education for high risk young women. This program will education sessions throughout Chicago. Some will target young African-American, Hispanic and lesbian women.

Breast Health Awareness Peer Education Project
Howard Brown Health Center
Lisa Katona, Director of LCCP
773-572-6981
Promotes the well being of gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender persons trough the provisions of healthcare and wellness programs.

Breast Cancer Early Detection Project for Korean Women
Korean American Community Services
Jun Hoe Kim, Director of Community
Services
773-583-5501
Providing culturally and linguistically appropriate education and outreach services to increase breast cancer awareness & prevention in the Korean American community through workshops and case management services.

Whole Women, Whole Health
Mercy Hospital & Medical Center
Maria Mulcahy, Director
312-567-6724
Whole Women, Whole Health at Mercy Hospital offers complementary and alternative care in the form of therapeutic massage, acupuncture, counseling, meditation and yoga at no cost to breast cancer patients, primarily targeting low-income uninsured/underinsured minority women.

Culturally Competent Breast Health Navigator Program
Rush University Medical Center
Provides access to high-quality breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment services by linking to a culturally competent nurse navigator.

Breast Care for Low-Income Women
Saint Francis Hospital
John Smith
847-316-4000
Free mammogram screening for low-income uninsured Hispanic and African American women in the northern Chicago/Evanston area.

Breast Care for Low-Income Women Program
Saint Mary & Elizabeth Medical Center
Gladys Aguirre, Manager of Community Education
773-278-2000
Breast cancer education and outreach to low-income uninsured and underinsured African-American & Hispanic women of the Near West. Also offering navigation & screening mammography services.

VNA Breast Cancer Screening for Underserved
Visiting Nurses Association of Fox Valley
Pat Gunnerson, Director of Clinical Services
630- 978-2532
Free mammogram screening for low-income uninsured Hispanic and African American women in the Aurora and Elgin area.

Austin Breast Cancer Awareness Project
Westside Health Authority
Cody McSellers-McCray
773-786-0249
Breast cancer education for African-American women in the Austin and Garfield neighborhoods, using peer education to inform community members via quarterly town hall meetings, monthly small group education sessions and facilitation.

Pink Pashmina Project: Muslim American & South Asian Medically Underserved Women Outreach
Asian Health Coalition
Celine Woznica
312-372-7070
The Pink Pasmina Project provides breast health education, outreach, and access to services for underserved and uninsured Muslim American and South Asian women in the metropolitan Chicago area.

Conciencia de la Mujer/A Woman‘s Conscience
Centro de Salud y Esperanza
773-376-8840
Provides free mammography services to uninsured and underinsured Latina and African-American women on Chicago‘s southwest side.

Information & Navigation of Legal, Insurance, and Health Care Options for Chicagoland Breast Cancer Community
Disability Legal Rights Center - Cancer Legal Resource Center
The Cancer Legal Resources Center (CLRC) is the only national center that provides free information and resources on cancer-related legal issues to breast cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and others.

Swedish Covenant Hospital Comprehensive Breast Health Program
Swedish Covenant Hospital
Elizabeth Miniscalco, RN, BSN, OCN, Cancer Program Manager
773-878-5437
The Comprehensive Breast Health Program delivers culturally and linguistically appropriate community-based breast health and self-awareness education provides free-of-charge screening and diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasounds, and biopsies; and, offers supportive resources to a diverse population of uninsured and very low-income women on Chicago's North and Northwest sides.

Expanded Integrated Breast Cancer Therapy
Little Company of Mary Hospital
Linda Courts, RN, MSN, Coordinator of The Integrated Therapy Department Cancer Center
708-229-6015
Little Company of Mary Hospital Integrative Therapy staff offers many services and programs free of charge for those with breast cancer to reduce side effects from treatments, such as Guided Imagery, Nutritional Counseling/Support, Breast Cancer Retreat, Acupuncture, Tai Chi, and Yoga.

Let‘s Chat About Breast Health!/¡CHARLEMOS! SOBRE LA SALUD DEL SENO
Rush-Copley Medical Center
630-978-6750
Provides targeted breast cancer education to Hispanic women and other in Kane County, linking them to breast screening and diagnostic services.

The ABC‘S to Reduce Program: African American Breast Cancer Survivorship Program to Reduce Breast Cancer Mortality Disparities
The University of Chicago
The ABC‘S to Reduce is an 8-week health literacy and lifestyle modification program that combines culturally appropriate nutrition and physical activity with the goal of improving survival rates.

Download the 2011 Komen Chicagoland Area Grantee Directory.

Komen Chicagoland Area Affiliate does not determine individual eligibility, make referrals, influence the screening or treatment decisions, of the organizations we fund.

If you have any questions, please contact Leticia Kees, Manager of Mission Initiatives at 773-444-0061 or lkees@komenchicago.org