Hilco Global made a $50,000 donation to SUNRISE DAY CAMP-CHICAGO, a new day camp for kids with cancer which will open this June in Lake Zurich, Illinois. Sunrise Day Camp-Chicago will provide a full-summer day camp experience specifically designed for children with a cancer diagnosis and their siblings, ages 3 1/2-16, and is being offered completely free of charge.
Sunrise Day Camp-Chicago is a philanthropic collaboration between JCC Chicago and the Hecktman Family Foundation. Jeffrey B. Hecktman is the Founder and CEO of the international financial services company, Hilco Global, which is headquartered in Northbrook IL.
Mr. Hecktman, his wife, and daughters were inspired and impressed by the Sunrise Day Camp model, and they felt strongly that kids in the Chicago-Metropolitan area deserved this same type of summer camp experience. Late last summer, the Hecktman Family Foundation announced plans to underwrite the first three years of the Sunrise Chicago camp operations and has been collaborating extensively with JCC Chicago to open on the grounds of their Lake Zurich location. Mr. Hecktman has attracted other family offices and Hilco Global clients and it's national lending partners/banks, all who have made donations to launch the camp this summer.
Mr. Hecktman said, "By providing children and their siblings who have been affected by a cancer diagnosis with a full summer camp experience, we are giving them something to look forward to and restoring some normalcy to their lives." The Sunrise Day Camp mission is focused on restoring the simple pleasures of childhood for children facing a cancer diagnosis, balancing months of loneliness and isolation with summers filled with sunshine, laughter, and friends.
Mr. Hecktman added, “Because Sunrise is a day camp, children can continue their medical treatment during the summer while participating in camp when they are physically able. Unlike most oncology sleep-away camps that offer short programs each summer, Sunrise Day Camp is a full, eight-week summer program that welcomes children as often as they can attend.”
Addie Goodman, President & CEO of JCC Chicago, said, “We are excited to bring Sunrise Day Camp to Chicago and thankful to Jeff Hecktman, the Hecktman Family and to Hilco Global, who are passionate about community service and giving back to people in need. JCC Chicago is committed to the care and keeping of children and families, and we are so grateful to have such incredible partners to assist these children who have already lost so much.”
JCC Chicago is well-known for excellence in day and overnight camping and is committed to inclusion and Sunrise Day Camp-Chicago is a natural addition to the programs and essential services provided by JCC Chicago. Ms. Goodman said, “It is an honor to join the Sunrise family and provide a beautiful summer to these children—camp is, indeed, one of childhood’s most normnative and formative experiences.”
Gary Epstein, Executive Vice President – Chief Marketing Officer at Hilco Global said: "One of Hilco’s core values is giving back to local communities in need across the globe. Sunrise Day Camp was a perfect fit with our Hilco Helps philanthropic mission (see www.hilcohelps.com) and the entire senior management team at Hilco Global was eager to deliver financial support and volunteers for such a unique and special program. The Hilco Helps team worked closely with JCC Chicago to understand their needs for this inaugural summer and how Hilco could assist. Ultimately, Hilco decided to underwrite the cost of feeding all campers and staff for the entire summer and will be launching the meals and snacks program called “Hilco Helpings”.”
Epstein added, “Providing this Hilco Global donation and employee volunteers recognizes the extraordinary financial demands that pediatric cancer has on the families impacted, and we wanted to really help as the camp opens up this year. With the location of the first Sunrise Day Camp-Chicago right here in the Northwest suburbs, we’ve had an outpouring of interest from employees to volunteer in order to make sure these kids have a fantastic summer camp experience”.
For more information about Sunrise Day Camp Chicago visit sunrisedaycamp-chicago.org.