Clayco Foundation’s Juneteenth Fund Advisory Committee hosted a sold out celebration on Saturday, June 19 from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Mahler Ballroom. This year’s event helped raise funds for six nonprofit organizations dedicated to raising awareness and advancing the causes of Black equality and inclusion in the St. Louis and Chicago metro areas
The livestreamed sold-out celebratory event, catered by Black-owned businesses and the event featured African American art and performers. The live stream will be available on Clayco’s Juneteenth Fund website. Thanks to the generosity of partners, friends and members of the Clayco family, the Fund has already doubled its fundraising goal, increasing the number of grants being offered to nonprofit organizations. The monetary donations will be awarded to Juneteenth Fund grant recipients, who are community-based organizations in both Chicago and St. Louis that work to better the individuals and communities they serve.
These include:
1. My Block, My Hood, My City (https://www.formyblock.org/)
2. Pride Roc (https://priderocchicago.org/)
3. The Black Village Foundation (https://blackvillagefoundation.org/)
4. Arch City Defenders (https://www.archcitydefenders.org)
5. Life Arts (https://www.lifecreative.org/)
6. Dream Builders (http://dreambuilders4equity.org)
Celebrated on June 19th of each calendar year, Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas learned they were free from slavery. Although the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1863, many African Americans were still enslaved in some states. Today, Juneteenth remains a celebration of freedom and hope.
Clayco Executive Chairman and Founder Bob Clark and Executive Vice President Tom Sieckhaus serve as lead mentors for this initiative while Executive Vice President Otto Nichols III serves as lead trustee. Members of the Advisory Committee continue to advise and assist the foundation on all matters related to the Juneteenth Fund. They include Sandra Porter Marks, Christol Crenshaw, Karen Howell, Dan Lester, Tamara Lewis-Jackson, Trish Marcano-Henderson, Jesse Sanders, Nicolas Smith, Richie Hands and Arnez Stevenson.
“These are important times, and we must all commit to educating ourselves and addressing the systemic issues that have affected communities of color for far too long,” said Bob Clark. “This begins with honest conversations and valuable initiatives like the Juneteenth Advisory Committee and Juneteenth Program, which are committed to lasting change at Clayco and beyond. We are excited to be able to finally host an in-person celebration in honor of this important cause.”
Founded in 2020, The Clayco Foundation Juneteenth Fund is proud to support local and national organizations that further the causes of equality and justice as it specifically pertains to the African American community. We are committed to furthering the awareness of injustices and elevating the voices of those that need it the most. The Juneteenth Fund actively seeks non-profits and individuals that align with our mission for recognition and as fund beneficiaries. We look forward to furthering the relationships with our long-term community partners and building new bridges with emerging non-profits and organizations. For more information visit https://claycojuneteenthfund.com/.