Alondra’s son, Aleck, was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder after receiving an evaluation paid for with Foundation dollars. Learn more in the Ascension Illinois Foundation 2021 Donor Impact Report and Video about the impact philanthropy made for people like Alondra and Aleck.
Through the community’s philanthropic support, Ascension Illinois raised over $18 million and invested $15.6 million in faith-based healthcare in fiscal year 2021. Thanks to this generosity, hundreds of thousands of people throughout the greater Chicago area — people like Christy, Alondra, Johnny, Milo and Zil — received the healthcare they needed.
Learn more about the impact philanthropy has made in their lives and all the communities served by Ascension Illinois in the 2021 Donor Impact Report and Video.
Clinically Excellent Care
As vaccination levels rose and communities reopened, more people sought healthcare for medical needs they could no longer postpone addressing.
“They’re good people who gave me great care,” said Christy, a patient of the Ascension Neurosciences Institute in Elk Grove Village and Hoffman Estates.
Philanthropy helped ensure patients received excellent care across Ascension Illinois ministries. People in and beyond Joliet and Elgin benefited from increased access to highly advanced cardiovascular medicine. In Aurora, a crisis stabilization unit funded with philanthropic dollars will enhance emergency care for people in psychiatric crisis.
Care Across the Lifetime
The most fragile newborns, struggling children and adolescents, adults battling chronic health conditions, and people with terminal illness all received not only excellent medical treatment but also mental, emotional and spiritual support thanks to philanthropy.
“They took such good care of our son,” said Johnny, whose son received advanced neonatal care.
Families in hospice care received grief support and art, music and massage therapies to comfort them in their suffering. Students going through an exceptionally hard school year received not only education but also therapeutic support in Glendale Heights.
Addressing the Mental Health Crisis
As anxiety, depression, alcohol and substance use surged to record levels, Ascension Illinois led the state in addressing the greater Chicago area’s mental health crises.
Hundreds of thousands of lives were impacted by the Ascension Illinois Behavioral Medicine Institute, with more than 10,000 referrals coming from other health systems for people in need of inpatient behavioral health treatment.
“Without you, I wouldn’t be here today,” said Zil, a patient who went through the eating disorder program.
Zil (right) pictured above with her nurse, Lourdes, is extremely grateful for the care she received as a patient of the Ascension Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
Care for the Most Vulnerable
Ascension Illinois's team members met people where they were, whether in the Emergency Department or inpatient unit, in their parish, library or home, providing screenings, medications, vaccinations, food, shelter and more for those who had nowhere else to go.
Thanks to philanthropy, hundreds of people received housing support. Hundreds more received medication assistance. And thousands of people in need received home visits, health screenings, food access checks and referrals for primary care, behavioral healthcare and basic needs.
“I just want to tell you, from the bottom of my heart, thank you,” said Milo, a client of the Ascension Illinois Housing and Health Alliance.
