The Justinian Society of Lawyers held its 21st annual Children’s Endowment Fund (CEF) Grant Reception on March 16, 2023. Justinian President Bruno R. Marasso and Justinian Society Endowment Fund’s Chairman Frank A. Sommario presented a total of $15,000.00 in grants as follows: $5,000.00 grant to the Fox Valley Special Recreation Association, $5,000.00 grant to the Direct Effect Charities and a $5,000.00 grant to Saint Anthony Hospital.
The Justinian Endowment Fund, the fundraising arm of the Justinian Society of Lawyers, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, which consists of the Scholarship Fund and the CEF. Currently, the CEF and the Scholarship Fund have combined over $335,000.00 in their respective accounts, and these monies have been raised by members over the years, as well as by other generous donors. Each year, the scholarship fund awards scholarships to deserving law students and the CEF awards an annual Grant to a worthy recipient. The CEF conveyed a special thank you to Joseph Feinberg and the Feinberg Foundation for their consistent annual donations of significant funding to the CEF.
The March 16, 2023 event was held at Lux Bar, 18 E. Bellevue, Chicago, IL, where over 55 people attended and enjoyed a wonderful meal and cocktails while enjoying the initial NCAA basketball games that were being televised. Alex Engelhardt, Executive Director of Fox Valley Special Recreation Association, and Walden Putterman, Development Writer of Saint Anthony Hospital, were on hand to graciously accept the grants and provide short descriptions of their organizations and how the grant money would be used. Unfortunately, Michelle DiGiacomo, Founder of Direct Effect Charities, was unable to attend so Mr. Sommario gave a summary of what Direct Effect Charities does.
The mission of the CEF is to assist disabled or disadvantaged children in our community. Since establishing the CEF in 2002 during his term as president, Antonio M. Romanucci, Founding Partner of Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, and his fellow Justinian members have raised crucial funds for a wide range of recipients, including Make-A-Wish Foundation, Bear Necessities, Ronald McDonald House of Chicagoland, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Reflections Foundation, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Child’s Voice, Maryville Academy Children’s Healthcare Center, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, CASA Kane County, and many others.
During this event, several members of the Society made spontaneous personal additional donations to the CEF, which will be tabulated and directed to the grant recipients as an additional donation. This generosity has continuously been done over the years at past events and has become a tradition.
“The Justinian Society is fervent in continuing to give back to our community and we thank all members who have contributed. We take pride in this unique and successful program of the Justinian Society of Lawyers,” said Bruno R. Marasso, Romanucci & Blandin Partner and Justinian President.
“Fox Valley Special Recreation Association, Direct Effect Charities and Saint Anthony Hospital are all incredibly worthy recipients of these funds and we commend all that they do for children that are in need,” said Frank A. Sommario, Romanucci & Blandin Senior Partner and past Justinian President.
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