Face the Future Foundation

The Face the Future Foundation was initially known as The Advisory Board of The Craniofacial Center. It was formed in 1987 by a group of former patients, parents of patients, members of Chicago's business and social communities, and others whose lives have been touched by The Center. The mission of this volunteer board was to raise funds to preserve and enhance the unique health care services of The Craniofacial Center, to foster the team approach for patient care, and to raise the public's awareness about craniofacial conditions. In 2007 the name and the structure of its not-for-profit status changed to more precisely reflect its mission and goals. The Face the Future Foundation was formed to better serve The Craniofacial Center and its patients.

Fundraising by The Foundation has two goals. One is to establish a capital fund to ensure that The Center has a state of the art facility and equipment to maintain the high level of care for its patients. The second is to secure funds to support programs and professional team members who provide essential care but whose services are not always covered by insurance. In this way, we may assure that all of our patients have full access to all of our services. The Foundation raises funds through capital campaigns, grants, gifts, and endowments from patient-oriented agencies, healthcare foundations, and private citizens as well as through fundraising events such as the annual gala.

In 1997, The Foundation successfully completed a capital campaign to build a new home for The Craniofacial Center. It cooperated with The University of Illinois at Chicago to raise $3 million to move The Center into its current 16,000 sq ft state-of-the-art facility located on the University of Illinois Medical Center campus.

With the new clinical facility completed, The Foundation turned its attention to developing funding sources to support direct patient care programs and to add new professional team members in order to expand the services offered by The Center. The long-term goal is to achieve financial security so that The Craniofacial Center may continue to provide quality care for all of its patients. To demonstrate its own ongoing support of The Craniofacial Center, The Foundation and its members established an endowment in its name.

Its gala in the Spring of each year is the Foundation's major fundraiser although it continues to support other projects and fundraising efforts throughout the year. In addition to all of its fundraising activities, each December the Foundation also sponsors an annual Holiday Party for patients of The Craniofacial Center and their families. This event of fun, food, and presents provides much needed support to patients and families who might not otherwise be able to enjoy a holiday celebration. 

For more information about The Face the Future Foundation or for inquiries regarding fund raising events, membership, and programs to establish named endowments please visit their website at www.facethefuturefoundation.org