Nonprofit Organizations
Use this page and links to learn more about the nonprofit groups making a difference in the Chicago area.
* To add your nonprofit organization's information, or to edit it, click here.
A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z|#
Saint Xavier University
Saint Xavier University, a Catholic institution inspired by the heritage of the Sisters of Mercy, educates men and women to search for truth, to think critically, to communicate effectively, and to serve wisely and compassionately in support of human dignity and the common good. Founded in 1846 by the Sisters of Mercy, Saint Xavier University of Chicago is a leading four-year institution serving more than 5,700 students in the tradition of academic rigor and the Mercy values of service, lifelong learning and integrity. With campuses in Chicago and Orland Park, Ill., the university offers 35 undergraduate majors and 40 graduate programs in arts and sciences, business administration, education, nursing and continuing and professional studies.
Salsation Theatre Company, NFP
Salsation presents "Comedy with a Latin Flavor" since 1998, with resident and touring sketch and improvisational comedy productions as well as educational workshops.
San Jose Obrero Mission
San Lucas Workers Center
Sarah's Circle
Sarah's Circle is a drop-in center that offers a welcoming, supportive, non-intrusive safe refuge for women who are homeless, transient and of low income. We respect each woman and her individuality, and offer her the opportunity to make positive changes in her life. We provide options, services and advocacy, meeting the needs of hundreds of women who come through our doors.
Sarah's Inn
The mission of Sarah's Inn is to lessen the effects of domestic violence and to work toward the elimination of the causes of domestic violence. Sarah's Inn works to empower individuals to become self-sufficient and to increase their self-esteem and a sense of the future. We strive to address the systemic issues within our society which perpetuate violence against women and children. Sarah's Inn offers services to women and their families who reside on the west side of Chicago and 23 of the surrounding suburbs of Oak Park. Services are offered in both English and Spanish to meet the needs of this diverse community:
Women's Services
Transitional Living Services
Legal Advocacy Services
24-Hour Crisis Line
Children and Teen Services
Teen Dating Violence Prevention and Education
Abuser Services
Community Outreach and Education
Sargent Shriver National Center for Poverty Law
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
Save the Patient
To educate, empower, and inform the public to make sound health decisions and to reduce medical error.
School of the Americas Watch
Science Chicago
Scrap Mettle Soul
SCUPE
The Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education (SCUPE) develops leaders and provides consultation and educational resources for individuals, educational institutions, churches, and agencies that seek to enhance the spiritual, social, and physical quality of life for those who live in the city. We offer graduate programs in urban ministry, community development, and theological studies.
Secular Jewish Community and School
SEIU Hospital Accountability Project
SEIU Illinois Council
SEIU Illinois Council
SGA Youth and Family Services
SGI-USA CHICAGO
Soka Gakkai International (SGI)-USA is an American Buddhist association that promotes world peace and individual happiness based on the teachings of the Nichiren school of Mahayana Buddhism. Our members reflect a cross section of our diverse American society, representing a broad range of ethnic and social backgrounds. The SGI-USA local site is located at, SGI-USA Chicago Cultural Center, 1455 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago, IL. 60605, 312-913-1211 main ofc. -312-913-0988 fax
Shabica and Associates
Shades of Ebony, Inc
An organization designed to prepare our girls for the game called life. Our girls are the women of tomorrow and they must be prepared to survive the mental, physical, economical, social and politcal pressures they will face. This organization also serves as a voice for the issues they want to challenge.
SHARE Foundation
SHARE Foundation is a not-for-profit Christian organization serving the residential, vocational, and social needs of mentally retarded or other-abled adults. Our 185-acre community, provides a place for other-abled adults to live and work in peace and dignity. We receive no government support. Our professional staff is augmented by hundreds of volunteers - friends, students, and professionals, who share their time and their talent while they learn and experience the value of other-abled adults.
All gifts to SHARE Foundation are tax-exempt to the extent permitted under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Sheriff's Department of Women's Justice Services
Sherwood Conservatory of Music
Non-profit community music school in Chicago's south loop; programs for early childhood through seniors; individual and group instruction in 15 instruments and voice; various workshops; many free family concerts; enrollment about 1500; several satellite locations; 60% of students receive financial aid from us.
Shorebank
Shut This Airport Nightmare Down
Shut This Airport Nightmare Down
Shut This Airport Nightmare Down
Sierra Club
Sierra Club
Sierra Club, Indianapolis
Silk Road Theater Project
Sisters of Mercy
Sit Stay Read
SIT STAY READ is a volunteer literacy organization that brings dogs and kids together to make reading fun. Unique programs focus on 2nd and 3rd graders in low-income Chicago Public Schools and community facilities.
At each program, children have the opportunity to read aloud to specially trained therapy dogs. Reading to the dogs increases confidence and generates excitement about reading.
The goal of every program is to improve reading fluency and comprehension.
Slow Food
Society of Midland Authors
The Society of Midland Authors was founded in 1915 to promote literary activity in the Midlands and to provide an opportunity for authors to gather and socialize. For the past 90 years it has carried on that tradition. SMA members, who are published book authors invited to join by the Board, hail from the 12 states of the Midlands. SMA sponsors monthly talks by authors and an annual awards competition for best books of the year by Midland authors.
Soulistic Sanctuary
We are a non-profit organization devoted to helping others empower themselves through healthy living. In particular, our mission is to serve as a source of education and empowerment through complementary and alternative medicine as well as healthy living skills to communities that don't traditionally have this information.
South Suburban PADS
Southeast Environmental Task Force
Southeast Environmental Task Force
Southeast Environmental Task Force
Southwest Organizing Project
Southwest Organizing Project
Southwest Reach Center
Southwest Reach Center
Southwest Women Working Together
Southwest Youth Collaborative
Spanish Coalition for Jobs
Spanish Coalition for Jobs (SCJ) is a nonprofit private vocational institute that provides adult education, accredited vocational training, and job placement services. The services at SCJ are designed for adults who need to improve their basic education skills and gain competency in vocational and technology skills to fulfill the changing demands of the 21st century job market, and earn competitive salaries. SCJ adapts programs and services to the language and cultural needs of the mostly Latino community to ensure our clients gain the knowledge and skills that lead to economic independence that will last a lifetime.
Special Olympics Northern California
Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olymipc-type sports for children and adults with developmental disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
St. Angela School
St. Bernard Housing Development Corporation
St. Columbanus Food Pantry
St. Vincent de Paul Center
As stewards of the Vincentian spirit, the mission of the Daughters of Charity Ministries of Chicago is to provide for those in need, strengthen and preserve family life, and serve the community with dignity and respect.
We commit ourselves as individuals to live out these values in our daily work, as we serve the needs of others.
Statewide Housing Action Coalition
The Statewide Housing Action Coalition (SHAC) is Illinois' only broad-based coalition working for housing justice. SHAC offers three distinct programs to create and preserve affordable housing: Public Policy and Advocacy; Public Education and Organizing; Housing Development Training and Technical Assistance
Stauros USA
Stir-Friday Night!
Chicago's premier Asian American sketch comedy and improv troupe. Stir-Friday Night! tours nationwide performing original comedic works that educate a broad spectrum of audiences about the Asian American and human experience.
Stockyards Theatre Project
Stockyards Theatre Project is Chicago's premier performing arts company exclusively devoted to cutting-edge theatre by, about and in partnership with women. Since the first critically-acclaimed show in 1999, Stockyards has avidly promoted talented woman playwrights and directors—currently comprising less than 20% of mainstream theatre arts—and has showcased the remarkable and richly imaginative visions of contemporary women. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Stockyards Theatre Project is devoted to advancing women through theatre arts. By serving as a collaborative, ongoing theatre project, Stockyards supports and promotes women as theatre and performance artists, explores gender roles and gender issues through the theatre arts, and delves into both traditional and experimental theatre. Stockyards Theatre Project welcomes the participation of women and men in its projects.
Stockyards Theatre Project’s vision is to improve women’s lives through theatre.
Straight Spouse Network
The Straight Spouse Network is a worldwide organization of current/ former heterosexual spouses/partners of gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender mates and mixed-orientation couples. Members provide personal, confidential support and resource information to spouses, couples, and families. SSN is the only support network of its kind in the world.
Strategic Human Services
Strategic Human Services is and organization whose mission is to improve the overall quality of life North Lawndale and neighboring communities and to benevolently serve individuals, families, and organizations by providing an informaiton and networking resource and related services that aid in the technical, social, economic, and spiritual advancement of North Lawndale.
We accomplish this mission now by means of a community asset based approach to producing a community newspaper and providing computer, marketing and journalism training workshops to community residents.
Street-Level Youth Media
Street-Level Youth Media educates Chicago's underprivileged youth in media arts and emerging technologies for self-expression, communication, and social change. Street-Level's programs build critical thinking skills in youth who have been historically neglected by public policy makers and mass media. Using video and audio production, computer art and the Internet, young people at Street-Level address community issues, access advanced technology, and gain inclusion in our information society. Annually, Street-Level reaches nearly 1,000 young people ages 8-22 through our community and school-based media arts education programs.
Street-Level Youth Media Center
STSAD/Nyaka AIDS Orphans School
The mission of Nyaka AIDS Orphans School is to provide quality, free education and extracurricular activities, both formal and informal, to children in Southwestern Uganda who have been orphaned due to HIV/AIDS as a means to counteract pervasive hunger, poverty, and systemic deprivation.
Student/Farmworker Alliance
Suburban Area Agency on Aging
As a catalyst for connecting older adults and caregivers to resources and services, the Suburban Area Agency on Aging coordinates a network of parnters,including 40 community-based sernior service agencies, providing home delivered meals, in-home care, information and assistance, caregiver support, senior center activities and education and health promotion programs. We are one of 13 Area Agencies on Aging designated by the Illinois Department on Aging to serve suburban Cook County and, under the Older American's Act, is responsible to plan, fund, coordinate and advocate for services for persons aged 60 and over and their family caregivers.
Sudden Infant Death Services of Illinois
Sustain
Sustain
Swedish Covenant Hospital
Independent hospital on Chicago's North Side.
Sweetwater Alliance
Swept Away TV
Not for Profit teen mentoring program for career training in the media fields for at risk teens
SWERA
