CHICAGO – March 6, 2024 – The TAWANI Foundation and its founder, Colonel (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired), announce a challenge grant that will match private cash donations of up to $250,000 to Operation White Stork, a U.S. veteran-led non-profit organization. The Foundation will match private cash donations made during the year to a maximum total of $250,000. Funds from this grant will support Operation White Stork’s work in delivering life-saving medical kits and critical humanitarian aid to Ukraine in frontline areas.
Operation White Stork utilizes the skills of entrepreneurs and U.S. military veterans to deliver resources to end users. The organization’s team works directly on the ground in Ukraine to ensure gifts go directly to those in need, and has a “no weapons” policy in the type of assistance it provides. Since the start of the war in February 2022, the non-profit has delivered thousands of individual first aid kits, generators, shovels, and body armor, and they have supported the evacuation and housing of nearly 40,000 families and their pets in Ukraine.
“Having served during the Cold War era, our support of Ukraine is an important expression of our belief in democracy and self-determination,” said Colonel (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired), founder of the TAWANI Foundation. “Operation White Stork is performing life-saving frontline work in the country, and I’m honored to support its heroic efforts through the TAWANI Foundation.”
The Foundation supports non-profits with grants across five main categories: education, gender & human sexuality, cultural institutions & preservation, environmental initiatives, and health & human services. In addition, the TAWANI Foundation provides emergency support to fund critical needs related to current events, such as the war in Ukraine. Most recently, the Foundation announced a gift of $101K to the American Red Cross of Tennessee River and an additional $101K to the Fort Campbell Historical Foundation, to support victims of the December 9th, 2023 tornado that impacted Clarksville, Tennessee and Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
“The TAWANI Foundation is helping White Stork increase production to 5,000 IFAKs per month, providing soldiers and civilians along the frontline with lifesaving medical kits in case of traumatic injury,” said William McNulty, Head of Mission of White Stork. “We’re grateful to have the partnership of Colonel Jennifer.”
To learn more about the TAWANI Foundation grants, visit https://tawanifoundation.org/our-grants. The TAWANI Foundation is a private foundation that accepts applications by invitation only. There is no open application period.
About TAWANI Foundation
Founded in 2002 by notable philanthropist and entrepreneur Colonel (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired), TAWANI Enterprises’ philanthropic organization, the TAWANI Foundation is a 501(c)(3) that provides support in the areas of arts and culture, historical preservation, health and wellness, LGBTQ+ and human rights, education, and environmental initiatives. TAWANI Foundation’s vision is to make a sustained and measurable difference for organizations that focus on enriching knowledge, improving health and wellness, and promoting scientific understanding – all with a common goal of making a positive, long-term impact on individuals, communities, and the culture itself. To learn more, visit https://tawanifoundation.org.