The Youth Foundation is excited to welcome Christine Bakalar as one of our newest board members. She brings a wealth of knowledge from her 30 years of volunteer experience, serving on the boards of organizations that assist people who live on the margins of society and struggle to find respect, education, career opportunities and healthcare.
Christine served as the Chairman of the Board of the Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind, was co-founder and Chair of Friends for Health: Supporting the North Shore Health Center, and was a director of the national board of the Acoustic Neuroma Association. She currently serves on the strategic planning committee and is co-chair of the annual gala for BUILD, a Chicago non-profit that assists thousands of at-risk youth in reaching their educational and career potential.
As Chairman of the Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind, the largest agency of its kind in the Midwest, Christine led an $8 million capital campaign. As Chair of Friends for Health, Christine led a grassroots community movement to create the North Shore Health Center, a comprehensive healthcare facility for the underserved population in Lake County, Illinois. This clinic, that provides more than 15,000 patient visits a year, was the first private-public healthcare collaboration in Illinois and was recognized by the NIH in 2009 as a national model for private-public partnership. As a director of the Acoustic Neuroma Association, Christine led the development efforts to fund research and treatment of this rare brain tumor.
In her current role with BUILD, Christine has developed two of the organization's successful creative programs. Ten years ago, she helped launch Brand Build, an entrepreneurial jewelry-making program for at-risk teen girls. This program boasts a 95% college acceptance rate and allows the students to earn income and save for higher education. Two years ago, Christine founded The Artist's Collaborative, a program that teaches abstract painting and photography to at-risk high school youth, focusing on ways to practice and market their art.
Christine and her husband, John, split their time between Vail and Chicago. They have three grown children. Christine's experience is invaluable to The Youth Foundation's continued growth and success and we are honored to have her join our team.