Upward Community Partnership | Voices Grant | Evolve Giving Group Retreat | Lewis Interns

“Our partnership with The Ark, has made it possible for more Jewish children and families to access affordable, culturally competent mental health care when they need it most. We are deeply grateful for this collaboration and proud of what we have accomplished together."

— Rachel Karesh, LCSW, Executive Director of Upward Community 

The Ark is honored to receive a grant of more than $5,000 from the JUF Chicago Jewish Teen Foundation’s Voices Economic Equity Committee for our Hartman Family Foundation Child and Family Wellness Program. Voices is a Jewish teen philanthropy program that reviews grant applications and awards funding to organizations making a positive impact in the community.

Through this grant, The Ark will help more children and families access supportive services and extracurricular opportunities that help them thrive.

Dr. Jenny Mann Evans, Chief Program Officer, represented The Ark at the Voices grant presentation and accepted the award on behalf of the organization.

“Seeing the next generation of Jewish leaders step into philanthropy with such thoughtfulness is incredibly meaningful. The members of Voices are not only learning about our community's needs, but they are also helping meet them in a real and lasting way.”  — Jenny Mann Evans

Thank you to these young leaders for recognizing the needs of our community and helping make this work possible.

The Ark recently welcomed Evolve Giving Group, a nonprofit consulting firm, for a two-day company retreat filled with learning, conversation, team building, and hands-on service. 

During the retreat, Evolve’s team gathered in The Ark’s Community Room for sessions focused on connection, communication, skill sharing, idea exchange, and planning for the future.

As part of their time onsite, the team also took part in a service project on The Ark’s Outdoor Terrace and parking lot. They planted flowers and painted words of affirmation on stones to beautify the space for clients, volunteers, staff, and visitors.

The Ark welcomes corporate groups to convene meetings, learn about our organization, and to connect them to service and community.

Interested in bringing your team to The Ark? Contact us to learn more.

We are excited to welcome our 2026 summer interns to The Ark, many of whom are joining us through JUF’s Lewis Summer Intern Program.

For almost 40 years, the Lewis Summer Intern Program has helped generations of Jewish college students gain hands-on professional experience, explore career paths, and build a deeper connection to the Chicago Jewish community.

We are grateful to be part of that experience and look forward to seeing what our interns contribute this summer as they support The Ark’s work, learn from our staff members, and grow as young professionals.

Welcome to all our summer interns:

• Matthew Blonder, Food Security
• Henry Borden, Facilities 
• Hila Kuperman, Development
• Alexa Kutnick, Marketing and Communications
• Josh Maer, IT
• Chloe Ohana, Digital Marketing and Analytics
• Josh Rosenthal, Data & Planning
• Farin Scheinfeld, Social Services

Are you a backyard or community gardener with blooms to share? Help The Ark bring beauty and warmth to clients by donating flowers from your garden this season.

Bouquets of flowers can be bundled with string or a twist tie, placed in a plastic bag, and dropped off at our Chicago or Northbrook locations.

The Ark also welcomes “flower rescue” donations after a mitzvah, simcha, or other gathering. If you have flowers that can be repurposed, we would be happy to share them with clients, volunteers, and visitors throughout our community spaces.

Share your buds and blooms to help brighten someone’s day.

If you have any questions, please email volunteer@arkchicago.org.

When Adina learned last October that she would not receive her monthly SNAP payment, her first call was to The Ark. 

Her case manager quickly arranged additional food assistance through our pantry, helping her family get through a difficult and uncertain time. 

Today, Adina is facing long-term cuts to her SNAP benefits and is worried she may lose Medicaid later this year because of new work requirements. 

She is not alone. More Jewish households across Chicagoland are turning to The Ark for help as rising costs and cuts to public benefits make it harder to afford basic necessities. 

Thanks to the generosity of our community, The Ark is here to help Adina and her family navigate these changes and access food, healthcare, medications, and other vital support. 

As more Jewish households than ever turn to The Ark, your gift helps provide the personalized and compassionate wraparound care families need. 

Will you make a gift before our giving year ends on June 30 to help families like Adina’s and thousands of others across Chicagoland? 

• Start a fundraiser to support The Ark in celebration of a milestone like a birthday, anniversary, or B’nai Mitzvah. Your dedication will inspire your friends and family to join you in support and amplify your impact. 
  
  
• Schedule an informational talk or tour of for a first-hand understanding of how The Ark addresses the needs of our community.
  
  
• Make a connection between your company or organization and The Ark for an interactive program or service project.
  
  
• Start a Pack the Pantry collection drive. Challenge your friends, neighbors, and co-workers to help you collect any one item from our pantry list. 

To express interest or learn more, please fill out our volunteer interest form.

Explore Our Newest Career Opportunities!

Dental Hygienist (Part-Time)

The Dental Hygienist provides essential preventive care in The Ark’s free dental clinic, helping patients maintain their oral and overall health. This role delivers high-quality services, educates patients on effective oral care, and works closely with our dentist and healthcare team to support coordinated, patient-centered care. This is a meaningful opportunity to make a real impact by expanding access to critical dental care within the community.

Food Security Logistics Assistant (Part-Time)

The Food Security Logistics Assistant supports The Ark’s Food Security program by transporting food, donations, medication, and supplies between locations and community partners. This role helps keep pantry operations organized, stocked, and running smoothly so clients receive reliable, dignified service.

Every gift to The Ark ensures that those facing hardship find a safety net and lifeline of support.