The Orthopedic Center of Illinois Foundation (OCIF) has announced that Helping Hands of Springfield was selected to receive a $20,000 grant as the beneficiary of the 22nd Annual OCIF Open: Chip in fore Charity. The grant will be funded through proceeds from the OCIF annual golf outing scheduled for Monday, September 22nd at Panther Creek Country Club and will assist Helping Hands of Springfield in launching their Nutritious Hot Breakfast Program, which will serve daily hot breakfasts to all 150 residents every weekday morning.

Helping Hands of Springfield (HHoS) was founded in 1989 with the mission of serving adults experiencing homelessness in Central Illinois. Over the years, they have grown from a grassroots effort into the region’s largest low-barrier shelter and housing provider for single adults. Their programs include emergency shelter, Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH), Rapid Rehousing (RRH), medical respite, and representative payee services. Each year, they provide life-saving shelter and housing support to over 400 individuals, many of whom face complex medical, mental health, or substance use challenges.

HHoS is committed to a Housing First approach rooted in dignity, trauma-informed care, and client-centered services. Their shelter operates 24/7, 365 days a year, with dedicated case managers working daily to help individuals transition from homelessness to permanent housing.

“We are honored to be selected as the beneficiary of the 2025 Chip in fore Charity event. This $20,000 grant from the Orthopedic Center of Illinois Foundation will directly support our launch of a hot breakfast program for shelter guests—a long-standing goal we have not had the resources to implement until now,” said Robert H. Gillespie, Executive Director of Helping Hands of Springfield. “A hot, nutritious breakfast not only starts the day with dignity but also improves health outcomes and reinforces our commitment to meeting the basic needs of those we serve. We are deeply grateful to the OCI Foundation for partnering with us to bring warmth and nourishment to those who need it most.”

This year marks the 22nd Chip in fore Charity and to date, OCIF has granted over $420,000 to Springfield area organizations. The most recent grant recipients include Compass for Kids (2024), Hope (2023), Central Illinois Fellowship of Christian Athletes (2022), Lincoln Land Community College Foundation (2021), Springfield Zoological Society (2020), YMCA of Springfield (2019), and Girl Scouts of Central Illinois (2018).

For more information on the OCI Foundation or to be a sponsor at this year’s event, please visit the OCIF
website: www.ocif.net or call (217) 547-9100.