Kids Above All is a charitable nonprofit that conducts educational, health, and welfare programs to support child development and family stability across Illinois. ¹ The organization’s mission claims to protect, heal, and educate children in need, providing them with the resources to reach their full potential. ² Its programs include early childhood education, after-school mentoring, foster care services, and family counseling. ³

Additionally, Kids Above All advocates for policies that prioritize children’s well-being and strengthen community support systems. Through its advocacy efforts, Kids Above All addresses issues like access to health care, educational equity, and trauma recovery support for children who have experienced adverse life events. ⁴ Its “Healing Forward” initiative, for example, offers mental health resources and workshops focused on trauma-informed care, claiming to improve mental wellness for children and families across the region. ⁵ Kids Above All is committed to addressing both immediate needs and long-term development goals by launching back-to-school backpack drives that seeks to supply 1,500 school aged children with school supplies where individuals, businesses, faith-based and community organizations are encouraged to donate. ⁶

Background and Advocacy

Kids Above All was founded in 1894 as a civic organization under the name of the Methodist Deaconess Orphanage, later evolving into a comprehensive left-of-center organization that targets vulnerable youth and families throughout Illinois that are impacted by violence, poverty, and systemic injustice. ⁷ Led by president and CEO Dan Kotowski, a former Democratic member of the Illinois state Senate, Kids Above All has expanded its programming to aid children and families. ⁸ Kotowski has been an active advocate for increased mental health support and education reform policies that claims to benefit low-income families and underserved youth across the state, representing Kids Above All in local and state initiatives aimed at fundraising resources for these targeted communities. ⁹

In August 2024, Kids Above All organized a back-to-school drive aimed at preparing students in need for the upcoming academic year. According to CBS News, the initiative focused on distributing essential supplies such as backpacks, notebooks, and clothing to low-income families across Chicago. This effort highlights the organization’s commitment to addressing educational disparities faced by at-risk children. However, while the drive provides immediate assistance, it also raises critical questions about the long-term strategies necessary to expand distribution centers that ensure the expected demand for school supplies that supply toward academic success for students in the future. ¹⁰

Kids Above All announced its support for the Nonprofit Sector Strength and Partnership Act of 2022, introduced by U.S. Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN), which aims to provide nonprofit organizations a more prominent role in federal policy discussions. This act is designed to secure a formal seat for social impact organizations in the federal government, allowing them to leverage their insights and outreach capabilities in shaping community-focused policies. The organization argues that such legislation would facilitate improved access to national service programs, reduce fundraising costs, and lessen regulatory burdens. By advocating for this act, Kids Above All positions itself to gain influence over legislative matters that directly affect its operations and the communities it serves, particularly those dealing with poverty, violence, and systemic injustice. ¹¹

Financials

In 2023, Kids Above All reported revenue of $18.3 million with expenses totaling $18 million, resulting in a net income of $223,693. ¹²

Funding

The organization’s primary funding sources include grants from the Illinois Department of Human Services and private contributions, as well as partnerships with local foundations that support their mission of child welfare and educational access. ¹³ Kids Above All’s net assets were reported to be $2 million as of the end of fiscal year 2023. ¹⁴

1. Kids Above All. “About Us.” Kids Above All, accessed October 29, 2024. https://www.kidsaboveall.org/about-us.
2. Kids Above All. “Our Mission and Vision.” Kids Above All, accessed October 29, 2024. https://www.kidsaboveall.org/mission.
3.  Kids Above All. “Programs and Services.” Kids Above All, accessed October 29, 2024. https://www.kidsaboveall.org/programs.
4. Illinois Department of Human Services. “Partnerships for Illinois Families.” Illinois DHS, 2023.
5. Kids Above All. “Healing Forward Initiative.” Kids Above All, accessed October 29, 2024. https://www.kidsaboveall.org/healing-forward.
6. “Kids Above All Back-to-School Drive Readies Students in Need for Success.” Chicago Crusader, August 25, 2023. https://chicagocrusader.com/kids-above-all-back-to-school-drive-readies-students-in-need-for-success-2/.
7. Kids Above All. “History.” Kids Above All, accessed October 29, 2024. https://www.kidsaboveall.org/history.
8. Kotowski, Dan. “Building Better Futures.” Illinois Child Advocacy Summit, 2023.
9. Illinois General Assembly. “Senator Dan Kotowski’s Legislative Advocacy for Children.” Illinois Senate Archives, 2023.
10. “Kids Above All Holds Back-to-School Drive to Prepare Students in Need for Success.” CBS News, August 9, 2024. https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/kids-above-all-back-to-school/
11. “Kids Above All Announces Support for Nonprofit Sector Strength and Partnership Act.” Kids Above All. Accessed October 29, 2024. https://www.kidsaboveall.org/nonprofit-act/.
12.  Kids Above All. “Annual Report 2022.” Kids Above All, 2022.
13. Illinois Department of Human Services. “2022 Financial Support for Nonprofits in Illinois.” Illinois DHS, 2023.
14. ProPublica. “Kids Above All.” Accessed October 29, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/362171716.