The SBB Research Group Foundation recognizes three Chicago-area charities as the April 2023 finalists of its monthly grant program supporting impactful nonprofits (in alphabetical order): DrinkWater Family Services (Lindenhurst) seeks to provide a safe and inclusive environment that offers a distinct holistic opportunity for children in foster care and their biological parents to visit. Serving People with a Mission (Chicago) aims to equip individuals from diverse backgrounds to gain the right skills and knowledge to become outstanding leaders who serve their communities well. This is Life (Chicago) strives to inspire the youth to remain focused and dedicated to mastering their crafts and contributing positively to their communities and the world. They are committed to promoting a positive outlook by empowering young individuals to hone their talents and share them with the world. The Foundation encourages any 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to apply for a grant at sbbrg.org/apply-for-grant. Donations are awarded to different organizations monthly. This story can be found on Business Wire

The SBB Research Group Foundation named Collin Coil a recipient of its STEM scholarship. The $2,500 award empowers students to create value for society by pursuing higher learning through interdisciplinary combinations of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Collin Coil, a junior, studies pure mathematics and data science at American University (AU). He contributed to international finance research cited by the Federal Reserve, which played a part in the greater understanding, better regulation, and increased stability in the world's system of sovereign debt financing. Additionally, Congress cited his work tracking and modeling diverse representation in Congressional Witness panels as a primary motivator to change their rules for the 117th Congress. He recently interned with Noblis and worked in their experimental technology division to develop efficient DNA digital data storage. Currently, Coil works in the AU Center for Data Science with a research focus on artificial intelligence and computational methods. "Collin is an incredibly impressive student, and we're proud to support someone so dedicated to using his education to improve our world," said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of the SBB Research Group Foundation. For eligibility criteria and more information on the Foundation’s STEM scholarship, please visit www.sbbscholarship.org. This story can be found on Yahoo!

You Are Enough received a $5,000 grant from the SBB Research Group Foundation, which awards monthly grants to support impactful organizations. You Are Enough is a nonprofit organization that works to remove the stigma surrounding mental health and let those who are struggling know that they have support from their local communities. They do this by involving the strength of community connections to show individuals that they are not alone in their struggles. “We want to eliminate mental health stigma and remind people that they do not have to struggle alone. The more we normalize kids’ feelings and teach them to confront these big issues, the better off the individuals and community will be,” said Adison Schwartz, Founder and President. Currently, the organization is focused on building and implementing a “Wellness Center” within Deerfield High School. The center will provide an environment where students and staff can assess and understand their emotions. This facility will have a multi-tiered support system, self-regulation tools, and a trauma interventionist available for those needing emotional support. “It will be a space for students and teachers to relax, reenergize, and recharge,” said Schwartz. The organization's long-term goal is to eventually progress this idea and provide wellness centers in schools nationwide. “You Are Enough addresses a need that affects so many schools. We are honored to support them in their courageous mission, and we are excited about their future,” said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of the SBB Research Group Foundation. The organization will use the SBB Research Group Foundation grant to pioneer a new mental health program that focuses and dedicates itself to young adults’ mental health in local high school communities. This story can be found on GlobeNewswire

The SBB Research Group Foundation named Jing Chen a recipient of its STEM scholarship. The $2,500 award empowers students to create value for society by pursuing higher learning through interdisciplinary combinations of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Jing Chen, a senior, studies Computer Science at Union College. She is the Co-President of the Union College Chapter of ACM-W (Association of Computing Machinery-Women). Recently, she interned with Flutter Care, a women-led start-up that designs wearable devices and telehealth software for expectant parents. During her internship, Chen helped build The Flutter Care Pregnancy Companion App, conduct user interviews, and implement inclusive application features. "Jing's commitment to developing inclusive and accessible technology is what makes her a great recipient of this scholarship," said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of the SBB Research Group Foundation. For eligibility criteria and more information on the Foundation’s STEM scholarship, please visit www.sbbscholarship.org. This story can be found on Yahoo!

DrinkWater Family Services received a $5,000 grant from the SBB Research Group Foundation, which awards monthly grants to support impactful organizations. DrinkWater Family Services provides a safe and inclusive environment for supervised visitation, primarily focused on families that experienced domestic violence and children in foster care to reconnect with their biological parents in a holistic and comfortable setting. “There is a pressing need for a private and intimate space for children to interact with their biological parents and siblings,” said Michelle Hollins Casey, Founder of DrinkWater Family Services. "Often, families must resort to holding visitations in public spaces such as restaurant parking lots and parks, where meaningful connections between families are hard to attain." “Family connections are so important to us. We are proud to support DrinkWater Family Services as they provide a service that is often overlooked,” said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of the SBB Research Group Foundation. Recently, the organization has adopted a new monthly respite playdate program that benefits foster or adoptive parents and children. The program allows parents to drop off their children and have respite time to themselves or stay to connect with other parents while children are offered therapeutic movement breaks, food, and organized communal play. “This program provides a much-needed break for parents and a fun and safe space for children to play and interact,” said Amanda Colletti, Board Member. DrinkWater Family Services will utilize the SBB Research Group Foundation grant to continue its vision of providing safe opportunities for families to have weekly supervised visitations and offer parenting classes that focus on youth mental wellness and dietary support. This story can be found on GlobeNewswire

The SBB Research Group Foundation is proud to highlight the continued success of Trisha Dani after receiving the STEM Scholarship in 2021. The $2,500 award empowers students to create value for society by pursuing higher learning through interdisciplinary combinations of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Dani received the SBB Research Group Foundation STEM Scholarship during her sophomore year at University of Michigan while pursuing a degree in Computer Science. Since being awarded the scholarship, Dani has held internships at the State Department and Meta, where she engaged with diverse problem spaces such as full stack development, machine learning, embedded systems, and computer vision. She now works as a machine learning engineer at Humana. “It’s so wonderful to see Trisha continue to use her STEM education in her career. We are honored to be a step on her pathway to success," said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of the SBB Research Group Foundation. The SBB Research Group Foundation is honored to have played a role in Dani’s success. We look forward to continuing to support outstanding students in STEM and helping them achieve their full potential. For eligibility criteria and more information on the Foundation’s STEM scholarship, please visit www.sbbscholarship.org. This story can be found on Yahoo!

The SBB Research Group Foundation is proud to highlight the continued success of Bryanna Godfrey after receiving the STEM Scholarship in 2021. The $2,500 award empowers students to create value for society by pursuing higher learning through interdisciplinary combinations of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Godfrey received the SBB Research Group Foundation STEM Scholarship during her senior year at Stanford University while pursuing a degree in Human Biology. After being awarded the scholarship, Godfrey focused on independent projects in her lab, collecting cell-free RNA from cerebrospinal fluid samples to investigate gene expression in breast cancer patients with brain metastases. While continuing her research until graduation, Godfrey also volunteered as a teaching assistant for a free introductory neuroscience course at the International Youth Neuroscience Association. Godfrey is currently planning to matriculate at Columbia University's Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons in the fall of 2023 to pursue a medical degree. "Bryanna has a very promising medical career ahead of her, and I'm so pleased we could be a step on her path to her medical degree," said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of the SBB Research Group Foundation. The SBB Research Group Foundation is honored to have played a role in Godfrey's success. We look forward to continuing to support outstanding students in STEM and helping them achieve their full potential. For eligibility criteria and more information on the Foundation’s STEM scholarship, please visit www.sbbscholarship.org. This story can be found on PRWeb and Yahoo!

The SBB Research Group Foundation named Vivian Chen a recipient of its STEM scholarship. The $2,500 award empowers students to create value for society by pursuing higher learning through interdisciplinary combinations of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Vivian Chen is a first-year Northwestern University student, studying Computer Science. Chen is a recipient of the Chicago Engineers Foundation Incentive Award and has been named an Amazon Future Engineer. She has a summer 2023 internship at Amazon. "Vivian is the kind of student we want to support with our scholarship. She has enormous promise as an engineer," said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of the SBB Research Group Foundation. For eligibility criteria and more information on the Foundation's STEM scholarship, please visit www.sbbscholarship.org. This story can be found on PRWeb

The SBB Research Group Foundation is proud to highlight the continued success of Alana Mermin-Bunnell after receiving the STEM Scholarship in 2022. The $2,500 award empowers students to create value for society by pursuing higher learning through interdisciplinary combinations of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Mermin-Bunnell received the SBB Research Group Foundation STEM Scholarship during her junior year at Stanford University while pursuing a degree in Bioengineering. Since receiving the scholarship, Mermin-Bunnell has interned at the National Institute of Health, conducted research in the Skylar-Scott lab at Stanford, and mentored elementary students through the Discovering Science Together Club. She also received the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow award and was recognized as a Tau Beta Pi Graduate Fellow. In the fall, Mermin-Bunnell will begin pursuing her PhD in Medical Engineering at the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology program. “Alana has such a bright future ahead of her in medical engineering. It’s an honor to be part of her path to success," said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of the SBB Research Group Foundation. The SBB Research Group Foundation is honored to have played a role in Mermin-Bunnell’s success. We look forward to continuing to support outstanding students in STEM and helping them achieve their full potential. For eligibility criteria and more information on the Foundation’s STEM scholarship, please visit www.sbbscholarship.org. This story can be found on GlobeNewswire and Yahoo!

Illinois Joining Forces received a $5,000 grant from the SBB Research Group Foundation, which awards monthly grants to support impactful organizations. Illinois Joining Forces is a statewide nonprofit organization that helps service members, veterans, and their families find local services and resources that support growth, wellness, and community. "Our goal is to get upstream from crises such as suicide prevention and awareness, homelessness, and unemployment. We are here to take the call and connect veterans to services before a 'crisis mode' arises," said Brenda Osuch, Interim Executive Director. The Care Coordination Center of Illinois Joining Forces takes requests from all veterans statewide by conducting a comprehensive intake process to determine short-term and long-term support. Some of the most requested needs are emergency financial assistance, including housing, food, and essential utilities. "We wrap our arms around the veteran to make sure we understand their specific needs and connect them to the resources they need," said Jim Dolan, Sr. Director of Development. “It is great that Illinois Joining Forces helps those who served our country find the help that they need,” said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of the SBB Research Group Foundation. The organization will use the SBB Research Group Foundation grant to support the Care Coordination Center by providing a rapid response fund. This fund will help to avert any urgent crisis that an individual veteran or family member may need. This story can be found on GlobeNewswire