The SBB Research Group Foundation named Alana Mermin-Bunnell as 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). Alana, a junior, studies Bioengineering at Stanford University. She currently works in the Skyler-Scott lab researching bioprinting with a focus on pediatric hearts. She also developed an ultra-low-cost, multi-material bioprinter to make it more accessible for labs and schools. “Alana’s exemplary contribution in bioengineering is exactly the innovation we want to support," said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of SBB Research Group Foundation. About the SBB Research Group Foundation The SBB Research Group Foundation furthers the philanthropic mission of SBB Research Group LLC (SBBRG), a Chicago-based investment management firm. The Foundation sponsors the SBBRG STEM Scholarship, supporting students pursuing degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). In addition to its scholarship program, the Foundation provides grants to support ambitious organizations solving unmet needs with thoughtful, long-term strategies. For eligibility criteria and more information on the Foundation’s STEM scholarship, please visit www.sbbscholarship.org. This story can be found on PR Web.

The SBB Research Group Foundation named Andre Borde as 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). Andre, a sophomore, studies Engineering – Computer Science and Business Administration at the University of Michigan. He studied Robot Operating Systems and was an assistant in a robotics lab at Khlaifa University in Abu Dhabi. Andre currently seeks a patent and licensing agreement for a proprietary technology that captures obsolete small satellites in low-Earth orbit. “We want to award students who demonstrate diligence to achieve something outstanding. Andre exemplifies this by creating new technology so early in his career," said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of SBB Research Group Foundation. About the SBB Research Group Foundation The SBB Research Group Foundation furthers the philanthropic mission of SBB Research Group LLC (SBBRG), a Chicago-based investment management firm. The Foundation sponsors the SBBRG STEM Scholarship, supporting students pursuing degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). In addition to its scholarship program, the Foundation provides grants to support ambitious organizations solving unmet needs with thoughtful, long-term strategies. For eligibility criteria and more information on the Foundation’s STEM scholarship, please visit www.sbbscholarship.org. This story can be found on PR Web.

The SBB Research Group Foundation named Alison Witwer as 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). Alison, a junior, studies cellular and molecular biology at Western Washington University. She completed two internships at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and assisted in the Hatch Lab, studying nuclear envelope rupture and repair. Currently, she assists in the Lee Lab at Western Washington University as an undergraduate researcher studying cell abnormalities. “Alison's ambition and drive demonstrates true potential to advance STEM research in molecular biology," said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of SBB Research Group Foundation. About the SBB Research Group Foundation The SBB Research Group Foundation was established to further the philanthropic mission of SBB Research Group LLC (SBBRG), a Chicago-based investment management firm. The Foundation sponsors the SBBRG STEM Scholarship, which supports students pursuing degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). In addition to its scholarship program, the Foundation provides grants to support ambitious organizations solving unmet needs with thoughtful, long-term strategies. 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 invited five prior grant recipients to share updates on their critical efforts to support the local community. The Foundation awarded additional grants to further each of the respective organization's missions (organizations listed alphabetically): Fill A Heart 4 Kids (Lake Forest) provides educational support, necessities, and a sense of community to unaccompanied at-risk homeless youth and foster children in Illinois. The initial grant provided essential school supplies to children in need. Firehouse Community Arts Center (Chicago) aims to reduce violence in the North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago by engaging with at-risk youth through various arts programs. The initial grant supported the organization's Workforce Development Program, through which young men undergo intensive job training to help develop and achieve long-term career goals. GiveNKind (Mundelein) sources excess goods from manufacturers and distributors and supplies them to local nonprofit organizations. The initial grant supported the organization's Resource Rescue program, which provides over 330 Illinois nonprofit partners with the resources they need to keep their operations and programs. Haven Youth & Family Services (Wilmette) supports mental health wellness in the local community by offering counseling, prevention, intervention, and therapy programs to youth and their families. The initial grant supported Safety Assessments, Individual and Group Therapy, and Community Service Opportunities. In addition, the organization used the funding to provide support services to individuals and families in Highland Park. The Bloc (Chicago) utilizes the sport of boxing to provide academic, social, and emotional support and opportunities to youth in Chicago. The initial grant supported the creation of a Food Club to provide opportunities for youth to learn how to grow and prepare food. We are thankful for the critical work that these five organizations do for the community," said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of the Foundation. "We are proud to support these organizations and are grateful to continue our partnerships with them." To apply for a grant from the Foundation, please visit sbbrg.org/apply-for-grant. New grants are awarded each month and any 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is encouraged to apply. This story can be found on Benzinga

Reading Power received a $5,000 grant from the SBB Research Group Foundation, which awards monthly grants to support impactful organizations during the pandemic. Reading Power, a tutoring organization, serves under-resourced schools in Lake County, Illinois, by providing one-to-one tutoring to pre-kindergarten through second grade students. "Our mission is to accelerate children’s literacy learning to help them develop a love of reading and writing," explained Kristin Fine, Reading Power’s Director of Programs. Individualized programs focus on developing reading fluency, comprehension, oral language, vocabulary, phonemic awareness, and writing skills. Reading Power collaborates with teachers and administration to provide 25- to 40-minute tutoring sessions during the school day, 3 to 5 days per week. The organization also ensures that students can continue to read at home by gifting them new books and providing them access to a lending library. "It is so exciting to see this unique organization create individualized programs with the power to enhance the educational development of children in need," said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of the SBB Research Group Foundation. Along with their educational impact, Reading Power also emphasizes the social-emotional benefits of its program. "We know, especially after COVID, that students need to have a caring adult in their life that can give them the attention and care that they need to feel comfortable taking risks in their learning," said Fine. Reading Power currently has nine programs in North Chicago, Waukegan, and Zion, as well as an ancillary program in South Carolina. "This year, we will be expanding to two new schools in Waukegan, in minority and low-income areas, where we know the need is great," said Fine. The organization will use the SBB Research Group Foundation’s contribution towards funding and supplies to open a new site. For more information about Reading Power, visit readingpowerinc.org. 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 recognizes three Chicago-area charities as the July 2022 finalists of its monthly grant program, which supports impactful nonprofits during the COVID-19 pandemic (in alphabetical order): By The Hand (Chicago, IL) is a holistic after-school program that helps kindergarten through college-aged students, in critical need of academic intervention, become successful in school and life. Reading Power (Lake Forest, IL) is an independent, individualized literacy program that works with underserved Lake County (Illinois) schools to provide one-on-one tutoring to children who are at risk in prekindergarten through second grade. The Simple Good (Chicago, IL) provides youth with art programs focused on mindfulness and social and emotional learning. The organization's mission empowers youth to become positive activists through art and discussion. In June, Peer Plus Education and Training Advocates and The Dragonfly Foundation each received a $5,000 grant from the SBB Research Group Foundation. Peer Plus Education and Training Advocates provide programs to educate and support underserved populations for various health issues. The organization will use the funds to support families in need of counseling services, utilities, food, rental assistance, medication, transportation, and supplies. The Dragonfly Foundation partners with local hospitals to support and fulfill the everyday needs of children with cancer and their families. The Dragonfly Foundation will use the grant towards their Urgent Requests Program. 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 Benzinga and PR Web

The Chicago Chapter of the Dragonfly Foundation received a $5,000 grant from the SBB Research Group Foundation, which awards monthly grants to support impactful organizations during the pandemic. The Dragonfly Foundation partners with local hospitals to fulfill the everyday needs of children with cancer and their families. Since 2010, the Cincinnati-headquartered nonprofit has assisted over 6,500 children with cancer, family members, and caregivers by offering a community of support and resources. “I feel honored to carry forward the organization’s mission and vision of fulfilling these urgent requests and building a community for these families” - Jessica Merar The organization established its Chicago Chapter in March 2020 and partners with seven local hospitals, primarily focusing on fulfilling urgent requests. “I feel honored to carry forward the organization’s mission and vision of fulfilling these urgent requests and building a community for these families,” said Jessica Merar, Director of Programs at The Dragonfly Foundation’s Chicago Chapter. Through the Dragonfly Foundation’s Urgent Requests program, families communicate their needs to their hospital social workers, and the organization fulfills requests with no questions asked. Merar explained, “There is no application. We don’t need any approvals. We just truly want to give the families what they need.” The program offers a variety of resources, including gas cards to offset the costs of traveling to and from treatments, grocery cards, prescription cards, toys, household essentials, and celebrations for life milestones. “This incredibly impactful gift from the SBB Research Group Foundation will support our Urgent Requests Program, helping us deliver the day-to-day needs that arise,” said Merar. “We commend the Dragonfly Foundation for thinking outside the box by focusing on children and families holistically,” said Matt Aven, co-founder, and board member of the SBB Research Group Foundation. In addition to their Urgent Requests program, The Dragonfly Foundation also hosts patient and family events, community-building programs, assembles hospital care bags, and provides a space for direct donations to patients and their loved ones through their Adopt-A-Family program. For more information about The Dragonfly Foundation, visit dragonfly.org/chicago. 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 BusinessWire

Peer Plus Education and Training Advocates received a $5,000 grant from the SBB Research Group Foundation, which awards monthly grants to support impactful organizations during the pandemic. Peer Plus Education and Training Advocates provides programs to help educate communities on multitudes of health issues, connecting clinical research and underserved populations. “We are the bridge to support services and resources,” explained Founder Phyllis L. Rodgers, “We want to ensure that our community gets the information they need, and we will walk across that bridge with you if we have to.” The organization aims to dispel fears of ailments and provides support and educational resources for health and social services. Peer Plus Education and Training Advocates also offers additional services, including utilities and medication assistance, transportation services, and referrals for health-related screenings. “Our program addresses the entire person,” stated Rodgers. “We are proud to support the wide array of services provided by the Peer Plus Education and Training Advocates,” said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of the foundation. The organization will use the SBB Research Group Foundation grant to support families in need of grief services, utilities, food, rental assistance, medication, transportation, and supplies. For more information about Peer Plus Education and Training Advocates, visit www.peerpluscares.org. 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 BusinessWire

While many people are familiar with the United States Census every 10 years as mandated by the Constitution, over 100 different surveys are conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau each year. SBB Research Group summarizes vital information from Census.gov about these lesser-known—but significant—surveys in this educational series. The Census of Jails is conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and surveys over 3,000 local jails and 12 Federal Bureau of Prisons that function as jails. Temporary holding facilities and local jails in Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont are excluded from the census. The survey began in 1978 and publishes reports on various topics, including correctional populations, jail inmates, and the impact of COVID on the local jail population. The most recent report is the Census of Jails, 2005-2019 Statistical Tables, which outline national, state, and local trends. The five states with the lowest incarceration rates (inmates per 100,000 state residents) were New Hampshire (103), New York (105), New Jersey (107), Maine (120), and Minnesota (121), all of which saw a decrease from 2005 to 2019. The five states with the highest rates were Louisiana (700), Kentucky (586), Mississippi (482), Tennessee (457), and Georgia (422). Whereas Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky have increased incarceration rates since 2005. A significant majority (65.5%) of the confined inmates in jails across the U.S. await trial or other legal proceedings or are otherwise unconvicted. Note: Excludes data from the Federal Bureau of Prisons detention facilities and the jail and prison systems in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Census of Jails, 2005 and 2019 Statistical Tables. In a more comprehensive report, the Census of Jails and several other sources published Correctional Populations in the United States, 2020, the authors outline several trends across the entire correctional system (i.e., probation, parole, prison, and jail). Since 2010, there has been a steady decrease in adult individuals supervised by the correctional system — 7,089,000 in 2010 compared with 6,343,300 in 2019. Most adults (70%) under correctional supervision were paroled or on probation, and 30% were incarcerated in local jails and federal prisons. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall correctional population significantly decreased, driven by a drop in probation (-42%), prison (-33%), and local jail (-28%) populations, whereas the parole population had a slight increase of 1.7%. As a result, at the end of 2020, for the first time since 1996, the total number of adults in the correctional system dropped below 5.6 million (from 6,152,800 at the beginning of 2020 to 5,500,600 at the end of 2020). How are These Data Used? The data collected by the Bureau of Justice Statistics are used by federal, state, and local governments to examine the efficiency of the correctional system. For example, within Illinois, North Carolina, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Missouri, more than 80% of each state’s inmates in jails were unconvicted. Understanding these data contributes to the development of new policies that address inefficiencies in the judicial system and predict personnel and infrastructure needs for the correctional system. Source: https://bjs.ojp.gov/data-collection/census-jails-coj

The SBB Research Group Foundation recognizes three Chicago-area charities as the June 2022 finalists of its monthly grant program supporting impactful nonprofits during the COVID-19 pandemic (in alphabetical order): Next Move (Lansing, IL) provides services that support COVID-19 response, education, healthcare equity, violence prevention, and workforce development to minorities, with a focus on Hispanic communities within Chicago, South Suburbs, and Northwest Indiana. Peer Plus Education and Training Advocates (Chicago, IL) partners with health centers, free clinics, local hospitals, and social service agencies to provide culturally sensitive programs to people from underserved populations. The organization focuses on families needing essential health, educational, and psychosocial services. The Dragonfly Foundation (Highland Park, IL) supports children with cancer and their families by partnering with local hospitals to provide support and resources during and after diagnosis and treatment. 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 each month. This story can be found on Benzinga