June 22 event celebrating July groundbreaking surpasses $250,000 goal.
Friends of the Robert Crown Center (FRCC) announced Monday that its June 22 Groundbreaking celebration surpassed its $250,000 goal, raising more than $271,000. The campaign to date has raised over $11.4 million, surpassing the original $10 million goal last October and stretching toward a new $15 million mark.
“We would like to thank our sponsors and the more than 130 people who attended the event in the tent. The rain was not enough to dampen the enthusiasm of so many Evanston families,” said Daniel Stein, President of Friends of the Robert Crown Center (FRCC), the 501(c)3 organization partnering with the City of Evanston and Evanston Public Library to build the facility. ABC7Chicago anchor Ravi Baichwalserved as master of ceremonies.
Meeting the $15 million stretch goal is critical since staff notified city council on May 21 that issues with poor soil quality, the cost of steel due to ongoing trade war affecting supply, public art costs and larger contingency plans added over $4.5 million to the cost. Friends of Robert Crown Center will continue to fundraise to cover those cost overruns, attempting to hold taxpayers and city programs harmless.
The $52 million+ project includes a new branch library where neighborhood kids can receive tutoring and mentoring while expanding Internet access to families who don’t have it at home. In addition, the new Robert Crown Library, Turf Park and Community Center will upgrade the pre-school, which serves over 100 Evanston families and will allow dozens more children to get quality, affordable child care close to home.
550 families, businesses, foundations and organizations have donated to the project, including selling 212 personalized bricks at $500 each.
“Through gifts large and small, over 550 Evanston institutions, businesses and families, are saying one thing loud and clear about the new Robert Crown Library, Turf Park and Community Center – it’s happening!” concluded Stein.
