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$5M Landmark & A History | October 2024

The Foundation is proud to announce it has now donated ...

$5,000,000

... to help transform lives locally, nationally and globally since its inception in 2012


A History of Giving. Would you be surprised to learn that we started small—very small—with just a dream and a belief in the goodness of our colleagues and their desire to be a part of our mission: simply, to transform lives, locally, nationally and globally, in whatever ways we could. BUT ... before we were the FT Cares Foundation, we were known as FT Cares.














FT Cares was a group of volunteers at FTP who wanted to help others. Pictured above right, one of our first deliveries of frozen turkeys to Milton Township!


As the chart above shows, in 2006 we did 5 initiatives and by 2011 we were nearly at 25. Back then, we were simply committing our resources and our employee volunteers "to show just how much First Trust Cares and how, together, we could help change the world in our own small way".


The Foundation is Born. In late 2011, we decided to formalize the work and take the FT Cares organization into its next iteration: a 501(c)(3). In May 2012, the IRS granted tax-exempt status to the organization and the name we chose: FT Cares Foundation, which made contributions to the Foundation tax deductible.


When we were contemplating the FT Cares Foundation: what to name it, how we would achieve our mission, what would be our larger goals, one phrase came to mind: Dream things that never were and ask...why not. Well, we dreamed, we worked hard, YOU heard the call, and here we are, heading into our 13th year!



Impact Milestones:

  • In 2017, the Foundation reached $1,000,000 in charitable donations

    • $2,000,000 was donated by year 9 (2020)

    • $3,000,000 was donated by year 10 (2021)

    • $4,000,000 was donated by year 11 (2023)

  • In August 2024, the Foundation reached $5,000,000 in charitable donations


10/2/2024, Unaudited

Where our Donations Have Gone



Other Milestones:

  • In 2014, the Foundation began the first of what became a decade of Light the Torch 5K, an annual race through downtown Wheaton that raised money for various charitable organizations:

    • Total raised from 10 races: $700,629

    • Proceeds went to 30 different charitable organizations

    • Total runners through 10 races: 6,918

  • The Foundation has touched all 50 states and has impacted thousands of families and individuals

  • The Foundation has touched 26 countries with its global outreach

  • Locally, the Foundation has impacted nearly 200 organizations in Wheaton and DuPage County and in Austin and the counties around it


Some of the Organizations the Foundation has Impacted since 2012


The FT Cares Foundation has a torch in its logo. Our torch represents the light we are bringing to so many others as we work to transform lives. Each of us is a torch bearer in our own way: Many of you teach and care and serve others already. Many of you do so without any recognition or light shining on your efforts. And you have joined our initiatives as well! It’s clear that here at First Trust, we continue to carry our torch together and with the power of many, we’ll bring hope and help to those who need it.

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