ABC26/CW38 Children First, A fund of the McCormick Tribune Foundation | Community | ABC26.com | WGNO-TV

ABC26/CW38 Children First, A fund of the McCormick Tribune Foundation

ABC26/CW38 Children First is a fund of the McCormick Tribune Foundation. In the past eight years, the fund has granted over $6,500,000 to over 60 local children's charties. The fund offers a unique opportunity to assist the children's organizations in their efforts to provide services to young people and their families. Some of the activities that the ABC26/CW38 Children First fund has supported include education projects, advocacy programs, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, and health projects focused on children and mentoring projects. A portion of the proceeds of this event will be significantly increased by the McCormick Tribune Foundation.

The Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation was originally established as a charitable trust upon the death, in 1955, of Colonel Robert R. McCormick, the long-time editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune. McCormick played a major role in American journalism during the first half of the twentieth century, and built the Tribune Company from a single newspaper into a major organization of newspapers, radio and TV stations, and newsprint manufacturers.

While instructing that a sizeable portion of his estate be used for philanthropic purposes, McCormick provided considerable latitude in determining how the money would be distributed. He specified only that his monies should be used for "religious, scientific, literary, or educational purposes or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals." Since 1955, the Board of Directors has continually updated the foundation's giving guidelines to reflect the changing society, while following what they believe to be the wishes of the founder, Colonel McCormick. One of the foundation's most rapidly growing areas is its communities program.

Some of the local organizations ABC26/CW38 has granted to: United Way American Red Cross Young Leadership Council Audubon Zoo Children's Hospital Habitat for Humanity Junior Legue Foundation Via Link Internation House of Blues Foundation Campfire USA Louisiana Children's Museum Bridge House Angel's Place Chartwell Center Summer Bridge Youth Service Bureau St. Tammany Covenant House New Orleans Museum of Art Boys Hope Girls Hope Catholic Charities Dress for Success Raintree Teach for America Junior Achievement PAWS