Farther Foundation Annual Report - 2023

President’s Message

In 2023, Farther Foundation awarded more scholarships and supported more students than in any previous year. We have now surpassed the one-million-dollar mark in scholarships, grants, and awards since our founding. Our students traveled the world, explored new challenges, grew in confidence, and brought home the best in themselves. Read more about our students, our impact, and news from our organization in our 2023 Annual Report.

We are grateful for your support of Farther Foundation and the students we serve!

David Weindling
Farther Foundation - Founder and Board President

Mission & Vision

Farther Foundation inspires greater aspiration and achievement from students in communities beset by chronic disinvestment and systemic inequities. We provide opportunities for students to participate in life-changing educational travel experiences across the country and around the world. Our students immerse themselves in new cultures, learn and develop skills, provide community service, cultivate leadership potential, and attain personal growth.

Student Explorations 2023

Thirty-eight students spread out across the country and around the world for programs full of adventure, discovery, and learning. Whether they were pushing the boundaries of their comfort zones abroad, or challenging themselves socially and academically on college campuses, they returned home with new levels of confidence and ambition as they prepare to take the next steps in their education. Hayden and Kara shared some highlights of their programs with us in these video presentations:

Hayden

Hayden traveled to France on a program that combined cultural immersion and conservation education. “This trip was an eye-opener. It made me appreciate the beauty of different cultures and the importance of preserving history, art, and traditions.”

Now a high school senior, Hayden told us, “I'm fully focused on finishing the year strong both academically and athletically. In October, I earned the Presidential Volunteer Service Award for completing over 100 hours of community service last year. Regarding my college plans, I've applied to several schools and have already received acceptances and merit scholarships from 10 of them.”

Kara

Kara attended a summer college program on the campus of Boston University. “This was a great first solo travel experience that changed my perspective. I felt independent, made mature decisions, and figured things out by myself while maintaining relationships with my family and friends. I am no longer overwhelmed with the fear of moving to college or dealing with the responsibilities that come with it.”

Kara recently sent us an update letting us know that, “As for plans after high school, I haven’t committed to any schools yet because I am waiting for responses from University of Chicago as well as Boston University! Chicago is currently at the top of my list. I hope to study health sciences and use that as a steppingstone for my future endeavors that will likely involve pediatrics!”

alumni spotlight

octavia tey, farther foundation cohort, 2017

In 2017, with support from Farther Foundation, Octavia travelled to the Dominican Republic and participated in a program that included cultural immersion, service, and outdoor adventure activities. Upon her return, Octavia wrote,

“I beat the greatest limit there ever was -- myself. I felt like I could do anything, and I can. I can hike through the woods and jump off waterfalls and slide into natural pools. I can survive a month in a foreign country, practically alone, without parents. I can push myself and find motivation. I will be okay.”

Octavia went on to graduate from Northeastern Illinois University with a degree in computer science. She currently works for Huron Consulting as a technical consultant. Though the COVID years ruined her plans to study abroad during college, she has been taking advantage of her opportunities to travel more now.

“Studying abroad at a young age and being able to spend an extended period of time immersed in another culture molded the way I view traveling, which is something I doubt would have formed in another organic way if it weren’t for the Go Farther Program.”

At college, Octavia used that experience and confidence to help others. “I was a trip co-leader and co-organizer for a group of seven people to travel to Ottawa, Canada, from Chicago for a Hackathon sponsored by Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) and the Google Developer Student Club (GDSC).”

Recalling some of the logistical obstacles in planning and leading that program, Octavia told us, “The most difficult part was the timeline. The entire hackathon, from idea to execution, was a mere two-months, so coordinating with two other universities (Carleton College and Algonquin University in Ottawa), in addition to securing funding from NEIU while also being able to book hotels, flights, rental cars, and activities for 8 people with enough time, was difficult. It necessitated a lot of pressure, emails, and meetings. Due to the short notice, we ended up having to get creative with transportation to limit costs. It would have cost us $1,000 per person to fly directly to Ottawa from Chicago. $8,000 for flights would have been our entire budget, and then some. I found us flights to the closest US city to Ottawa (Syracuse), for $300 per person. This method cost us about half what it would have cost to fly. We flew to Syracuse, then rented cars and drove across the border.”

impact

Life-changing educational travel experiences

We brag (with good reason and ample evidence) about our students’ exceptional college enrollment and graduation rates, but it is the attitudinal changes born from their experiences that lay the foundation for future success. Our students complete a post-program survey and tell us the following:

sustainability

Carbon compensation

We firmly believe that participation in educational travel is singular in its ability to open the eyes and unbind the aspirations of students whose experiences rarely escape the boundaries of their own neighborhoods. However, we recognize that travel also negatively impacts the environment through the burning of carbon-based fuels.

Farther Foundation has begun taking steps to compensate for our carbon footprint. Rather than purchasing traditional carbon offsets (for projects such as tree planting), we have chosen to make an impact closer to home and in line with our educational mission. We calculated the cost of the carbon emissions caused by the air travel we supported in 2023 and awarded a grant in that amount to the Academy for Global Citizenship to support its educational programs in sustainability.

The Academy for Global Citizenship (AGC) is a Chicago Public Charter School. Students there are educated to be internationally and environmentally minded by learning how their choices impact their community and ultimately the world. Their new school campus itself is constructed to be a net-positive energy facility that serves as a learning environment and a model for future school construction and practices.

During the 2023-2024 school year, AGC is building out the sustainability instructional spaces on their new campus. They are using our Carbon Compensation grant to bolster these projects:

• “We were able to purchase more seedling propagation materials which will allow us to grow between 200-300 vegetable starts to sell back to the community at a very reasonable cost. The propagation materials will also allow us to grow the additional 500-1000 seedlings we need to plant on the balconies, in the gardens in front of the East Entrance of our facility, and as part of our year around hydroponic systems.

• We are also purchasing materials for the school balconies for safe engagement of the younger students, particularly the ones with high incidents of behavioral dysregulation so they can also participate in hands on gardening activities in a confined and safe space.

• Lastly, we are going to make some changes to our small garden storage area to enable organized and regulated access to tools and materials for students and community members. We will also mount some tool care workshops with the associated materials to teach older students how to care for their garden tools to avoid rust or breakage.”

Sustainable investment

Farther Foundation maintains a reserve fund to help support our programs and operations. We have shifted a portion of these investments into funds that seek investments in companies that advance environmental sustainability or apply practices and philosophies that lessen their negative impact relative to other companies in their industry.

Events - Save the date

Storyslam 2024 

Thursday, October 10, 7:00 – 10:00

Fitzgerald’s Nightclub
6615 Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn

• Hear stories of discovery, adventure and mishap told by consummate storytellers.

• Enjoy food, drink and the company of friends.

• Support our hard-working and deserving students.

Featured storytellers include:

Clifton Johnson is a recovering social worker who currently leads internal communications at Teach For America. During his time as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Kingdom of Tonga, Cliff taught a youth theater troupe named “Tala Kei Kapa Na’a To Ki Mala,” which roughly translates to a warning about being eaten by devils – his other theater experience includes teaching youth improv in Chicago and writing/performing numerous plays. Cliff’s previously won a Moth StorySLAM and a national Peace Corps storytelling competition. When he’s not working or telling stories, Cliff enjoys writing fiction, watching great movies, and making and consuming enough pizza to cancel out whatever exercise he got that day.

Cliff recently completed work on a young adult fantasy adventure novel loosely inspired by his Peace Corps experience, so let him know if you have any connections at agencies or publishers!

Stay tuned for more news about our featured storytellers and opportunities to buy discounted earlybird event tickets!

Expense Report - 2023

Highlights

• Awarded more than $190,000 in scholarships and grants

• Established a reserve fund to bolster our scholarships and administrative capacities

• Established a carbon offset program

Our Supporters

Farther Foundation is grateful to acknowledge the support of the generous donors who believe in our mission and the potential of the students we serve. https://www.fartherscholar.org/our-supporters

Thank you from the Board of Directors of Farther Foundation!

David Weindling        
Susan J. White           
Laura Swartzbaugh
Matt Crossett            
Melissa Coughlin       
Ed Cruickshank          
Nina Ricci                   
Rosario Gonzalez       
Jocelyn Duran