Second million dollar donation going to Evanston

EVANSTON - Support for street improvements, paramedic services, youth job training and a fund for families impacted by crime are among the projects and services that will be funded, for the second year in a row, by a $1 million donation from Northwestern University to the city of Evanston’s Good Neighbor Fund.

Evanston Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl and Northwestern President Morton Schapiro today announced details of how the money will be allocated.

In March 2015, Northwestern agreed to donate $1 million annually to the city of Evanston for a period of five years, with proceeds to be spent on projects and services jointly agreed upon by Mayor Tisdahl and President Schapiro.

Every year on July 1, the mayor of Evanston presents the list of eligible projects and services to the Northwestern president, and the two come to an agreement on what will be funded for the 12-month period beginning Sept. 1. The first $1 million allocation to the city was announced last October.

This year, Mayor Tisdahl and President Schapiro agreed to the following allocation:

• $500,000 for Sheridan Road improvement project, including new bike lanes
  Sheridan Road will be rebuilt from the south end of Northwestern University’s campus at Chicago Avenue north to Lincoln Street in 2017, including the addition of a two-way protected bike lane on the east side of the street. The portion of Sheridan Road north of Lincoln Street will be rebuilt in 2018. On Chicago Avenue, bike lanes will be added from Davis Street to Sheridan Road, connecting the entire project to the one-way protected bike lanes on Davis Street and Church Street.

• $180,000 to support the Evanston Fire Department paramedics
• $160,000 to support existing at-risk youth job training programs
• $100,000 to support Evanston’s Youth and Young Adult Division
  This allocation will cover the salary of two of the five existing full-time outreach workers.
• $30,000 to support additional police safety cameras in the community
• $30,000 to support the mayor’s discretionary fund to assist families impacted by violent crime

“Evanston is where we work and where many of us live and send our children to school,” President Schapiro said. “We love this community, and we are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Mayor Tisdahl, a great leader of a great city, on some important priorities.”

“Northwestern is a great neighbor, and we thank President Schapiro, in particular, for supporting our community with this generous donation,” Mayor Tisdahl said. “We already are seeing outcomes that are making a difference.” 

More information on the Good Neighbor Fund is available online.