100 Club of Illinois Celebrates 60 Years of Standing Behind Those Who Stand for Illinois

For six decades, when Illinois first responders have faced some of the most difficult moments of their lives, the 100 Club of Illinois has been there.

To celebrate it's 60th Anniversary, the 100 Club of Illinois will host "Toast to Hope" on Thursday, October 1st at 6:00 p.m. at Morgan Manufacturing (401 N Morgan Street) in Chicago. The evening will feature an array of culinary experiences, crafted cocktails, live entertainment and stories celebrating the first responders, families, supporters and community leaders who have made the organization's work possible. A VIP Reception from 5–6 p.m. will give guests an opportunity to connect with public safety leaders from agencies across Illinois and sample the limited-edition 100 Club Bourbon, courtesy of Blue Run Spirits.

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Proceeds from "Toast to Hope" will help the 100 Club continue providing financial assistance, training, resources and support to families of first responders killed in the line of duty as well as to the active-duty first responders who continue to serve communities across Illinois.

"Our 60th anniversary is not simply a celebration of our past," said Caitlyn Brennan, CEO of 100 Club of Illinois. "It is a moment to recognize how much has changed for first responders and to make sure we are prepared to meet what they and their families need in the next 60 years."

The 100 Club of Illinois was founded on August 27, 1966 by Chicago businessman Ralph J. Scheu who made a simple but powerful promise: when a police officer or firefighter makes the ultimate sacrifice, their family will not face the future alone. That promise was put to the test almost immediately. Cook County lost 15 heroes in the organization's very first year and the 100 Club was there for every single family. Many are still involved today.

For decades, the mission was to respond when tragedy struck. The Club showed up quickly, provided immediate financial assistance to surviving spouses and helped children of fallen heroes pursue their education .What began with three Cook County communities steadily grew to serve municipalities across northeastern Illinois, always focused on supporting families in the aftermath of an unimaginable loss.

Over the years, that commitment expanded. The organization established its Educational Assistance Program to help children of fallen first responders attend college, launched the annual Valor Awards to recognize first responders who went above and beyond the call of duty, and grew to more than 1,000 annual members. In 2010, Loyola University Chicago became the first University Partner, helping reduce the financial burden of higher education for families still navigating life after loss.

Then in 2020, just days before COVID-19 changed everything, the organization expanded statewide becoming the 100 Club of Illinois, broadening its mission beyond loss and into prevention, committing for the first time to mental health and wellness resources for the 80,000 first responders still actively serving across all 102 Illinois counties.

"For 60 years, the 100 Club of Illinois has stood beside the men and women who run toward danger when the rest of us are running away," said Brennan. "Our responsibility doesn't end when a first responder comes home from a difficult call, and it certainly doesn't end when a family loses someone in the line of duty. We are here to make sure first responders and their families know that they are not alone."

Today, the 100 Club of Illinois also runs a statewide First Responder Support Service Network covering everything from PTSD and depression to nutrition, sleep, fitness, and mindset. It has trained more than 15,000 active-duty first responders in mental health and wellness. It has delivered over $300,000 in emergency frontline funding to first responders and departments in crisis. And since 2023, its Frontline Convention has brought together 1,690 attendees to address officer wellness head-on. Since its inception, the 100 Club of Illinois has served 330+ families, delivered $18 million in financial assistance, and helped 487 children of fallen heroes earn college degrees. It has evolved from a group of Chicago-area business leaders pooling $200 annual contributions into a statewide organization fighting on two fronts, for the families left behind and for the first responders still on the line.

For more information on 100 Club of Illinois or to purchase tickets for "Toast to Hope," please visit www.100clubil.org.

About the 100 Club of Illinois

The 100 Club of Illinois has supported first responders and their families since 1966. The organization provides financial assistance to families of first responders killed in the line of duty and resources, training, wellness and support to first responders throughout Illinois. Over six decades, the 100 Club has provided more than $17 million in benefits to 332 fallen public safety families and trained more than 10,000 first responders.