Infant Welfare Society of Evanston

Wow! What an incredible evening!

Our supporters truly showed up for Harvest Your Imagination – Gala in the Garden last Saturday, and we are filled with gratitude for everyone who helped make this year's event such a success.

For the first time, we took the celebration outdoors, welcoming guests to beautiful Ward Farm, tucked behind Ward Manufacturing at 2230 Main Street. The farm is a special place for our Baby Toddler Nursery children, who love visiting their neighbors next door, making it the perfect setting for an evening dedicated to nurturing young children and strengthening families.

We were especially honored to recognize three outstanding champions of our community: Ward Manufacturing, Evanston Grows, the dedicated stewards of the garden, and our own Cara Strong, Director of Finance, whose commitment and leadership help make our work possible every day.

To every guest who attended, every supporter who purchased a Golden Ticket for a chance to win a dream trip (congratulations, Denise!), every donor, volunteer, and advocate—thank you. Your generosity helps ensure that children and families in our community receive the support they need to thrive.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

This year, we achieved a record-breaking level of sponsorship support, and we are deeply grateful to the many individuals and businesses who invested in our mission. Your partnership makes our work possible. Please take a moment to view our sponsor photo and support these generous community partners whenever you can.

A Culinary Experience to Remember

Guests are still talking about the food—and for good reason! We extend our heartfelt thanks to our talented chefs and culinary partners:

Tom Carlin, Burl
Malik Kemokai, Sissy Mary's Kitchen
Gustav Anderson, Good Stuff Eats
Nina Wade, Free Flow Kitchen
Rocio Mancera, Gorditos & Antojotos Moni Catering
Nicole Henry, Chicky's Kitchen Creations

A special thank you goes to Mary Grace Aceron, whose beautiful desserts from Graceful Creations were the perfect sweet ending to the evening. We are also grateful to The Laundry Café for providing delicious coffee, and to our Board of Directors for creating a truly epic charcuterie display that guests couldn't stop admiring.

Please support these outstanding local businesses and culinary artists.

Entertainment That Brought the Garden to Life

The evening was filled with creativity, energy, and wonder thanks to our amazing performers:

DJ Mwelwa
"Tron" (Amandatron5000, PhD), multidisciplinary performance artist
Spectre-Xenosthetics, face and body artist
Lion, juggler
Rissi Pacheco, poi artist
Mama Ryn Spinney, stilt walker

Their talents transformed the garden into a magical celebration unlike any other.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for helping us create an unforgettable evening in support of children and families. Together, we are building a stronger, more vibrant community.

We'll see you in 2027 for another unforgettable adventure! 🌿✨

Partnership Spotlight

Congrats to The Aux on its success and one-year anniversary. So many ask, what’s The Aux? It is a collaborative marketplace in Evanston built to support Black-owned businesses, entrepreneurs and creatives. Spread the word about this unique place and go check it out!

The Aux was so helpful at our gala on May 30th. They allowed our guests to use their indoor restrooms as our event was held at the adjoining Ward Farm. We enjoyed delicious coffee from The Laundry Cafe located at The Aux. Go enjoy a cup of this delicious brew while you do laundry!

The Aux will host its first gala June 20th, a Sneaker Soirée. Support this wonderful initiative in Evanston!

Evanston's The Aux Grows From Facebook Group Into Black-Owned Business Marketplace Envisioned by Evanston Sgt. Tosha Wilson in 2020, The Aux now houses Black- and women-owned businesses under one roof.

We’re back! Hope to see you at the stand today for opening day!

In remembrance of the brave who served and sacrificed for the families and communities we cherish. ❤️🤍💙

Still time to get your Gala in the Garden ticket! We are going to have so much fun! Don't miss it!

Harvest Your Imagination - Gala in the Garden 🎉 Infant Welfare Society of Evanston is celebrating all the ways IWSE helps children succeed! Gather your friends and join us under our big tent with twinkling lights!Where: Ward Farm, a vegetable garden operated by our non-profit partner, Evanston Grows, that provides more than 10,000 pounds of ...

We are so proud of our very own Dana Ferguson, our PreK lead teacher. The Childcare Network of Evanston selected Dana to receive its Excellence in Early Childhood Education Award this year, and she was the honored guest at CNE’s fifth annual walk/run fundraiser on Saturday.

Dana’s enthusiasm, creativity, and care for our children is boundless. When you ask her kids what they most like about school, they all say, “Miss Dana!” 🩷

Teacher of the year honored at Childcare Network event - Evanston RoundTable It was not much of a race. No singlets. No electronic timers. But lots of spirit. More than 150 people gathered at Elliot Park on Saturday for the fifth

Thank you to for coming out with students and parents on a volunteer day at IWSE. We planted flowers, fixed our raised beds, and beautified our property.

Spring is here!