Area nonprofits are working to fill the fundraising gap left by local nonprofit From the Heart after it ceased operations in February after 18 years and $1.116 million in giving in the greater Rochelle area.

From the Heart raised money for nine area nonprofits: the Rochelle Area Community Foundation, HOPE of Ogle County, Rochelle Christian Food Pantry, Pegasus Special Riders, Hub City Senior Center, Shining Star Children’s Advocacy Center, CASA, Community Action Network and Foundation for Focus House. It raised $90,000 at its 2025 gala and presented checks for $10,000 to each of its nonprofits in its final year.

Shining Star Children’s Advocacy Center Executive Director Jessica Cash was involved with From the Heart for 16 years and said the funds weren’t the only benefit. The gala also highlighted the work the nine nonprofits did and helped Shining Star, based in Dixon, to make connections in Rochelle and Ogle County.

Shining Star CAC works with families and children in Ogle and Lee counties who have been victims of child abuse. The work is done alongside law enforcement, prosecutors, DCFS and medical providers when there’s been allegations of severe physical or sexual abuse or kids that have experienced violent crimes, domestic violence or child deaths in the home.

Children come to Shining Star’s location to be interviewed rather than going to a police station or hospital that can be less child-friendly or more intimidating. The organization also offers counseling, trauma therapy, group services and court advocacy.

“When I would accept our check every year, I would always make a point to mention how they were unrestricted funds and how beneficial that is,” Cash said. “We could use that money for whatever we needed. One year we used the funds to replace a critical camera in one of our interview rooms.

“A lot of the grants we receive are restricted to specific uses. That will need to be made up. We’re looking at other community grants. We may be losing some federal funding next July. Between that and the From the Heart funds, we really need to be looking around to raise funds.”

Shining Star also used From the Heart funds to support families’ needs, such as clothes, shoes, and sports registration and equipment for kids. Cash called From the Heart “a great network of people to work with” and said her organization is working to continue fostering connections in Ogle County. Shining Star has a small office in Oregon.

Amid constant uncertainty with the future of grant funding, Cash said having donors and fundraisers is always helpful to continue supporting children in the area. From the Heart allowed its nine nonprofits to combine efforts.

“It was a way for all nine agencies to have a fundraiser at one time,” Cash said. “And now we have to have an extra fundraiser each. Now it is nine asks of the community versus one big ask. That can make things more difficult.”

RACF Executive Director Emily Anaya said the From the Heart funds helped her organization to hold programs and have a bigger reach. RACF provides support to area nonprofits through a competitive grant process yearly. It also works with donors from every walk of life, from small donations to big donations and everything in between. RACF was part of From the Heart since its inception.

In an effort to attempt to fill the void left by From the Heart, RACF will be converting its yearly grant presentation Granting Futures event into a gala in 2026. The RACF Granting Futures Gala will be held May 2, 2026, at Storybook Gardens. The event will be Kentucky Derby themed and will include grant presentations, a plated dinner by Flight Deck Bar & Grill, silent and live auctions, and music and dancing.

“From the Heart is a fantastic idea,” Anaya said. “In a sense, it did what RACF does, just a little bit differently. It supports nonprofits. That’s why I feel it’s on RACF to pick that up and make up that money. That is a lot of money to make up. It’s $90,000 potentially not going back into this community. How is that going to work? I think you’re going to see that impact, especially on those smaller nonprofits. Myself and my board are solution-based. We’re going to be proactive. That’s where our gala we’re planning came in.”

Funds raised at the Granting Futures Gala will go toward the RACF Endowment Fund, its largest unrestricted fund where most donor dollars go. Anaya hopes those funds will grow and benefit area nonprofits to fill the gap From the Heart left.

Anaya, RACF’s board and volunteers will be putting on the event, which she called “a big undertaking.”

“We don’t want our nonprofits to scramble year to year,” Anaya said. “We want them to know that there’s enough money and we want to hand that out. I think this community enjoys the gala part of it. There’s not a lot of them around, and I think that’s why From the Heart was successful. It was up to someone to stand up and continue that and do it in a different way. And to pay respect to From the Heart. We know we’re not going to be From the Heart. We want to continue the tradition and legacy. And I think this community really wants to do it.”