Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center Out-of-School Programs
Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center (Administrative Office), 346 Taft Avenue, Suite 205, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
About
Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center Out-of-School Programs offer after school tutoring, mentoring, academic enrichment, project-based learning opportunities, and local field trips. The programs also include a full-day Summer Program, as well as special activities such as face-painting, snow cones, games, and raffles at events connected to the program.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Price: Tickets are $100 per person.
Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center (GECRC) offers out-of-school programming that empowers under-resourced K-12 students to meet state and local standards for academic and social-emotional learning, involves students in activities that enrich learning, and connects families to schools and other resources necessary to support student success and well-being. The programs provide cost-free tutoring and mentoring through after school and summer programs for under-resourced children in grades K–12 throughout School Districts 41 and 89, including a full-day Summer Program for more than 200 local elementary and middle school students. The programs support low-income children in attaining core literacy and social-emotional skills, assist English Language Learner (ELL) students as they integrate into the community, and assist parents and caregivers in providing educational support for their children.
The Glen Ellyn Community Resource Center opened in April 2002 and moved to a classroom space offered by Faith Lutheran Church of Glen Ellyn in fall 2003, when it became a nonprofit corporation. In 2006, it opened an after school program site at District 41 Abraham Lincoln Elementary School as the Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center (GECRC). In the 2013–2014 school year, it began serving additional District 41 students at Hadley Junior High and expanded again in 2016 to Churchill Elementary. Its first program in CCSD89 Glen Crest Middle School opened in 2020, and its most recent program opened in CCSD89 at Park View Elementary in fall 2023.
GECRC and CCSD89 (D89) have partnered to open a new GECRC site in D89, and District 41 has a partnership with GECRC. GECRC is among the area’s most active nonprofits, supporting a growing number of low-income children, assisting ELL students as they integrate into the community, and assisting parents and caregivers in providing educational support for their children. GECRC’s expansion to Glen Crest Middle School includes objectives to enroll 40 low-income ELL middle school students who are currently deemed at academic risk, and through participation in the GECRC after school tutoring and mentorship program, students will improve their academic skills while finding social and emotional support needed for academic readiness and success.
The leadership team includes Sarah O'Donnell, Executive Director; Lizzy Doty, Associate Director of Program and Volunteers and Park View Elementary Site Lead; Reagan Irving, Administrative Assistant; Laura Ulepic, Development Manager; and Emily Lobdell, Communications and Volunteer Coordinator. Site and program staff include Karla Kampen, Churchill Elementary Site Lead; Troy Burrows, Jayden Dixon, Arjumand Fatima, Sophia Garcia, and Sean Heupel, Classroom Coordinators at Churchill Elementary; and Hamna Khan, Program Aide at Churchill Elementary. Additional staff include Cheryl Sammer, Lincoln Elementary Site Lead; Alejandra Ponce, Program Aide at Lincoln Elementary; Mayra Kulik and Katie Pelayo, Hadley Junior High Site Leads; Katie Reed, Classroom Coordinator at Hadley Junior High; and Meghan Sedlacek, Glen Crest Middle School Site Lead. Language support staff include Cho Pyone and Sandy Hilaire, Translators. Board leadership includes Alan Taylor, President; Jodi Henninger Herbold, Vice President; Karen Winter, Treasurer; and Becky Gasaway, Secretary, along with Directors Jen Dietzler, Nell Gallagher, Lori Gapinski, Penelope Johnson, Erica Nelson, Evelyn Rodriguez, Madeleine Winter, and Janis Pfister.
GECRC also holds fundraising and community events connected to its programs. The Mahjong for GECRC 2026 fundraising event includes a welcome drink, light bites, one raffle ticket, additional drinks and raffle tickets available, relaxed 40-minute rounds, and table rotation, and every ticket purchased for the Mahjong event helps open the door to an unforgettable summer for more than 200 local elementary and middle school students participating in GECRC's full-day Summer Program. “Dare to Dream,” GECRC's 20th Anniversary Celebration and Fundraiser, included an auction, raffle, international food trucks, and live music at the Glen Ellyn Boathouse. GECRC Family Fun Day on June 11, 2022, celebrated GECRC’s 20th anniversary with face-painting, snow cones, games, a raffle, and more at Churchill Elementary.
Last updated May 28, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Price: Tickets are $100 per person.
Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center (GECRC) offers out-of-school programming that empowers under-resourced K-12 students to meet state and local standards for academic and social-emotional learning, involves students in activities that enrich learning, and connects families to schools and other resources necessary to support student success and well-being. The programs provide cost-free tutoring and mentoring through after school and summer programs for under-resourced children in grades K–12 throughout School Districts 41 and 89, including a full-day Summer Program for more than 200 local elementary and middle school students. The programs support low-income children in attaining core literacy and social-emotional skills, assist English Language Learner (ELL) students as they integrate into the community, and assist parents and caregivers in providing educational support for their children.
The Glen Ellyn Community Resource Center opened in April 2002 and moved to a classroom space offered by Faith Lutheran Church of Glen Ellyn in fall 2003, when it became a nonprofit corporation. In 2006, it opened an after school program site at District 41 Abraham Lincoln Elementary School as the Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center (GECRC). In the 2013–2014 school year, it began serving additional District 41 students at Hadley Junior High and expanded again in 2016 to Churchill Elementary. Its first program in CCSD89 Glen Crest Middle School opened in 2020, and its most recent program opened in CCSD89 at Park View Elementary in fall 2023.
GECRC and CCSD89 (D89) have partnered to open a new GECRC site in D89, and District 41 has a partnership with GECRC. GECRC is among the area’s most active nonprofits, supporting a growing number of low-income children, assisting ELL students as they integrate into the community, and assisting parents and caregivers in providing educational support for their children. GECRC’s expansion to Glen Crest Middle School includes objectives to enroll 40 low-income ELL middle school students who are currently deemed at academic risk, and through participation in the GECRC after school tutoring and mentorship program, students will improve their academic skills while finding social and emotional support needed for academic readiness and success.
The leadership team includes Sarah O'Donnell, Executive Director; Lizzy Doty, Associate Director of Program and Volunteers and Park View Elementary Site Lead; Reagan Irving, Administrative Assistant; Laura Ulepic, Development Manager; and Emily Lobdell, Communications and Volunteer Coordinator. Site and program staff include Karla Kampen, Churchill Elementary Site Lead; Troy Burrows, Jayden Dixon, Arjumand Fatima, Sophia Garcia, and Sean Heupel, Classroom Coordinators at Churchill Elementary; and Hamna Khan, Program Aide at Churchill Elementary. Additional staff include Cheryl Sammer, Lincoln Elementary Site Lead; Alejandra Ponce, Program Aide at Lincoln Elementary; Mayra Kulik and Katie Pelayo, Hadley Junior High Site Leads; Katie Reed, Classroom Coordinator at Hadley Junior High; and Meghan Sedlacek, Glen Crest Middle School Site Lead. Language support staff include Cho Pyone and Sandy Hilaire, Translators. Board leadership includes Alan Taylor, President; Jodi Henninger Herbold, Vice President; Karen Winter, Treasurer; and Becky Gasaway, Secretary, along with Directors Jen Dietzler, Nell Gallagher, Lori Gapinski, Penelope Johnson, Erica Nelson, Evelyn Rodriguez, Madeleine Winter, and Janis Pfister.
GECRC also holds fundraising and community events connected to its programs. The Mahjong for GECRC 2026 fundraising event includes a welcome drink, light bites, one raffle ticket, additional drinks and raffle tickets available, relaxed 40-minute rounds, and table rotation, and every ticket purchased for the Mahjong event helps open the door to an unforgettable summer for more than 200 local elementary and middle school students participating in GECRC's full-day Summer Program. “Dare to Dream,” GECRC's 20th Anniversary Celebration and Fundraiser, included an auction, raffle, international food trucks, and live music at the Glen Ellyn Boathouse. GECRC Family Fun Day on June 11, 2022, celebrated GECRC’s 20th anniversary with face-painting, snow cones, games, a raffle, and more at Churchill Elementary.
Last updated May 28, 2026.
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