Our mission is to eliminate pediatric cancer while providing hope and support to those who are touched by it. Our vision is a world without pediatric cancer.Forty-three children are diagnosed with cancer daily, and pediatric cancer remains the leading cause of death from disease among children. Even so, less than 4% of the total federal funding spent on cancer research is directed toward the treatment of children. These statistics are staggering. At Bear Necessities, we are dedicated to supporting pediatric cancer research to ultimately discover a cure, while continuing to help patients and their families today, bringing hope and joy to those in need. We couldn't continue this critical work without the unwavering support of our donors. Thank you for all you do.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.4M
-5.8% YoY
Revenue
$1.3M
-25.2% YoY
Net Investment Income
$90
+200.0% YoY
Expenses
$1.5M
+3.2% YoY
About Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer
Based on IRS filings
Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer is a nonprofit organization focused on Medical Research, based in CHICAGO, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $2.4M in total assets. Net investment income was $90.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,401,640 | $2,550,663 | $2,315,118 |
| Revenue | $1,297,950 | $1,735,462 | $1,700,490 |
| Expenses | $1,459,087 | $1,413,781 | $1,491,073 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $90 | $30 | $22,252 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 0 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
3 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KATHLEEN CASEY | PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER | 40 | $145,535 |
| CLAIRE JOLCOVER | CO-CHAIR | 1 | — |
| JOY LARISEY | CO-CHAIR | 1 | — |
| JAMES HERBISON | VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| BARBARA HARTMAN | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| PAULA HAMRIC | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| AJANI NIMMAGADDA | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ANDREA CAPUTO | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BRIANNA ELSASS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CHERYL GRACE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| COURTNEY MOORE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CRAIG SHIRLEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DELNAZ VAZIFDAR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JEFF CONRAD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JON JELINEK | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KENRA CASTELLONI | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| PAMELA MIKULEC | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ROB PELLICANO | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| STEPH SORENSEN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SUSAN HITCH-ZINT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KATE TILLOTSON | CEO | 45 | $131,991 |
| SUSAN MURA | DIRECTOR OF FINANCE | 40 | $101,088 |
| COURTNEY KRUPA | VICE PRESIDENT | 40 | $88,117 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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