Helen's Hope Foundation is a private corporate foundation based in West Chicago, Illinois, established in 2004. As a corporate foundation of Camcraft Inc., it operates with no paid staff and focuses on supporting educational, humanitarian, and faith-based initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$657K
-54.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.5M
+38.5% YoY
Grant Count
31
+3.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$50K
+34.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation aims to nurture growth in high school-aged students through relationships, excellence, and service to the glory of God. Its primary funding areas include:
- Education: Christian education and academic excellence
- Youth Development: High school-aged student programs
- Christian Ministry: Faith-based initiatives and Christian humanitarian aid
- Healthcare: Medical support and healthcare initiatives
- Orphan Care & Humanitarian Aid: International and domestic assistance
- Child Abuse Prevention: Child welfare initiatives
- Christian Athletics: Youth athletic programs with character development focus
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on a "preselected only" basis, indicating it does not accept unsolicited grant applications and instead funds organizations it has identified.
Grant Range
$5,000 to $500,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Illinois, New York, and Texas, with particular emphasis on local West Chicago area institutions.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total Assets: $657,440
- Total Revenues: $769,072
- Total Expenses: $1,559,337
- Total Giving: $1,547,500
Staffing: The foundation operates with no paid employees, relying on volunteer board members and key personnel.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $657,440 | $1,447,705 | $1,910,763 |
| Revenue | $769,072 | $669,051 | $699,795 |
| Expenses | $1,559,337 | $1,132,109 | $1,152,425 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,547,500 | $1,117,325 | $1,135,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $58,961 | $55,292 | $8,285 |
| Distributable Amount | $51,201 | $66,951 | $100,738 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
130 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| BENARD B BERTSCHE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JEANNE BERTSCHE | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| MICHAEL BERTSCHE | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| PATRICK BERTSCHE | TRUSTEE | — | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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