Eileen Higginbotham: 2025 Mark Parr Champion for Children Honoree

On May 8, 2025, Children’s Advocacy Center of North and Northwest Cook County (CAC) will present its annual Mark Parr Champion for Children award to Eileen Higginbotham at their spring fundraiser, WONDER.

“One of the things I so admire about CAC staff,” Higginbotham shared, “is that you always put the children and families first and always with kindness and generosity.”

For CAC, the feeling is mutual. Kindness and generosity define Eileen Higginbotham, and when it came time to nominate someone for this year’s Champion for Children award, Eileen’s name immediately came to mind.

AN EASY CHOICE

“I’ve had the privilege of working with Eileen for over seven years and have witnessed her dedication and drive firsthand,” said CAC Development Director Taylor Kanara. “As CAC’s Community Liaison for the Rotary Club of Hoffman Estates, Eileen plays a vital role in sharing our mission with the community, but her commitment goes beyond her official duties as she supports CAC on a personal level as well. If something needs to be done, Eileen is the one to call,” Kanara added.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS HELP A GARDEN TAKE ROOT

Higginbotham first got connected to CAC as a Schaumburg-Hoffman Estates Rotary Club member. As she met the staff and learned about the work the organization was doing, she started to watch for ways that Rotary could help.

“I’m always trying to bring people together and combine resources. It’s not only about the money, it’s about making connections. That’s the way I think Rotary and myself and any community can build a solid foundation,” she explained.

For CAC, her connections helped create the Rotary Healing Butterfly Garden at the Hoffman Estates office, which is a repurposed farmhouse in a neighborhood setting. At the time, Higginbotham had been talking with staff and asking not only about their needs but also their wants. While staff always prioritized the children and families they served, this time the answer had a twist. They were hoping for a little garden area where clients (and staff) could sit and enjoy the park-like yard. Higginbotham looked around at the two little broken benches in the grass behind the house, and an idea took root.

She contacted Irv Schultz, a landscaper friend, and asked if he thought some of his vendors could donate to the project, and the garden idea grew further as Irv reached out to his contacts.

Higginbotham (front, left) with some of the Rotary and community volunteers at fall clean-up, 2024.

THE GARDEN BLOOMS

By the time Higginbotham went to her Rotary Club with a request for $10,000, she already had a commitment of approximately $60,000 in donated garden supplies and labor and a district-level grant from Rotary for an additional $3,500. That summer the healing garden bloomed.

Now in its ninth season, the garden is a place of peace at CAC. It is also a designated Monarch Way Station. “It’s an ecosystem,” Higginbotham explained. “We have to be careful that we’re not disturbing the butterfly habitat. Everything we put in has to be organic and native.” And she would know, as she is not only CAC’s Rotary liaison but the organizer of garden volunteers. Gardeners of all ages from Rotary, the area high schools and the community gather on the third Saturday morning of the month from April to October to weed, prune, water and keep the garden looking its best. New volunteers ages 12 and older are always welcome.

Over the years, Higginbotham has helped CAC receive Rotary funding for other projects including plastic shields and PPE during the pandemic, desks and computer equipment and a contribution in 2024 to CAC’s first-ever Resilience Symposium.

GIVING FOR THE GREATER GOOD

“All of the money we raise at Rotary, we donate. We have our own foundation. Everything is administered by volunteers, and the money goes back into our community with the exception of a few international projects since we are Rotary, International,” she said.

The Rotary Healing Butterfly Garden in full bloom, summer 2024.

“Whenever I have approached someone regarding the CAC and then I have explained what the gift is for, I have never been turned down,” Higginbotham continued. “I’m always trying to find out where the gap is. That’s been my niche – helping fill the gaps.”

From CAC’s perspective a Champion for Children shares the vision of putting kids first and supports the mission of helping kids heal, build resilience and live safer, healthier lives. Kind and generous with her time and other resources, Eileen Higginbotham is a gap-filler and gardener extraordinaire and a worthy Champion for Children honoree.

Area residents are invited to celebrate Higginbotham’s award and support CAC’s work in the community with young survivors of abuse at WONDER on May 8 from 6-9PM at the NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates. Event tickets are on sale, and sponsorships are available. Visit cachelps.org/wonder for more information.