The Barry and Taffy Berger Charitable Foundation will be donating $100,000 on Giving Tuesday each year through 2031 to the Village of Lincolnwood for Parks and Recreation projects/improvements. Based on Mr. Berger’s affinity for creating an inclusive environment for children with disabilities, and summer camp programs, Parks and Recreation staff worked to establish a list of desired projects for the donations. Mr. Berger saw first-hand through an employee’s child, the need for accessible playgrounds. As such, he made a very impactful decision on how to deploy this gift in order to positively impact the lives of children here in Lincolnwood. The first priority is to construct an accessible playground in Proesel Park which will be constructed in 2025. Other priorities of Barry and Taffy Berger include the following: Installation of accessible play equipment at Village playgrounds, installation of accessible surfacing at Village playgrounds, installation of an accessible splashpad at a Village park, Village summer camp experiences and equipment, and a scholarship fund for Village summer camp.
In 2023, the Berger’s donation was used to set aside funding for camp scholarships, experiential fields trips for summer camp, and new camp equipment. Barry and Taffy hope that their donation to Lincolnwood Parks and Recreation inspires others to do the same.