The Chinese American Service League, Inc. (CASL), a United Way social service agency located in Chicago's Chinatown community, received a $300,000 challenge grant from Troy, Michigan-based, The Kresge Foundation. CASL is breaking ground in the fall of 2002 for a new CASL Community Service Center, a $9.15 million project that will provide a hub of social and human services for Chicago's Near South Side. "We are pleased with the progress of CASL's Capital Campaign Initiative thus far," said Raymond M. Chin, Co-Chair (with Bernard S. Lee) of the CASL Capital Campaign Committee, and whose firm, R.M. Chin & Associates, has dedicated resources to project manage the build-out on behalf of the community. "Certainly, Kresge's $300,000 challenge grant at this time, provides our community with a great bounce. And all of us on the CASL team look forward to even more assistance - from private, public and individual sources inclusive, to ensure that all of our goals are met, 100% and beyond," added Chin. The gift is the second for CASL from The Kresge Foundation, which also provided support for facility renovation to the social service agency in 1985. CASL's new Community Service Center, slated for occupation in the fall of 2003, will include modern facilities for its accredited Child Development Center, employment and training services, including its renown Chef Training Program, services to youth and families, and its Elderly Service Center, which includes an innovative Adult Day Service. This project, entitled "UNITING, BUILDING, SERVING," will replace five facilities currently scattered throughout Chinatown. The Kresge Foundation support of the project is contingent upon success of CASL's fundraising an additional $5.6 million for the project by September 1, 2003. This sum will be met from both public and private sources. At the time of the June 2002 grant announcements, The Kresge Foundation had awarded 99 grants in 2002. Grants are made towards projects involving construction or renovation of facilities and the purchase of major capital equipment or real estate and are made on a challenge basis, requiring the raising of remaining funds, thereby insuring the completion of projects. John E. Marshall, III, President and CEO of The Kresge Foundation, indicated, "Our Trustees were pleased to support a range of organizations reflecting almost the entire breadth of the nonprofit sector. This diverse group is responding to the new challenges presented by their communities or sustaining activities that have demonstrated their effectiveness." For more information on the Chinese American Service League "UNITING, BUILDING, SERVING" campaign and participation of supporters such as The Kresge Foundation, please contact Paul Cusimano, CASL Director of Development, at (312) 791-0418.