Dan Kotowski

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About

Born and raised in Chicago, Dan Kotowski’s lifelong passion for helping children and his community compelled him in 2006 to run for the Illinois State Senate. During his nine years as a senator, he built a reputation as one of the hardest working public servants in Springfield, and focused his advocacy efforts on investing in the education, safety and well-being of children and families, making his transition an easy one from elected official to CEO of the Chicago-based non-profit, ChildServ. For the past three and half years, Kotowski has taken a relatively unknown human services agency in ChildServ, raised its public profile and ignited immense growth for the organization to address our nation’s foster care crisis. Currently, there are more than 437,400 children in the U.S. foster care system—those who have experienced abuse, neglected or violence—that require increased resources, opportunities and stability so they can reach their potential and become empowered adults. Dan has focused on solving the problem by instituting and expanding programs that prevent poverty, protect children and keep families together, noting that additional investment is needed for creative innovative services that address the needs of the whole child and their families. He also has secured additional resources to support the professional, mission-driven human service workers who care for these children. Many child advocates cannot make ends meet in their current roles, and despite their desire to improve the lives of children, seek jobs in other industries that offer better pay and work-life balance. With this crisis in mind, and using the knowledge, skills and expertise he gained as state senator, Dan leveraged his vast, longstanding network to push ChildServ’s impact to the next level. This year alone, ChildServ expanded its early childhood program by 50 families, increased support of its front line workers to maintain consistency of care for the 2,500 children and families in its programs; raised more than $400,000—an agency best—at their annual Founder’s Day Gala; and just before Christmas, oversaw the donation and delivery via UPS semi of more than $90,000 worth of gifts to 1,500 children who are at risk around Chicago. His motto is… “we treat the children in our care as if they were our own.”

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