Foundation History

Housewares Charity Foundation has been impactfully aiding major health research and humanitarian organizations since 1998.

January 12, 1998
January 12, 1998

Race to Erase MS

Total Raised: $750,000

Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers

Humanitarian Awards:
Ron Johnson, Target Stores
Barbara Pizzella, Sears
Scott Silver, Bloomingdale's

Beneficiaries
Multiple Sclerosis Research

January 11, 1999
January 11, 1999

Second Annual Gala Event

Total Raised: $950,000

Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers

Humanitarian Awards:
Mark Cohen, Sears Roebuck & Co.
Darlene Daggett, QVC
Joseph R. Ettore, Ames Department Stores, Inc.

Lifetime Humanitarian Award:
Leonard Florence, Syratech

Beneficiaries
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America

January 17, 2000
January 17, 2000

Third Annual Gala Event

Total Raised: $1,750,000

Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers

Humanitarian Award:
Janet Grove

Lifetime Humanitarian Award:
Leon Dreimann

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation

January 15, 2001
January 15, 2001

Fourth Annual Gala Event

Total Raised: $1,020,000

Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers

Lifetime Humanitarian Award:
Patrick Dinley, Norelco Consumer

Humanitarian Awards:
William Podany, Shopko Stores, Inc.
Eric Salus, Macy's East

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
Habitat for Humanity International
The Maxi Fund
National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund

January 14, 2002
January 14, 2002

Fifth Annual Gala Event

Total Raised: $1,180,000

Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers

Lifetime Humanitarian Award:
Charles Chinni, TBD

Humanitarian Awards:
Stanley Cheng
Cyndi Evans

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
JCPenney Afterschool
The HCF September 11th Relief Fund

January 13, 2003
January 13, 2003

Sixth Annual Gala Event

Total Raised: $1,280,000

Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers

Lifetime Humanitarian Award:
Leslie Mann, Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Humantarian of the Year Awards:
Peter Cameron, All Clad Metalcrafters LLC
Chuck Williams, Williams-Sonoma, Inc.

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
James Beard Foundation
Culinary Institute of America's Student Scholar

March 21, 2004
March 21, 2004

Seventh Annual Gala Event

Total Raised: $1,170,000

Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers

Lifetime Humanitarian Award:
Louis Fortunoff, Fortunoff

Humanitarian of the Year Awards:
Steve Birke, Target Stores
Ronald Diamond, Conair Corporation
Michael Graves, Michael Graves & Associates

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis
Target House at St Jude Children's Research Hospital

March 21, 2005
March 21, 2005

Eighth Annual Gala Event

Total Raised: $1,450,000

Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers

Lifetime Humanitarian Award:
Ellen Levine, Good Housekeeping

Humanitarian of the Year Awards:
Anthony Buccina / Michael MacDonald, Carson Pirie Scott & Co., Division of Saks Department Store Group
Albert Boscov / Kenneth Lakin, Boscov’s, Inc.

Beneficiary
Breast Cancer Research Foundation

March 13, 2006
March 13, 2006

Ninth Annual Gala Event

Total Raised: $1,750,000

Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers

Lifetime Humanitarian Award:
Carole & Gordon Segal, Crate and Barrel

Humanitarian of the Year Awards:
Doug Bradshaw, Bradshaw International, Inc.
Sam Farber, Copco, Inc. and OXO International

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
University of Chicago Integrated Breast Cancer Research Laboratory
Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation, Inc.

March 12, 2007
March 12, 2007

Tenth Annual Gala Event

Total Raised: $1,920,000

Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers

Lifetime Humanitarian Award:
Howard Lester, Williams-Sonoma Inc.

Humanitarian of the Year Award:
Jeffrey Siegel, Lifetime Brands Inc.

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
St. Jude's Research Hospital
The Lenny Florence Center

March 17, 2008
March 17, 2008

Eleventh Annual Gala Event

Total Raised: $1,750,000

Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers

Lifetime Humanitarian Award:
Thierry de La Tour d'Artaise, Groupe SEB

Humanitarian of the Year Award:
Renée Behnke, Sur La Table

Design & Fashion Leadership Award:
Burton Tansky, The Neiman Marcus Group

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
America's Second Harvest, The Nation's Food Bank Network

March 23, 2009
March 23, 2009

Twelfth Annual Gala Event

Total Raised: $2,250,000

Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers

Lifetime Humanitarian Award:
Tim Adams, Macy's Home Store

Creativity Leadership Award:
Lyn Kirby, Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc.

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
James Beard Foundation

March 15, 2010
March 15, 2010

Thirteenth Gala Event

Total Raised: $2,190,000

Hilton Chicago

Lifetime Humanitarian Award:
Mike George, QVC

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
James Beard Foundation
HCF Haiti Relief Fund

March 7, 2011
March 7, 2011

Fourteenth Annual Gala Event

Total Raised: $2,435,000

Hilton Chicago

Lifetime Humanitarian Award:
Barbara Turf, Crate & Barrel

Humanitarian of the Year Award:
Jerry Rubin, Helen of Troy

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
James Beard Foundation
Cookies for Kids' Cancer
Texas Tech University Breast Cancer Center
University of Chicago

March 12, 2012
March 12, 2012

Fifteenth Years of Heart

Total Raised: $2,000,000

Hilton Chicago

Lifetime Humanitarian Award:
John Tighe, JCPenney

Lifetime Achievement Award:
Vincent Naccarato, Molto Capital

Lifetime Philanthropy Award:
Jane & Neil Golub, Price Chopper

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
James Beard Foundation
IIT Institute of Design
Lynn Sage Comprehensive Breast Cancer of Northwestern Memorial Hospital

March 4, 2013
March 4, 2013

Sweet Sixteen

Total Raised: $2,190,000

Hilton Chicago

Lifetime Humanitarian Award:
Kathryn Bufano, Belk

Humanitarian of the Year Award:
Keith Jaffee, O2 Cool

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
James Beard Foundation
American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund
Long Island Cares, Inc. ― The Harry Chapin Food Bank
American Folk Art Museum
University of Chicago

March 17, 2014
March 17, 2014

New Home. Same Heart.

Total Raised: $1,700,000

Navy Pier

Lifetime Humanitarian Award:
David Ortiz, Walmart

Specialty Retailer Humanitarian Award:
Janis Johnson, Gourmet Catalog

Humanitarian of the Year Award:
Wolfgang Wüsthof, Wüsthof

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
James Beard Foundation
The Chicago Initiative on Pancreatic Cancer

March 9, 2015
March 9, 2015

Housewares Blooms. Reaching New Heights.

Total Raised: $2,430,000

Navy Pier

Humanitarian of the Year Awards:
Richard Baker, Hudson's Bay Company
Brian Kelley, Keurig Green Mountain, Inc.

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
James Beard Foundation
Save the Children

March 20, 2016
March 20, 2016

It's Smart to Have a Heart

Total Raised: $2,640,000

Navy Pier

Humanitarian of the Year Awards:
Terry Lundgren, Macy's
Lester Gribetz, Lenox

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
James Beard Foundation
God's Love We Deliver

March 20, 2017
March 20, 2017

20th Year Anniversary — A Purpose. A Plan. A Promise.

Total Raised: $1,920,000

Navy Pier

Humanitarian of the Year Awards:
Richard Boyton, Jura

Lifetime Humanitarian Award:
Janet Hayes, Williams Sonoma

Lifetime Leadership Award:
Phil Brandl, International Housewares Association

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
James Beard Foundation
No Kid Hungry

March 12, 2018
March 12, 2018

Unite. Support. Celebrate.

Total Raised: $1,820,000

Navy Pier

Humanitarian of the Year Award:
Bill Dillard III, Dillard's

Lifetime Humanitarian Award:
Shelley Salomon, Amazon

Lifetime Achievement Award:
Georg J. Riedel, Riedel

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
James Beard Foundation
No Kid Hungry
American Red Cross

March 4, 2019
March 4, 2019

Housewares Cares Gala

Total Raised: $1,100,000

Navy Pier

Humanitarian of the Year Awards:
Niraj Shah, Wayfair
Steve Conine, Wayfair

Legacy Humanitarian Award:
Mary Dillon, ULTA

Lifetime Achievement Award:
William A. Foley, Libbey

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
James Beard Foundation

March 16, 2020
March 16, 2020

Housewares Cares Gala

Total Raised: $1,100,000

*Physical Event not held due to Covid-19*

Lifetime Achievement Award for Retail Innovation:
Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shop

Humanitarian of the Year Award:
Daniel Leppo, Bloomingdale's

Lifetime Achievement Award:
William Endres, Select Brands

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
James Beard Foundation
Winning with Wyatt
World Central Kitchen

March 6, 2023
March 6, 2023

Housewares Cares Gala

Total Raised: $1,000,000

Four Seasons

2020 Humanitarian of the Year Award:
Daniel Leppo, Bloomingdale's

2020 Lifetime Achievement Award:
William Endres, Select Brands

2023 Humanitarian of the Year Award:
Clea Shearer, The Home Edit

Beneficiaries
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
James Beard Foundation
Winning with Wyatt