Chicago Bulls Star Jimmy Butler and Sun Life Financial Present $110,000 in Grants & Scholarships to Chicago Nonprofits & Rising Star Students at Pro Basketball Clinic

The U.S. business group of Sun Life Financial Inc.

announced the Chicago recipients of the Sun Life Rising Star Awards. The financial services organization awarded $110,000 in grants and scholarships to two nonprofit community organizations: OneGoal and Christopher House, as well as an exemplary student nominated by each: Jessica Zamudio and Elizabeth Pena.

Chicago Bulls Guard Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls Assistant Coach Ed Pinckney and basketball legend Bill Cartwright helped Sun Life Regional Group Manager Michael Techtmann and Sun Life Voluntary Benefits Practice Leader Stephen Barreca surprise the winning students at a private basketball clinic where Butler led 35 youth from both nonprofits in a variety of basketball drills and games.

The Sun Life Rising Star Awards program provides financial resources to highly-motivated students and nonprofit organizations in large urban school districts committed to encouraging under-served youth to stay in school. The program, now in its fourth year, also promotes the importance of higher education as a means to achieve lifelong financial wellness. 

Each Rising Star organization received a $50,000 grant and each student winner received a $5,000 scholarship towards a college education. This year, Sun Life will provide nearly $1 million in grants, scholarships and other resources to outstanding organizations and students in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Nashville and South Florida. By the end of 2013, Sun Life will have invested nearly $4 million to recognize a total of 70 students and 63 nonprofit organizations in 14 U.S. cities, since launching the program in 2010.