Arabella's Heart Endowment Fund

Arabella Orlevitch

This fund was started in July of 2014 by Jennifer and Stephen Orlevitch, and their daughter Josette, following the death of their daughter and sister Arabella. The purpose of the fund is for the Orlevitch family to recommend grants to provide support for charities related to pediatric cardiac illness and sudden death, food allergy and anaphylaxis, and activities that were close to Arabella's heart. These included Peoria Academy, TAPS No Kill Animal Shelter, Cross Country, Golf, and Swimming. Grants may also be made to support scholarships for students interested in these same activities.

July, 2019 - It is difficult to comprehend that it has been five years since Arabella suddenly and tragically died due to a congenital heart condition. It seems like just a moment ago that Arabella was blossoming into a wonderful, talented young lady with a zest for life and endless love for family, friends and God's creatures great and small.  Arabella's Heart Fund was developed to keep Arabella's memory alive by donating to causes that were close to her heart, like other children and animals. Over the last five years Arabella's Heart fund has done wonderful things, with continuing support to The Children's Hospital Congenital Heart Center and TAPS no-kill animal shelter.

Most recently, Arabella's Heart Fund has collaborated with Ronald McDonald house Charities of Central Illinois to design and build an amazing toy /play room within the new Ronald Mcdonald House being constructed in Peoria. This will be a magical place, where children receiving care at Children's Hospital can get away for a moment and just be a child and not a patient. They will be able to choose and keep a toy and play in a home away from home.

Please help us to continue this great work and keep Arabella's memory alive in all of our HEARTS with a gift to the endowment (scroll to bottom of page) to help us continue supporting things like the Arabella’s Toy Store at Ronald McDonald House in Peoria and other charitable causes that were near and dear to Arabella.

To make a tax-deductible donation to this endowment fund, you can:

  • Donate by check: Make it payable to Morton Community Foundation and mail it to 135 S First Ave, Morton, IL 61550. Please write “Arabella’s Heart” on the memo line.

  • Make a tax-advantaged gift of stock…Visit our stock gifting page by clicking HERE.

  • For more ways to give, CLICK HERE.

  • Give online by clicking the button below.

DONATE NOW

Are you a Caterpillar Employee or Retiree?

Logo for matching gifts campaign by Caterpillar Foundation, featuring two yellow gift boxes with black ribbons and the Caterpillar logo.

The Caterpillar Foundation is proud to offer the year-round Matching Gifts Program to support their employees, U.S. retirees and board of directors in their contributions to worthy causes. Eligible Caterpillar participants may request an annual total maximum 1:1 match of $10,000 USD each calendar year to eligible charities to which contributions are tax deductible. The Morton Community Foundation is an eligible charity. So, if you are an eligible Caterpillar participant, you may submit any donations to this fund for an equivalent match, up to your total maximum of $10,000 per year. CLICK HERE to link to the Caterpillar Foundation’s Matching Gift website.