Updated Mission Statement
The Fry Foundation Board of Directors recognizes that we are living in a moment of dynamic change in Chicago and in philanthropy. With those changes, the meaning and intention behind words and phrases can evolve, providing us with an opportunity to use language that reflects new conditions. With that in mind, over the last few months, the Fry Foundation Board has engaged in conversations to update the Foundation’s mission statement. In addition to internal discussions, the Board invited staff and grantee partners to share how they see the Fry Foundation’s values reflected in funding priorities and how the work gets done. Those conversations consistently emphasized the Foundation’s guiding principles of racial equity, learning and fairness. Ultimately the Board wanted an updated mission statement that offered aspirational and hopeful language reflecting the challenges the Fry Foundation aims to address in partnership with our grantees.
We are grateful to all those who contributed their time to helping us develop this updated mission statement.
OUR Mission
The Lloyd A. Fry Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of the people of Chicago faced with challenges rooted in the systems of inequity. We partner with effective nonprofit organizations that share our commitment to building a community in which all individuals and families have the opportunity to thrive.
Our vision is a Chicago that offers education, opportunity, health, and hope for all.
(As of the August board meeting on August 23, 2022)
Our Roots
In 1933, Lloyd A. Fry founded the Lloyd A. Fry Roofing Company on the Southwest Side of Chicago. During the next five decades, the company grew to become the world's largest manufacturer of asphalt roofing and allied products, with nearly 5,000 dedicated employees in manufacturing facilities nationwide. The company was sold to Owens-Corning Fiberglass Corporation in 1977. In large part, the proceeds from the sale of the company now serve as the endowment of the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation. The Foundation has been addressing the needs of the Chicago community since 1983.