Philanthropist Michael Leppen has donated $250,000 more to the Center on Halsted, Windy City Times has learned.
Leppen had already donated a quarter of a million dollars to the center. However, this latest contribution is different in a couple of ways. First, the money is to directed to be used toward the Center’s drug program, as opposed to the construction of the new facility. Second, the donation is a ‘legacy gift’—meaning that the Center will not receive the donation until after Leppen passes away and his estate is settled, according to the Center’s deputy director of development, Jose Lugaro. ‘His motivation has [involved] a lot of what Michael has been reading, especially regarding the crystal meth problem,’ he told Windy City Times.
Lugaro said that Leppen made the announcement Nov. 3, when the Center held an event to announce a $950,000 grant from the Kresge Foundation.
Leppen also recently announced a $75,000 donation to Gay Games VII.