The mission of the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation is to bring the joys and benefits of boating to all, with a primary focus on youth from underrepresented communities. In 2025, this mission was led by two-time U.S. Olympic sailor Maggie Shea, who joined the CYC Foundation as its first-ever executive director in late 2024. The addition of Shea, complementing two full-time program managers hired in 2023 and 2024, enabled the CYC Foundation to serve nearly 1,500 youth in 2025 through a structured array of programs organized into four progressive tiers that spark curiosity, build familiarity and confidence, develop technical and leadership skills, and open doors to future opportunities on and off the water.

Impacts of these programs are clear:

• 98% of participants report feeling more comfortable around boats and water after CYC Foundation sailing camps.
• 91% of participants chose to steer the boat during their first week on the water.
• 3x participants end the program reporting they feel “very comfortable working with people from different backgrounds”
• 78% of participants are more likely to “try other new activities” after a CYC Foundation sailing camp.

The CYC Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable organization that is separate from, but partners in many ways with, the Chicago Yacht Club itself. Greg Miarecki, a Past Commodore of CYC, serves as Board President. The CYC Foundation is supported by individual donations, grants, and corporate sponsorships, including from Wintrust, Baker Hostetler, and Captain Dave’s Foundation. The CYC Foundation works with community partner organizations across Chicagoland to identify and recruit young people interested in learning more about boating and Lake Michigan. This year, 17 organizations partnered to bring kids to the lakefront, including One Family Illinois, Union League Boys and Girls Clubs, the Oak Park Education Foundation, Girls Inc. of Chicago, Youth for a Better Future, and Lost Boyz Inc., among others. Speaking with CBS News in a recent feature on the CYC Foundation, Coach Smith, a leader with Lost Boyz, spoke about the youth they serve: “You deserve access to everything!” The Chicago Yacht Club Foundation aims to advance that promise. Learn more about the CYC Foundation here.