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Support St. Jude in Central & Southern Illinois and Iowa

Join local supporters in Peoria, Bloomington-Normal and all across Central & Southern Illinois and Iowa to help St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® continue its lifesaving mission of finding cures for childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Attend an upcoming event, volunteer, fundraise and get connected with St. Jude in Central & Southern Illinois.

Find Events Get Connected

 
 
 

Upcoming events in Central Illinois

Connect with your local community at one of these upcoming events and join St. Jude in fighting childhood cancer. Click on an event below for more details.

 
 

St. Jude Run, Ride and Drive

 

St. Jude Corvette Drive

St. Jude Corvette Drive logo

May 15-16, 2025

The St. Jude Corvette Drive was founded in 2012 and has raised more than $2.7 million to date. Every year, Corvette drivers and St. Jude supporters depart from Peoria, St. Louis, Louisville and Nashville for the trip to Memphis, where they stay the first night in Dyersburg, Tenn. and then drive through the St. Jude campus the following day. 

Drive a Corvette to St. Jude

 

St. Jude Runs

St. Jude Runs logo

August 2, 2025

St. Jude Runs is an annual charity event that raises funds for the mission of St. Jude. You can run for more than a time, a record or a medal – you can run for hope. Since its 1982 inception, St. Jude Runs has raised over $88 million to bring us one step closer to our own finish line: one that ensures that no child should die in the dawn of life.

Run for St. Jude

 

St. Jude Rides

St. Jude Rides logo

September 12 – 13, 2024

St. Jude Rides is an annual charity event that raises funds for the mission of St. Jude. In 2007, a group of motorcycle enthusiasts took to the road, traveling 465 miles from Peoria, Illinois to Memphis, Tennessee to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Since this inception, the St. Jude Rides has taken to the road each fall and raised over $10.5 million for the kids of St. Jude. 

Ride a Motorcycle for St. Jude

 
 

St. Jude Dream Home® Giveaway - Peoria

Every ticket helps St. Jude kids and the mission of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children.® And because of the support of people like you, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food—so they can focus on helping their child live.

View the Peoria Dream Home

 

St. Jude Evening with the Stars

For years, Central Illinois has gathered together to celebrate and raise funds at the annual St. Jude Evening with the Stars gala in Peoria, Illinois. With your support, this gala has grown into a major fundraising event supporting St. Jude. We hope you join us on Friday, April 4, 2025.

Learn More about Evening with the Stars

 

St. Jude Telethon

For 47 years, the St. Jude Telethon has served as the culminating event for Central & Southern Illinois’ year-round fundraising campaigns. The Telethon features the finish line for the St. Jude Runs program as well as check presentations from year-round fundraising events. We are eager to welcome VIPs and Sponsors to the Peoria Civic Center this year as they faithfully support the mission of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children.®

Learn More about the St. Jude Telethon

 

Jeep Creep for St. Jude

The 5th annual Jeep Creep for St. Jude, taking place on Saturday, August 17, 2024, is an annual charity event that raises funds for the mission of St. Jude. Your participation in this event isn’t just another Jeep ride — it's a Jeep ride with purpose. Every child deserves a chance to live their best life and celebrate every moment. When you support St. Jude, you can help make cures possible for kids with cancer. Together, we can save more lives.

Learn More about Jeep Creep for St. Jude

 

St. Jude Walk/Run®

Join us in September 2024 in Bloomington-Normal for our annual St. Jude Walk/Run®! Featuring a 1-mile walk, 5K, 10K and half marathon, the St. Jude Walk/Run® is an inspiring, family-friendly event that unites people across the nation in support of St. Jude, which is leading a global effort to understand, treat, and defeat pediatric cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

Join St. Jude Walk/Run - Bloomington-Normal

Not in Bloomington-Normal? Click to find a walk/run in your area.

 

Be a St. Jude Hero®

Become a St. Jude Hero® and fundraise for the children and families at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® while you train for the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, and more.

Be a St. Jude Hero®

 
 

St. Jude cares for some of the world’s sickest children regardless of their race, ethnicity, beliefs, or ability to pay. Our patients receive the customized care they need to treat childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases, no matter what barriers they may face.

 

St. Jude patient Eri'Elle

 
 
Patient Eri'Elle smiles with her hands under her chin while wearing a toy stethoscope.

St. Jude stories from Central Illinois, Southern Illinois and Iowa

Board of Directors

 
 

St. Jude Midwest Leadership Board

Chairman of the Board: Rich Unes 
Vice Chairman of the Board: Michael D. McCoy 
President: John Kocher 
Past President: Steve Gardner 
Vice President: Jeff Ward 
Secretary: Liz Wilson 
Treasurer: John McKinty

Board Members

Lupe Alcala  •  Ryan Beck  •  Andrew Black  •  Kevin Callis  •  Tim Campbell  •  Scott Elger  •  James Fisher  •  George Ghareeb  •  Charity Gunn  •  James Ingold  •  Michael Joseph  •  Scott Lewis  •  Jodi Lindsay  •  Michael Maloof  •  Scott Martin  •  Julie May  •  Travis Mohlenbrink    •  Kevin Pautler  •  Ryan Pierson  •  Dr. Thomas Rashid  •  Rick Semonis  •  Eric Shane  •  Annette Slyman  •  Chris Snodgrass  •  Libby Swearingen  •  Spencer Swearingen  •  Emily Weeks  •  Ryan Whitehouse

National ALSAC/St. Jude Board Members

Michael D. McCoy  •  Rich Unes

ALSAC Leadership Board

Kevin Pautler  •  Rick Semonis

 
 
A painting that represents Memphis and Peoria

Get connected

Contact us directly to get involved and find ways to connect. You can also like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to stay up-to-date about the exciting events in Central & Southern Illinois and Iowa.

Peoria, Illinois
4722 N. Sheridan Rd.
Peoria, IL 61614
Phone: (309) 566-3500

Email your St. Jude Central & Southern Illinois Team

Facebook logo

Facebook - Illinois

 
Instagram icon

Instagram - Illinois

 
Facebook logo

Facebook - Iowa

 
 
 
St. Jude Runs participants run on the St. Jude campus.

St. Jude supporters from Central Illinois finish their St. Jude Runs experience on the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® campus in Memphis.

 
 

Volunteer with St. Jude

Fill out the form to learn about the ways you can donate your time to help St. Jude.

Plan your giving

You can support the children of St. Jude in the way that best suits your financial and personal goals.

IRAs, donor-advised funds, stocks, gift annuities, trusts and more — choose the planned giving option that is right for you, and your generosity will help children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

Email Rodrigo Leanos or visit the link below for more planned giving options.

Plan Your Giving

 

Explore workplace giving

Give with purpose by creating opportunities for your organization's team members to donate to St. Jude through their work.

Set up your workplace giving program by establishing employee giving, matching gifts, workplace fundraisers, or giving through federal or state campaigns.

Connect with Jill Libert or click the button below to learn more about your workplace giving options.

Learn About Workplace Giving

 
 

Looking for ways to support St. Jude in Chicago and across Northern Illinois? Click below.

Support St. Jude in Chicago

 
 

Meet St. Jude patients

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