A NON-PROFIT, PRIVATE FOUNDATION

The Swiss Benevolent Society of Chicago is a non-profit, private foundation organized under section 501©(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

History

The Society was founded in 1872, shortly after the destructive Great Chicago Fire, and was designed at first to help members of the Swiss Community of Chicago weather the hardships inflicted upon them by the fire.

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SBS Scholarship Deadlines

Feb. 21, 2025 Concordia Language Villages Scholarships
Apply for a SBS Scholarship in French, German or Italian to the Concordia Language Villages in northern Minnesota. Scholarship covers cost of program, housing and meals. Parents provide transportation to program site.

March 30, 2025 World Camp Scholarships for CPS Students in French, German & Italian
The Society sponsors scholarships to the World Camps in French, German & Italian. These language and culture focused summer camps take place on the campus of the Lycée Français.

May 15, 2025 Undergraduate Swiss Scholarships
Undergraduate students of Swiss descent are encouraged to apply for a SBS Undergraduate Scholarship to help defray the costs of education.

Featured Events

SBS Senior Group Gatherings

June 10 @ 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm CDT

Stammtisch – Swiss Club Event June

June 12 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm CDT

Swiss Club: Swiss Sunday Brunch at the Lake

June 15 @ 10:00 am - 1:00 pm CDT

Stammtisch – Swiss Club Event July

July 10 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm CDT

Swiss National Day Celebration 2025

August 2 @ 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm CDT

Stammtisch – Swiss Club Event August

August 14 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm CDT

Swiss Club: Canoe Weekend 2025

August 22 @ 3:00 pm - August 24 @ 3:00 pm CDT

SBS Senior Group Gatherings

September 9 @ 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm CDT

All Events

Support Activities

  • Monthly stipends for citizens of Swiss descent who are elderly or who have disabilities
  • Funding of senior member gatherings
  • Scholarship grants for students of Swiss descent having permanent residence in the Greater Chicago area, the State of Illinois or parts of Wisconsin, awarded by annual competition
  • Support for summer language study at Concordia Language Villages
  • Funding assistance for special events of a cultural or other nature that are directly related to our Swiss heritage or that benefit the Chicago area Swiss Community at large, as allowable by tax laws
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Lectus a sagittis malesuada posuere tristique viverra.

Language Immersion

The Swiss Benevolent Society of Chicago sponsors scholarship awards for a one-week virtual online language immersion experience in French, German, or Italian at the Concordia Language Villages in northern Minnesota.

Scholarships