Celebrate summer and support youth during School’s Out on June 4 at Lou Malnati’s downtown Naperville

Longstanding KidsMatter fundraiser showcases student talent, builds on history of bringing community together

For nearly 20 years, there’s been one great way to celebrate the beginning of the summer and the talents of Naperville-area youth — all at once. This year is no exception. KidsMatter invites the community to stop by our School’s Out event at Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria on June 4 to welcome in summer and support our mission.

Hosting School’s Out as a GroupRaise fundraiser, Lou Malnati’s will contribute 20% of all sales to KidsMatter between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. from the downtown Naperville location at 131 W. Jefferson Ave. The donation will be applied to all orders from the restaurant during the event, including those for dine-in, take-out and delivery.

During KidsMatter’s 25th anniversary year, the special School’s Out event will continue to feature performances by student musicians, who will entertain diners between 5 and 8 p.m.
The popular gathering started simply, when former Lou Malnati’s general manager Dawn Dau was brainstorming in 2008 with then-KidsMatter Executive Director IdaLynn Wenhold. Under the leadership of Naperville’s mayor at the time, the late A. George Pradel, Dau became passionate about embedding the restaurant into the community — and about building resilient youth through KidsMatter programming. Lou Malnati’s became a frequent host site for fundraisers and wanted to make the School’s Out event a true showcase.

“It started with saying, ‘How can we celebrate young adults getting out of school, having new adventures, taking on part-time jobs, exploring their interests,’” Dau said. She and Wenhold decided to feature show choir members and other student performers on the patio in front of the restaurant. “The performers had their friends and parents come out, and even people walking by on the busy streets of downtown Naperville got to hear. It took off like gangbusters.”

Now, the School’s Out event is just one way KidsMatter builds community connections to empower youth to say “no” to destructive decisions and “yes” to endless possibilities. The EMPOWER Gala, coming up in October to culminate celebrations of KidsMatter’s 25th anniversary, is another major contributor to our programs to help youth realize their purpose, build resilience and pursue meaningful pathways to college and career success.
Wenhold said the School’s Out event — and the support Lou Malnati’s has provided to KidsMatter over the years — is one way Naperville sets itself apart as a community that truly supports youth.

“It’s not about one person. It’s about everybody linking arms and coming together to enhance the lives of our kids in ways that will enable them to become successful, healthy adults who want to give back to their community,” Wenhold said. “That’s what makes Naperville the incredible community it is. We are a place that simply values young people.”

To order from Lou Malnati’s during School’s Out, call (630) 717-0700 or visit loumalnatis.com and select the downtown Naperville location.

For details about the School’s Out event, visit kidsmatter2us.org/events/schools-out-day/. To donate in support of KidsMatter initiatives, visit kidsmatter2us.org/ways-to-give/donate/.

About KidsMatter: Recognized as Naperville’s proactive, youth-oriented human services organization, KidsMatter’s mission is to build resilient kids who say “no” to destructive choices and “yes” to endless possibilities. Established in 2001, and now celebrating its 25th year, KidsMatter empowers kids to realize their purpose, know their value, and discover their pathway through programs addressing youth mental health, leadership development and career exploration. A leader among nonprofits, KidsMatter harnesses the power of partnerships to help young people build developmental assets, including positive values, healthy relationships and self-esteem. KidsMatter has been highlighted by NBC 5 Chicago’s Making a Difference in 2024 for providing Youth Mental Health First Aid courses and by CBS News Chicago in 2023 for the Kindness Counts Campaign. With programming focused on preventing problems in the lives of youth before they start — and an extensive network of parents, educators and resources — KidsMatter equips youth and families with essential tools to manage the societal pressures and stresses of everyday life.