About the Chicago Gifted Community Center
A community parents built because it didn’t exist yet.
Chicago Gifted Community Center is a member-driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting the intellectual and emotional growth of gifted children and their families, in the city and across the suburbs.
Connection first, everything else follows.
CGCC exists so parents of gifted kids stop feeling like they’re figuring it out alone. We create events for parents and children, make connections, and help families find their tribe, local resources, and others who understand what giftedness actually requires.
Our approach starts small on purpose. It begins with one event, planned around what local families need: a kids’ meetup built on a shared special interest, a parent night for stories and support, a book club, or a full parenting-gifted seminar series. From there, CGCC mentors organizers through the rest.
- We provide registration and payment handling for every event
- We cover marketing, communications, and event insurance
- We connect new organizers into an existing network of gifted families and professionals
Events across six regions, so nothing is too far away.
Chicagoland is big. We spread events across the region so families aren’t stuck driving 50 miles or sitting in rush-hour traffic to get there.
All members are welcome at events in any region.
Benefits of being part of CGCC.
Event hosting, handled
Registration, payment handling, and marketing are already built. You just show up with the idea.
Event insurance included
Organizers run local events without carrying the liability themselves.
A peer network that gets it
Parent dinners and book clubs connect you with families who understand asynchronous development firsthand.
A professional directory
Find therapists, educators, and specialists experienced with gifted and twice-exceptional kids.
Member resources, curated
Local gifted resources, summer programs, homeschool and enrichment ideas, gathered by parents.
Mentorship to start your own group
No group near you? We’ll walk you through launching one.
Volunteer parents and professionals who run CGCC.
Tabitha Flax
PresidentNorth Suburbs
Michelle Smith
Vice PresidentGrayslake
Pamela Shaw
Treasurer · Social Media EditorFar North Suburbs
Anna Onley
SecretaryChicago
Aileen Kelleher
Board memberChicago
Carole Jones
Past President · Volunteer ManagerNaperville
All volunteer-run. Member-supported.
CGCC relies on annual memberships and donations to cover web operations, registration, event insurance, and background checks for organizers.