Celebrating 50 years of the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation in Cook County

A strong community begins with strong opportunities, and in Cook County, that starts with education.

Since its founding in 1975, the Lloyd. K. Johnson Foundation has made access to higher education and workforce training in Cook County a cornerstone of its mission.

This year marks a special milestone for the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation, 50 years of investment in educational opportunities for adults and Cook County ISD 166 graduating seniors.

2025 also marks 100 years since Lloyd K. Johnson graduated from Cook County High School.

Education played a significant role in Lloyd K. Johnson’s life and was a central component to the founding of the Foundation.

“I think he saw that education was a great benefit to himself, personally and professionally, and he saw that as a critical piece to helping people achieve their potential,” said Erik Torch, the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation’s executive director.

Johnson’s objective with the Foundation was to create opportunities for Cook County students and adults, opening doors to possibilities through access to learning. After Lloyd K. Johnson’s passing in 2006, Torch said, the board has remained committed to carrying forward his vision.

Shortly after Johnson’s passing, the Foundation created a scholarship program for Cook County ISD 166 graduating seniors. Since its inception in 2008, the Foundation has distributed over $1 million in scholarship aid, serving 109 Cook County students.

The scholarship covers tuition, books, fees, and more for up to five semesters of study at a regional community college.

“It’s a great jump start on someone’s education, on someone’s life, on someone’s career,” Torch said.

In addition to investing in further education opportunities for graduating seniors, the Lloyd K. Foundation provides financial support to Cook County Higher Education, helping to provide access for adults to further their careers.

The Foundation supports Lenna Stever-Sobanja’s full-time student support specialist position and annually contributes an additional $40,000 in scholarship funds to Cook County Higher Education.

Stever-Sobanja said the scholarships available through Higher Education are aimed at helping adults who live in Cook County participate in distance learning or complete certifications. “Ours are for people who want to move up in their job, or they want to finish a degree that they started many years ago.”

Between 2013 and 2024, the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation has provided $345,000 in scholarship funds for people living in Cook County through Cook County Higher Education.

“What I love about my job is that I get to see the impacts on the community right away,” Stever-Sobanja said. “It feels really amazing to be able to help someone and see how much it impacts the ripple effects it has going out into the community.”

The tangible ripple effect and positive impact throughout Cook County are also something that Executive Director Torch finds rewarding about working for the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation.

“It’s always super rewarding to hear folks’ feedback about the value and benefit that the education has,” Torch said.

He said, “I think we’ve seen that on a number of occasions, this is really the thing that Lloyd stated he wanted to see happen with the wealth that he gave to the Foundation. And we’re all very happy to be a part of seeing that wish carried out.”

Below is a produced feature by WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins highlighting the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation’s 50th anniversary, which includes many voices from Cook County scholarship recipients, partners, and community members.

The feature includes the voices of:

• Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation Executive Director Erik Torch
• 2017 Scholarship Recipient Sarah Toftey
• 2017 Scholarship Recipient Hannah Toftey
• 2008 Scholarship Recipient Lea Leonard
• 2023 Scholarship Recipient Ben Rex
• 2020 Scholarship Recipient Doran Acero
• A parent of a 2020 scholarship recipient – Hartley Newell-Acero
• ISD 166 Superintendent Chris Lindholm
• ISD 166 Teachers Julie Bishop and Amanda Beal
• Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation’s former Executive Director, Joan Gardner-Goodno
• Cook County Higher Education Student Support Specialist Lenna Stever-Sobanja

The Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation will be announcing the 2025 ISD 166 scholarship recipients on May 21 at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts at Cook County School.

Learn more about the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation here.

Learn more about the legacy of the Lloyd K. Johnson in a WTIP 2018 interview here.

Kalli Hawkins May 16, 2025