Programs & Impact
Building Pathways to Opportunity
Education. Opportunity. Community. Protecting communities starts with investing in the youth who live in them.
About AND Foundation
A Chicagoland Nonprofit Built Around Access and Opportunity
The Alisia Nicole Dieudonne (AND) Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2018 in memory of Alisia Nicole Dieudonne, who lost her life to gun violence in 2016. Our mission is to expand STEAM education access for high school students, provide healthy emotional outlets for youth, and advocate against gun violence — rooted in the belief that education and opportunity are the most powerful alternatives we can offer.
We operate across the Chicagoland area, delivering free programs directly to students and schools. Every program we run is volunteer-facilitated, community-centered, and built around the students we serve.
Learn more about usOur Approach
When Students Are Exposed, Equipped, and Supported — They Succeed
The AND Foundation builds programs around a simple truth: access changes outcomes. Every initiative we run is designed to remove barriers, create exposure to real opportunity, and give students the confidence and skills to pursue futures they may not have imagined were possible.
From our annual merit-based scholarship to our forthcoming STEAM Pipeline Program and Community Violence Prevention Series, every program we offer is free to participants and rooted in the communities we serve.
AND Scholarship
A $1,500 merit-based award for Chicagoland high school seniors pursuing higher education in STEAM, the arts, or community leadership. Named in memory of Alisia Nicole Dieudonne, the scholarship has supported over 42 scholars and awarded more than $56,000 since 2018.
View Scholarship & Apply"Education is the most powerful alternative we can offer."
Merit-Based Selection
Recipients are selected based on academic achievement, essay quality, and demonstrated commitment to their field and community — not financial need alone.
STEAM, Arts & Civic Leadership
Open to students pursuing any STEAM discipline, the arts, or community leadership — reflecting Alisia's belief that multiple paths lead to meaningful impact.
A Legacy of Access
Since 2018, the AND Scholarship has helped reduce financial barriers for students across Chicagoland — turning aspiration into action, one scholar at a time.
Community Violence Prevention Series
A 5-session presenter-led curriculum for high school students covering community violence, healthy emotional outlets, peer influence, and personal leadership. Delivered by AND Foundation staff — free to schools and organizations across Chicagoland.
Learn More"Choosing growth, education, and community over violence transforms our future."
Foundation Overview
Session 1 establishes shared context around community violence — what it looks like, how it affects students, and what it means to be part of the solution.
Four Builder Sessions
Sessions 2–5 develop specific skills: knowing your impact, finding healthy outlets, building a positive circle, and owning your future.
A Full-Loop Curriculum
The series begins and ends with the same foundational principles — reinforcing that protecting communities is an ongoing, shared responsibility.
STEAM Pipeline Program
A hands-on summer program for high school students in grades 9–12 combining robotics, coding, engineering, science, and mathematics with structured industry mentorship and a culminating capstone showcase. Free to all participants, with meals provided daily.
Learn More"Every student who completes this program leaves with skills, confidence, and connections."
Hands-On STEAM Learning
Students engage with robotics, coding, engineering, science, and math through labs and team challenges — no prior experience required.
Industry Mentorship
Structured sessions with STEAM professionals who reflect the communities we serve — providing career insight, real-world guidance, and professional connection.
Capstone Showcase
Every student completes and presents a real-world capstone project — demonstrating applied knowledge and building the confidence to own their work in front of an audience.
Every Student We Reach Is a Future We Change
The AND Foundation is building a self-reinforcing pipeline — from scholarship support to STEAM education to community violence prevention — that creates lasting opportunity for Chicagoland youth.