This year, Whinny City is excited to announce a new Charity Partner for 2026.  In keeping with the season of Pride, we have chosen another fantastic local organization supporting the LGBTQ+ community, Youth Outlook!

Youth Outlook‘s mission is to celebrate, empower, and advocate for LGBTQ+ youth by providing affirming, accessible, and essential services for young people ages 5–24, their families, and communities across northern and central Illinois. Founded in 1998, we are Illinois’ first and longest-running social service agency solely dedicated to LGBTQ+ youth — spending 27 years creating spaces, particularly in suburban and rural communities, where young people feel safe, supported, and celebrated.

From our founding, Youth Outlook has operated at the intersection of mental health support and workforce development. Our drop-in centers, peer support, family programming, health navigation, and community education form an integrated ecosystem of care — one that treats mental health as lived, relational, and community-rooted practice. We are led by three career nonprofit professionals, each of whom holds a master’s degree and began in nonclinical direct service — a shared trajectory that reflects our belief that proximity to community is a prerequisite for leading it.

Our program serves predominantly minority communities in need of support. 96.7% of people receiving services identify as something other than heterosexual; 43% identify as transgender or non-binary — a population facing suicide attempt rates nearly double those of their cisgender peers. 27.3% identify as people of color, navigating intersecting racial and LGBTQ+ identities. 27% qualify for free lunch, reflecting significant economic hardship. All youth and family services are provided at no cost — making access possible regardless of income.

We are excited to support such a fantastic organization. You can hear more about their work at our Opening Ceremonies Friday, the Charity Auction Sunday or at their table throughout the weekend.

As a reminder, we have adopted some specific policies with regard to donations for our Charity Auction.  The hours for the Charity Room can be found in the Con Book.

 Auction & Donation Policies

1. To help ensure the auction ends on time, we will cap the number of lots at approximately 45. Therefore, ALL donations are subject to being bundled into lots at the discretion of our volunteer team.

1a. All items are also subject to being entered into the Kids Auction at our discretion.

1b. Additionally, if deemed necessary by our volunteers, all donations may be subject to being rolled over to either the next Whinny City Pony Con or Ponyville Ciderfest. There is no guarantee that rolled-over donations will be able to be reclaimed by the donor.

2. Worthwhile Events reserves the right to reject any donated item if deemed unfit for the event for any reason.

2a. These include but are not limited to food items that are either perishable or otherwise not fit for consumption, NSFW (not safe for work) items, and damaged or incomplete goods. Food items must remain sealed and may not be consumed on stage.

2b. Any AI-generated art will be rejected, with no exceptions.

2c. Donations intended to encourage a performance or act by convention volunteers or guests are strongly discouraged.

3. Donations must be made during the posted hours for the Charity Room on the Upper Floor. Except in extraordinary circumstances, donations will only be accepted before 7 pm on Saturday.

3a. Any surprise or last-minute donations must still be approved and logged by our volunteers and are subject to the above policies.

4. Donors may request that particular Guests sign their items, but we can not guarantee they will. If an item should remain unsigned, please notify volunteers when submitting the item.