UPDATE: The 2025 Plunge is now officially ** SOLD OUT **. Thank you so much for your overwhelming interest and support!

The 2025 Plunge

We're so excited to be back for our 24th Annual Polar Plunge Fundraiser! As usual, we'll be supporting several amazing Chicagoland families who need our support.

To get started with the CPBC, and help this year's families:

1) Click the Donate & Tickets button (top right, above) to register for the plunge and/or donate to a participant's fundraising page

NOTE: Tickets only required for those taking the plunge / jumping into the lake. Tickets are not required for any spectators coming to support and watch the plunge.

2) Click the Start Fundraising button (above, underneath our fundraising goal) to setup your fundraising page and start collecting donations to help this year's families. Note: Setting up a fundraising page does not mean you are registered for the plunge -- please register by purchasing a "Ticket" in addition to setting up your fundraising page 😁

See you at the beach in January!!

❤️ The CPBC

Individual Fundraising Rewards

Fundraising thank you rewards are back!

Raise $100+ >> Get a free CPBC t-shirt!

Raise $300+ >> Get a free CPBC t-shirt or hoodie (pick 1)!

Raise $1,000+ >> Get a free CPBC t-shirt, hoodie, and/or beanie (pick 2)!

(T-shirt and Hoodie designs coming soon!)

2025 Families

Read about the four (4) families we are fundraising to support with our 2025 plunge on our website here.

(1) Maria & Family

Meet Maria: a resilient mother of three young boys who dreams of a life free from the fear and control of her abusive husband. For over a decade, she has endured emotional and financial manipulation, but her courage is unwavering. Maria has taken the brave step of seeking legal help to end her marriage, paving the way for a safe and stable home for her children. However, the road ahead is daunting: she faces financial uncertainty, lacks reliable transportation, and is struggling to find the resources needed to heal from years of trauma. Despite these challenges, Maria is determined to build a future filled with love, safety, and possibility for her family.

How We Can Help: Together, we can provide Maria with the critical support she needs—transportation, housing stability, and counseling services—to break free and create a secure, nurturing home for her children. Join us in helping Maria and her boys take the first steps toward a brighter tomorrow.

(2) The Taylor Family

Meet the Taylor family: Whose journey is one of love, resilience, and hope. Jazzmyn, a devoted single mother, is balancing the needs of her two teenagers while dedicating herself fully to her newborn son, Jaire, who was born prematurely at just 23 weeks. Weighing only 1 pound 6 ounces at birth, Jaire is a fighter, growing stronger every day in the NICU with Jazzmyn by his side. Her unwavering love and care, including endless hours of kangaroo care, provide Jaire with the strength he needs to overcome the challenges of chronic lung disease and a brain bleed. However, this journey has come at a steep cost—Jazzmyn has had to leave her job to focus on her family, leaving her with mounting financial pressures.

How We Can Help: Your support can help ease the financial strain on the Taylors, to allow Jazzmyn to focus on what truly matters — being there for her children and helping Jaire grow stronger every day.

(3) The Lakes Family

Meet Taronaka Lakes: a devoted mother who has spent the past four years rebuilding her family’s life after the devastating loss of her partner to cancer. As a single parent to two children, she works tirelessly—balancing a full-time job supporting veterans, a part-time role in home care, and the demands of raising her family. Despite her relentless efforts, covering basic needs remains a constant challenge, as she earns just above the limit for government assistance. Determined to create long-term stability, Taronaka recently completed her dental assistant certification, but working multiple jobs leaves little time to pursue new job opportunities in dentistry. Through it all, Taronaka remains steadfast, not only supporting her family but also providing hope and care to the veterans she serves, even as she quietly struggles to keep her own family afloat.

How We Can Help: Your support can give Taronaka the stability she needs to focus on securing a dental job, spending more time with her children, and building a brighter future. Together, we can help this hardworking mother create the life of security and hope her family deserves.

(4) The Escobedo Family

Meet the Escobedo family: a shining example of resilience and love in the face of hardship. Diana, a devoted single mother, has poured her heart into raising her four children—Christian (17), twins Adriana and Ariana (14), and young Augustino (5). Augustino, who has non-verbal autism, requires round-the-clock care, and while Diana sees him as a true blessing, the demands of his care have made holding steady work nearly impossible. When her car broke down, the challenges mounted further, and after exhausting all other options, the family lost their home and is now staying in a shelter. Despite these struggles, the Escobedos remain a tight-knit unit, with Christian stepping up to care for his siblings, the twins helping their little brother, and Diana working tirelessly to provide for her family while dreaming of a stable, secure life once more.

How We Can Help: Your support can provide the Escobedo family with reliable transportation, housing, and childcare—the essential resources they need to create the safe and nurturing home the family deserves, giving them all the chance to thrive.

Thank you to our 2025 Sponsors!

About the CPBC

The Chicago Polar Bear Club / 'CPBC' (formerly the Lakeview Polar Bear Club / 'LPBC') started in 2001, and every January since then, we've brought together a group of awesome people to do something a little crazy, generous, and pretty darn chilly. More specifically, we dare to care by taking the plunge into the frigid waters of Lake Michigan to raise money for Chicago families.

Learn more about the CPBC by visiting our website: www.chicagopolarbearclub.com

And remember: All participants and spectators acknowledge the risks, liability, & waiver detailed here

Questions? We're happy to help! Just send an email to hello@chicagopolarbearclub.com

24th Annual Polar Plunge Fundraiser

Hosted by the Chicago Polar Bear Club (CPBC)

Team Leaderboard

Team Members