HINSDALE, Ill., May 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The estate of longtime Hinsdale, IL resident Irving Vant Clarke recently made an extraordinary gift of $2,760,000 to Candor Health Education (formerly Robert Crown Center for Health Education) where he served on the board of directors for more than 30 years. As a board member of the Robert Crown Center for Health Education, he offered steady leadership, thoughtful guidance, and an unwavering belief in the importance of health education for young people. This is the largest single donation to Candor in its history.

Candor Health Education, based in Hinsdale, is a nonprofit organization that educates Chicagoland students, their trusted adults, and communities on the topics of puberty, sex education, and substance use prevention. It provides science-based information in a safe environment which helps students make informed decisions that positively impact their health.

Mr. Clarke, a business executive, WWII veteran, and avid fisherman, passed away in September 2024 at age 100. After his formal Candor board tenure ended, he remained closely connected to the organization's mission. He continued to generously support Candor through ongoing contributions and ultimately included it in his estate plans—a profound reflection of his lifelong dedication to Candor's work.

"We are incredibly grateful to Mr. Clarke for his years of service to Candor and investment in Candor's ability to educate students for many years to come," says Barb Thayer, CEO, Candor Health Education. "His gift will further allow us to provide free and reduced-cost programming to schools that don't have access to health education."

Candor is a premier provider of school-based substance use prevention and sexual health education programs in Illinois serving an average of 80,000 4^th- 8^th grade students in more than 600 schools each year. Since 1974 Candor has served more than 6.5 million students. Its curriculum includes topics such as: Puberty, Teen Sexual Health, Navigating Middle School Years, Vaping, and programming designed for young people with special needs.

For information on making a contribution to Candor Health Education, contact: Shelly Nicholson at snicholson@candorhealthed.org.

Contact: Laura Benn, lbenn@candorhealth.org

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SOURCE Candor Health Education