The Gorton Foundation, Inc. was founded in 1986 for the sole purpose of receiving contributions for the benefit of Gorton Community Center, a privately-funded, nonprofit "community house" in Lake Forest, Illinois, founded in 1972 in the historic Gorton School, a National-Register-listed building constructed in 1901. In 2005, the Foundation and Gorton Community Center were merged into one 501(c)(3) public charity, Gorton Community Center. At that time, Gorton Commnity Center assumed all the functions of The Gorton Foundation, Inc. Over 100 volunteers serve Gorton on the Board, the Friends of Gorton Benefit Committee, and the Drop-In Center Parents Board. Annual operations are funded two thirds by the proceeds of operations and one third from philanthropy. The Community Center serves over 180,000 visitors and over 100 other not-for-profit groups annually. It provides offices and meeting rooms for non-for-profit groups in the Center for Nonprofit Organizations, part-time child care and preschool in the Gorton Children's Drop-In Center, classes and exhibits in the Fine Arts Center, community orchestra concerts and theatre productions in the Performing Arts Center, programming for jr. high and high school youth in the Youth Activity Center, and a wide variety of other programming for children and adults, from infants to retirees. Gorton-sponsored programs are responsive to community needs and user requests. Gorton also makes its public rooms available for rent for special programs and family events.