Stories:
Discover Our Purpose

Times of crisis can bring out the best of humankind. The recent coronavirus pandemic is no different. Take Kelly Reed for example.  The current state of the world inspired this local musician,...

Our United Way network is full of passionate women who give back to their community in unique ways. Some plan fundraising campaigns in their office to drum up support for our neighborhood...

Tony Smith is a Chicagoan through and through. Born in Bronzeville and raised in Englewood, Tony now calls Hyde Park “home” and the rest of the city his playground. “I tell people ‘Chicago is...

Guided by the lessons of the women before her, Cheryl Francis carries on a tradition of mentorship. As co-chair and co-founder of the Corporate Leadership Center (CLC) in Chicago, she’s in a unique...

PrintFriendly When she graduated college, Keisha Conway didn’t think she could give back to her community in meaningful ways. To her, investing in her neighbors required a big bank account or...

Since she was a 13-year-old girl helping a local teacher during her summers off, L. Marie Asad has lived her life in the service of others. Today, through United Way and the Delta Sigma Theta service...

For many of our volunteers and donors, when they join United Way, they make a life-long commitment.  So is the story of Bob Sullivan, a United Way board member and our Campaign Cabinet chair for the...

In his lifetime, Charles Matthews’ career has taken him and his family around the United States and beyond. Though his title and coordinates have changed, his commitment to serving as a philanthropic leader in the workplace hasn’t.Serving as president and chief executive officer of Peoples Energy, Charles oversees the daily operations, strategy, growth and administrative activities of Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas. Together, the two utilities distribute natural gas to more than 1 million residents in Chicago and the northern suburbs.

At United Way of Metro Chicago, LIVE UNITED is more than a slogan. Our dedicated employees are not only excited to contribute their time and talents to our organization, they’re deeply passionate about our work to build a stronger Chicago region, neighborhood by neighborhood.