Cecile De Mello – Executive Director of Teamwork Englewood, Gloria Castillo – Director of Together We Rise, and Kimberlee Guenther – Chief Impact Officer of United Way of Metro Chicago discuss the Chicago Community COVID-19 Reponse Fund that raised and invested $25 million in neighborhood businesses and pandemic resources.
Two years ago, the Chicago Community Trust and United Way of Metro Chicago launched the Chicago Community Covid-19 Response Fund. The goal is to raise money for non-profits providing emergency services to people most impacted by the pandemic. $35 million went to more than 400 organizations. Now, the focus has shifted to recovery, especially in Chicago’s Black and Latinx neighborhoods.
Carlos Nelson, a proud son of Auburn Gresham, is selflessly restoring the shine to a crown jewel of the South Side. Nelson has been pounding the pavement as the CEO of the Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation for nearly two decades. Carlos has also helped Auburn Gresham become a United Way Neighborhood Network, which is a community hub of service providers to help support residents in the area.
For over a decade Shields has served as executive director of Austin Coming Together, a nonprofit that connects dozens of organizations with the common goal of uplifting and empowering an area long plagued by poverty, crime and subpar education. Shields has also helped the Austin community become part of the United Way Neighborhood Network, which is a hub of service providers to help support Austin residents.
Each year at this time, WBBM looks at the state of charitable giving and the work of non-profit groups in the area. United Way Chicago President and CEO Sean Garrett tells Craig Dellimore that as we work to emerge from the pandemic, there are hopeful signs and big challenges. Eric Smith, Vice Chairman of BMO Harris Bank, and Jamila Trimuel, Founder and CEO of Ladies of Virtue, also joined.
This year United Way of Metro Chicago launched the United Neighborhood Equity Fund, selecting 10 Black and Brown-led nonprofits on Chicago’s South and West Sides to receive funding and support. WTTW’s Marissa Nelson interviews Sean Garret – United Way, Messiah Equiano – CHI-RISE, and Edwin Martinez – Centro Sanar.
Sean Garrett, President & CEO of the United Way of Metro Chicago, and Dr. Helene Gayle, President and CEO of the Chicago Community Trust, discuss how equity will be central to the city’s recovery.
MacKenzie Scott has donated a record amount to United Way of Chicago. The philanthropist, and former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, donated $25 million to the organization. That is the single largest donation in the organization’s history.
United Way is building back a strong Chicago region with a goal of helping communities prosper at the neighborhood level. They are deeply committed to healing families meet basic needs to families can grow and thrive. Interview with Kimberlee Guenther, United Way of Metro Chicago.
During a time when so many people are struggling to buy the basics, some families may find there’s just not enough money for Christmas gifts. Betsy Hughes, senior vice president and chief development officer for the United Way of Metro Chicago, spoke about the difficulties of raising money and serving so many people during a pandemic.