Thank you for being a part of our work together this past year. Our partners across the region have continued to show up, helping our neighbors meet their basic needs and driving neighborhood transformation. United Way has celebrated big wins — and we have much to look forward to in the year to come.
The past couple of months have been a uniquely challenging time for our city and surrounding communities. The amazing thing to me is that, through all the amplified complexities, our partners continue to show an unmatched resolve and commitment to ensure families are safe and that the progress achieved to date continues.
I was recently in Little Village for lunch with leaders from Latinos Progresando and Enlace Chicago. It was striking how little economic activity was taking place . . . and shows the stark reality of the economic impacts being felt in many of our neighborhoods across the region. At the same time, talking to our partners about the ways they are supporting families, helping students get to school, and ensuring access to food was inspiring.
As we welcome 2025, I am grateful for everything we have accomplished together – and excited about what’s to come in the year ahead.
Five years ago, Sean Garrett was appointed to lead United Way of Metro Chicago as president and CEO. Now, he’s reflecting on all we have accomplished together – and what’s to come.
One year ago, our city and state issued a stay–at–home order as COVID-19 began to spike. I don’t know about you, but what I remember most was fear and uncertainty. What would this mean for our two kids, who were in pre-k and second grade at the time? How could we keep our colleagues and families safe? How long would this last – two weeks, a month, until summer? Frankly, the only thing we were certain about was that we needed to act quickly to help our neighbors.
As we kick off a new fiscal year, I’ve been reflecting on how far we’ve come. Fiscal year 2019 was a big one for us.
United Way of Metro Chicago’s Senior Manager of Communications sat down with our new CEO and President, Sean Garrett, to learn more about his passion for our work, vision for our organization and what he loves about Chicago.