2021/2022

Impact Report

 A Message from Our Leadership

Dear Supporters,

United Way of Metro Chicago had many opportunities over the last year to address the basic needs of area families and strengthen disinvested neighborhoods, particularly with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, community violence, and economic turmoil. Together, with partners, donors, volunteers, community advocates, and residents, we are building a stronger, more equitable Chicago region.

Partnerships and working together to advance equity are at the core of everything we do at United Way of Metro Chicago. We are committed to learning about, piloting, and investing in more equitable funding practices. Last fall, we announced our first grantee cohort of the United Neighborhoods Equity Fund, which awards unrestricted funding and capacity building to small Black and Latinx-led nonprofits.

This spring, our Neighborhood Network Initiative—a community-driven, resident-led approach to investing in neighborhood transformation—expanded into three new neighborhoods: Englewood, Garfield Park, and Far South. The Neighborhood Networks’ successful COVID-19 community response, coupled with a $25 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott and support from other essential funders, led to the expansion.

In June, at our Stronger Neighborhoods Awards Luncheon—back in person after two years—we announced the launch of the Commit to a Neighborhood Initiative, a new public, private, and nonprofit partnership with ITW and our community partners to stimulate equitable economic development and the creation of quality, living-wage jobs in the Austin and Belmont Cragin neighborhoods of Chicago.

In this report, you’ll read more about these programs and other highlights: the expansion of Uniting for the Holidays; the return of our April Food Day food drive and awards luncheon in the Southland; and the two-year anniversary of the launch of the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund. The incredible leadership and generosity of our committed volunteers and donors have given us the sound fiscal footing, support, and platform to accelerate our positive impact.

The last fiscal year has brought progress in expanding the impact of our investments and partnerships in the region’s most disinvested neighborhoods, and we see more opportunities ahead. But there is much work to do. United Way brings people together to address community priorities. Collectively that’s what we have done and will continue to do until children have better access to quality education, communities are safer, neighbors are healthier, incomes increase, and our region prospers. Thank you for joining us as—united—we help build a stronger, more equitable Chicago region where all families can thrive.

Cheryl Francis
2021/2022 Chair,
Board of Directors

Sean Garrett
President & CEO

Sean Garrett
President & CEO

Cheryl Francis
2021–2022 Chair, Board of Directors

The Year in Review

Featured Stories

United Neighborhoods Equity Fund Supports Black and Latinx-Led Nonprofits

In the fall of 2021, United Way of Metro Chicago, with the support of founding sponsor Peoples Gas, launched the United Neighborhoods Equity Fund (UNEF), our philanthropic commitment to addressing systemic barriers and creating more equitable investments and opportunities in our communities.

Historic disinvestment in Black and Latinx communities throughout Chicago has led to current racial, social, and economic issues impacting families and residents in the city’s South and West Sides and south suburban region. Small Black and Latinx-led nonprofits in these areas often face challenges connecting to funders, building rapport, and securing and sustaining support for culturally relevant strategies. This has led to significant disparities in investment in these transformative organizations.

Neighborhood Networks:
A Decade of Transformation

When we invest in our communities, we are in it for the long haul. Because change does not happen overnight. United Way of Metro Chicago’s Neighborhood Network Initiative reflects this commitment, combining long-term strategy with place-based, community-led efforts to drive neighborhood transformation.

Following nearly a decade of success, the model expanded in March 2022 for the first time in six years, adding Englewood, Far South, and Garfield Park to our previous 10 Neighborhood Network communities throughout the Chicago region: Auburn Gresham, Austin, Blue Island/Robbins, Brighton Park, Bronzeville, Cicero, Evanston, Little Village, South Chicago, and West Chicago.

Stories of impact

The Giving Spirit at Uniting for the Holidays

In partnership with local nonprofit agencies, Uniting for the Holidays helps reduce food insecurity and brighten the holiday season for our neighbors. Over the course of five weeks in November and December, these drive-thru style events expanded this year to reach more communities, connecting more than 3,000 families….

Committed to Anti-Racism Through Action

During Black History Month this past February, United Way of Metro Chicago shared what we’re doing in the diversity, equity, and inclusion space. How we’re living out our commitment to being an anti-racist organization, while holding ourselves accountable as we learn and grow, is vital to building stronger, more equitable communities…

April Food Day: Coming Together for the Southland

After two years of forgoing the in-person event due to the pandemic, April Food Day was back this past spring to honor leaders in the Southland and support local agencies through food collection and distribution. More than 78,000 pounds of food was donated and given to 10 food pantries in our south and southwest suburban communities…

Chicago Community Response Fund: Bending the Curve of Recovery

Two years ago, the world was facing an unprecedented unknown: a deadly global pandemic that was shutting down life as we knew it. But one thing was certain. People would need help to survive amid the uncertainty. Within just a few days, The Chicago Community Trust and United Way of Metro Chicago came together to establish…
There is an opportunity for us as a community to do more together.

I’m fundamentally optimistic about what’s ahead of us because we’re committed and we’re going to keep going.

Sean Garrett, President and CEO, United Way of Metro Chicago

Top 25 Corporate Partners

2021/2022 Executive Volunteers

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chairperson
Cheryl A. Francis

Vice Chair
Linda T. Coberly
Treasurer
Manuel Flores
Members
David C. Blowers
Patrick J. Canning
David R. Casper
Jeffrey Devron
Paulette Dodson
Andrew Dunn
Kenneth Escoe
Bridget Gainer
Linda L. Imonti
Rev. Larry L. Jackson, MDiv
Lisa N. Johnson
Darren Jones
Carina Markel
Charles Matthews
Edward W. McGrogan
Randy Mehrberg
Eileen M. Mitchell
Neil Murray
Kristie P. Paskvan
Alicia Ponce
Mark Prindiville
Robert Reiter
Jud Snyder
Robert A. Sullivan
Scott C. Swanson
Julia Morsch Sznewajs
Brooke Thompson
Wolfe Tone
Kelly R. Welsh
Johanns Williams

Board Emeritus
Deborah L. DeHaas

Board Emeritus
Lester McKeever

Board Emeritus
Andrew J. McKenna
Board Emeritus
E. Scott Santi
Board Emeritus
Frederick H. Waddell
President & Chief Executive Officer
Sean Garrett

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Chair
Cheryl A. Francis
Patrick J. Canning
Linda T. Coberly
Jeff Devron
Manuel Flores
Linda L. Imonti
Carina Markel
Charles Matthews
Kristie P. Paskvan
Robert A. Sullivan

Compensation & HR Committee

Chair
Jeffrey Devron

Patrick J. Canning
Julia Morsch Sznewajs

CHICAGO COUNCIL COMMITTEE

Matthew Bruce
Kant Desai
Andrea Durbin
Eric Lugo
Maura McCauley
Mandee Polonsky
Jennifer Shimp
Brett Taylor
Peter Tobin

Equity Committee

Chair
Linda T. Coberly

Rev. Larry L. Jackson, MDiv
Lisa N. Johnson
Judson Snyder

Finance & Audit Committee

Chair
Manuel Flores

Audit Sub Committee Chair
Carina Markel
Patti Barnett
Paulette Dodson
Martha Hinchman
Edward W. McGrogan
Mark Prindiville
Adam Schlesinger
Julie Scott
Laura Stern
Brooke Thompson

Nominating Committee

Chair
Robert A. Sullivan
David C. Blowers
Patrick J. Canning
Deborah L. DeHaas
Cheryl A. Francis
Lisa N. Johnson
Lester McKeever
Andrew J. McKenna
Neil Murray

Strong Neighborhoods Committee

Chair
Kristie P. Paskvan
Kant Desai
Manuel Flores
Cheryl A. Francis
Bridget Gainer

Rev. Larry L. Jackson, MDiv
Janet Katz
Anna Lee
Marcia MacPhearson

Randy Mehrberg
Eileen Mitchell
Tawakalitu Mitchell
Neil Murray
Michael Pinckney
Alicia Ponce
Mark Prindiville
Kelly R. Welsh

Campaign Cabinet

Campaign Chair
Linda L. Imonti
Vice Chair
John Oliver Hudson III
Vice Chair
Thurman Smith
Vice Chair
Steven C. Bauer
Vice Chair
Lisa N. Johnson
Vice Chair
Wolfe Tone
Vice Chair
David C. Blowers
Vice Chair
Henry Munez
Vice Chair
Teresa Wilton Harmon
Vice Chair
Neil Murray
Members
Laura M. Adams
David C. Albright
Jennifer (Shook) Bahra
Jamie Baisley
Chuck Beitel
David Berezin
Michael Berger
Justin Brown
David Burden
Jessica Caffrey
Katie Jahnke Dale
Dmitry Dukhan
Polly Melton Eldringhoff
Shane M. Foley
David Freeman
Natasha Galavotti
Thomas Harmening
Jack Hennessey
Sara Kowalczyk
Niamh Kristufek
Dawn Lauderdale
Susan C. Levy
Rogelio Lopez
Christopher Miceika
Jackie Nagel
Mike Paulsen
Linda Peddle
Shane Print
Brad Reid
Maureen Spain
Greg Tait
Bill Thomson
Sarah Vehlow
Don V. Villar
Andrew Vouziers
Melissa Washington
Patrick (Pat) Whiteside
Christopher L. Williams

Tocqueville Committee

Chair
David C. Blowers
Chair
Wolfe Tone
David C. Albright
Chuck Beitel
David Berezin
Niamh Kristufek
Susan C. Levy
Brad Reid

North-Northwest Suburban Regional Board

Chair
Edward W. McGrogan

Secretary/CISC Co-Chair
Alan Bromberg
Vice Chair
Samuel Boebel
Vice Chair
Marc D. Wallace
Vice Chair
Scott H. Budd
Vice Chair/CISC Co-Chair
Janet Katz
Steve Adelstein
Chuck Adler
Sue Ehlers
Christopher Eilers
Barbara Ferguson
Shaun M. Goldfarb
Corey Gustafson
Jeffrey W. Kreye
Satish Kumar
Mark S. Seigle
Venetial Valley
Eric Witherspoon

South-Southwest Suburban Regional Board

Chair
Johanns Williams

Co-Chair, Resource Development Committee
Victor Roberson
Vice Chair
Hannah Hayes
Chair, Community Impact Steering Committee
Mayme C. Buckley-Leonard
Vice Chair
Jeff Cohn
Chair, Board Development and Nominating Committee
Barbara Suggs-Mason, Ph.D.,
Co-Chair, Resource Development Committee
Robin Bettenhausen
Vernard L. Alsberry, Jr.
L. Marie Asad
Andrea L. Davenport
Dr. Lakshmi Emory
Shamus Hayes
Rev. Larry L. Jackson, MDiv
Deborah Stevens
Desiree Watkins

West Suburban Regional Board

Chair
Andrew Dunn
Vice Chair
Mark Skerjan
Chair, Community Impact Steering Committee
Jason Meslin
Scott Allister
Jose Alvarez
Linda Anderson
Maureen Brocato
James Grana
Samina Kapadia
Marcia MacPhearson
Aaron McCollough
Tara Nieberding
United Way of Metro Chicago brings together businesses, government, philanthropic, individual, and community leaders to deliver funding and resources to and amplify the expertise of nonprofit organizations across greater Chicago.

We help individuals meet their basic needs and work alongside neighborhood partners to address local priorities and create communities where all people can thrive. United, we are building a stronger, more equitable Chicago region.

LIVEUNITEDchicago.org