Save the Date for the Star Awards

We want to thank you for your continued hard work and dedication throughout the past year – we couldn’t have had such an impact around Chicago without the support of our volunteer community!  Please join us on Monday, October 25  from 6 – 9 PM at the Four Seasons Chicago as we pay tribute to our devoted volunteers, leaders, partner agencies, corporate partners, and supporters! Thank you, from our staff to each of you for your hard work and commitment.

SAVE THE DATE: Monday October 25 from 6 – 9 PM

Support Chicago Through Business Shares

Over the past few years, our Business Shares program has been growing at an unprecedented rate. Thanks to the hard work of our Development and Service Events teams, Chicago Cares was able to pull through a difficult economic year by bringing on new partnerships like Kraft, the White Sox and more.  Our Business Shares model also enables us to engage corporate partners in a new level, introducing community service and our mission possibly for the first time to employees.  We are able to reach out to more schools, community centers, and worthy organizations in need all over the city that we aren’t otherwise able to serve through our ongoing programs or annual events alone.

Integrating our experienced Chicago Cares PSMs into leadership for this program was the Service Events Department’s proudest accomplishment for the fall of 2009. Your leadership made it possible for us to grow in this way and make an impact all over our city. This coming fall will be filled with opportunities to take part in this incredible process. We’ll be partnering with the Chicago White Sox on September 11, continuing our long-term partnership with Medline on October 2, and hosting several projects as a part of Kraft’s National Make a Delicious Difference Week, October 4 - 9. Chicago Cares continues to build new partnerships so we need the continued support of our experienced leaders. If you are interested in leading a project, please check the Leader Calendar for projects titled “Business Shares” and email esutton@chicagocares.org to sign up.

Leaders, thank you so much for all of your help. We’re looking forward to another incredible season of service with you this fall.

September Leader Spotlight: Christine Pellini

Completing service hours had been requirement for Christine in high school and it wasn’t until after participating in the Chicago Cares Serve-a-thon that she realized how much fun and purpose-filled volunteering could be. “Volunteering makes me appreciate what I have and gives me the opportunity to meet new people,” says Christine. She now volunteers with Chicago Cares and the Susan G Koman Breast Cancer 3-day regularly.

Christine particularly enjoys leading one-time large scale projects through the Business Shares program. “It’s amazing to see the amount of work that can get done in a single day if you just have people to do it.” She likes the ease and organization of Chicago Cares’ projects, “It’s easy to search online to find the perfect opportunity,” she says.  “It lets me do something I love without having to do a ton of work to prepare for it.”

Christine also enjoys projects that get children from the school community involved; it’s a powerful experience to see the corporate volunteers and youth work together towards a common purpose and goal.  One of her favorite moments was at a Business Shares project in her home town of Melrose Park, watching volunteers mentor and guide students in their work. The excitement of the youth and the dedication of the volunteers are what keep her coming back to lead time and time again.  She hopes that the kids at her projects will grow to love volunteering and act on service like she does.

“It is not hard to be inspired to continue to volunteer after seeing children’s reactions when they see a newly painted mural in their lunchroom or see the look on their face when they realize that those people are there to work on their school because they care, not because someone is paying them.”

~Christine Pellini

Thank you, Christine, for all that you do with Chicago Cares Business Shares! You are a true inspiration to children, volunteers, leaders, and the Chicago Cares staff!