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Nonprofits lean to corporate giving as state funding becomes tighter

Officials with WINGS in Palatine realized a dream earlier this year when they were able to open the Metro Shelter on Chicago's Southwest side. It was the first center for domestic violence victims to open in the city in 10 years, and in part, CEO Rebecca Darr credited generous corporate support for making the dream a reality.

"We relied heavily on individual and corporate support to help us through," Darr says, pointing to such corporate foundations as Allstate, the Chicago Bears, Verizon and Montgomery Ward, to name a few, while Elgin-based Panasonic donated all of the shelter's electronics.

WINGS started in 1985 as a grass-roots organization, housed in a church basement, reaching out to domestic violence victims. The organization grew and in 2005 it opened its Safe House emergency shelter in Rolling Meadows. The agency now is the largest domestic violence service and housing provider in the state.

Yet, obtaining funding and support from the local business community continues to drive them.

"It's getting more competitive," Darr adds. "With the state budget impasse, a lot more organizations are trying to get corporate support."

Officials with Clearbrook, based in Arlington Heights, agree, though they say they are seeing an increase in corporate giving now that the recession has eased.

"Businesses seem to be better, more stable," says Carl La Mell, CEO of Clearbrook, which offers services for children and adults with disabilities. The agency started 60 years ago as a small school in Rolling Meadows for children with disabilities.

It now serves more than 7,000 children and adults in 160 communities in Chicago and the suburbs, and has grown to be the largest provider of home-based services in the state.

"We've always had solid support from the business community," La Mell adds, "but a lot more people are more receptive than in the past."

Don Marquis, who directs corporate relations at Clearbrook, says the organization relies on many businesses for their time and talents.

"We've seen corporate giving return following the financial crisis and understandably, many larger corporations have become selective about where their money and time is spent," Marquis says.

"While many (corporations) support organizations close to the communities their employees live and causes they care about," he adds, "they also tend to focus on causes related to their industry."

Clearbrook's commitment to empowering people with disabilities has drawn support from small businesses, such as the Avalon Salon & Day Spa in Deer Park and the Ram Restaurant & Brewery in Schaumburg, as well as large corporations, including Omron in Schaumburg, Mariano's locations, Aquion in Elk Grove Village, Nation Pizza in Schaumburg and Comcast.

Another business supporter is BMO Harris Bank. Diane Filbin, vice president and community affairs manager, says the bank as an institution is committed to contributing financially to the communities where its employees live and work.

"We work to develop integrated community plans, which include making grants or placing senior executives on nonprofit boards," Filbin says. "At BMO Harris Bank, we take a long-term view of our responsibility to the community, doing what we can to help nonprofits, which are doing life-changing work on the ground."

Beyond financial support, BMO Harris employees help Clearbrook with its Women's Classic golf outing, as well as stand on street corners soliciting donations during Clearbrook's Jelly Belly days.

Another local corporation, whose employees help out with Clearbrook events is Omron, the Japanese electronics firm in Hoffman Estates.

The company has been named to four times to Chicago's 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For, as well as to the Best Places to Work in Illinois, in part because its employees appreciate the company's commitment to social responsibility.

Kevin Bulatek serves as the administrator of the Omron Foundation, and while he says its financial support has remained consistent over the last several years, company employees find more satisfaction from rolling their sleeves up and volunteering.

"Omron companies engage in numerous volunteer activities in the community," Bulatek says. "Our employees enjoy regularly giving their time to help others in need."

At WINGS, Darr says they rely heavily on in-kind donations, nearly as much as financial support. It started with David Hill, the former chairman of Kimball Hill Homes, back in 2003, who secured many of the laborers and construction companies to donate their services for the Safe House shelter in Rolling Meadows.

"We continue to work with faith communities and youth groups to volunteer and do things like holding clothing drives," Darr says. "There are just so many unique ways in which companies are getting involved."

As Avalon Salon and Spa of Deer Park staff style and cut hair for several clients of Clearbrook, client Tracy admires the haircut she got that day. Owner Bonnie Conte also organizes a Christmas gift drive with her staff for many of the Clearbrook clients who do not have family to celebrate the holiday with.
BMO Harris Bank employees help beautify Lambs Farm in Libertyville as part of the 2016 BMO Volunteer Day.
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