Corporate Coalition of Chicago

"It's easy to jazz hands your way through an initiative. It's hard to build lasting community partnerships. We are committed to building those deep community partnerships" - Danny Wirtz, Chairman of the Chicago Blackhawks and Wirtz Corporation. Earlier this month, more than 80 members and partners of the Corporate Coalition gathered at the United Center for an engaging and thought-provoking conversation on community engagement and community investment. Danny along with Sara Guderyahn, Executive Vice President of Social Impact & Civic Affairs of the Chicago Blackhawks and Executive Director of the CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS FOUNDATION, shared powerful insights on values-based leadership and their #BusinessUNusual community engagement approach. They also discussed their vision for reinvesting in the West side neighborhoods around the United Center via their 1901 Project, a $7 billion, 55-acre development over the next decade, emphasizing patience, inclusive planning, and long-term investment. The energy in the room was electric, and the commitment to #Chicago was palpable. Thank you Danny, Sara, and the entire Blackhawks team for graciously hosting us at the United Center and for your leadership in this work. Onward!

Nearly 4 in 10 Americans can't cover a $400 emergency without borrowing, selling something, or going without. - 1 in 2 families earning under $50K live paycheck to paycheck - 1 in 3 earning $50K–$100K are in the same boat - Even 1 in 4 making $150K+ say the same That equates to ~800,000 Chicagoans — and ~530,000 of them wouldn’t turn to a credit card or a friend. They’d sell something or go without. But what if employers could fix that without breaking the bank? We’ve been exploring emergency cash assistance models to support employees facing unexpected financial crises — challenges that often lead to lower productivity, increased absenteeism, and higher turnover. We’ve identified several promising solutions and are preparing to pilot them to better understand whether cash assistance is a tool we would recommend more broadly to other organizations. If you’re interested in learning more about this, please reach out to Sara Wasserteil.

Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to join the final Generation Work™ Cross-Site Meeting in the amazing city of Birmingham! I've been a part of this project since my first day at the Corporate Coalition of Chicago, and it's been an incredible journey partnering with Cyndi Bergstein, Liana Bran, Molly Verghese and Antoine Watson. Together, we've worked with over 25 companies to help them break down barriers that young adults face in entering the workforce. The list of amazing leaders is too long, but I particularly want to shout out Sarah Klebo at Fitness Formula Clubs (FFC), Kirsten O'Neal and Cathy Tylutki PHR, SHRM-CP, CCP at Harris & Harris, Kristie Conklin at ComEd, Shawnda Morris, MBA, PHR at Loyola Medicine, and at Kate Podmore at Ace Hotel / Atelier Ace. And a special shoutout to the Young Adults Advisory Board members who are leading alongside us this year to help enhance everything we do: Ameerah Muhammad, Ariennda T., Denale Fowler, and @Demetrius Owens. In Birmingham, we had the opportunity to visit the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) and see the prison bars where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was held when he penned his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." His words ring so poignantly true today: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly." I am so grateful to be in this network of mutuality with the many friends and connections that we have made through this project. I want to thank the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the National Fund for Workforce Solutions for building such an incredible collaborative community, especially: Ranita Jain, Laura Burgher, Carrie Felton, Ricardo Henriquez, Abby W., Michelle Wilson. And shout out to the many partner sites across the country doing the good work of expanding opportunities for young folks to thrive in the workforce: Kristen Holder, Jarrod Stisher, Anna Topping, Tatianna Turrentine-Long, @E.J. Bravo, Lora Steele (She/ Her/ Hers), Michael Karman, Aleece S., Nicole McGill, Renata Beata Kowalczyk, MBA, MS, Larry Barnhill, Anthony Stanziale, and the many other folks in Generation Work! #WorkforceDevelopment #BusinessUNUsusual #YoungAdult #Leadership #Birmingham #Chicago #GenerationWork

Hiring talent with records doesn’t require a radical overhaul. Sometimes it just takes showing up in the right places and saying the right things. Our Fair Chance Hiring Program Director, Stephanie Dolan & Jeffrey Korzenik hosted an Essential Guide to Hiring Fair Chance talent workshop in Athens, GA. Organic recruiting is one of the simplest ways to source fair chance talent — and it works. Here’s how: - Use platforms like Honest Jobs that specialize in justice-impacted candidates - Turn on the “Fair Chance” filter on LinkedIn - Signal your openness clearly in job posts and on your career site “We welcome applications from candidates with criminal records” - A single line like that can make a big difference. Want to go a step further? Here are 6 ways to make your job descriptions more inviting for everyone — but especially for fair chance candidates: 1/ Highlight your company culture and values 2/ Ditch the corporate jargon and acronyms 3/ Describe the actual work environment — no fluff 4/ Be transparent about pay, scheduling, and benefits 5/ Share advancement opportunities from the start 6/ Give clear steps for the interview process Fair chance hiring is not about charity. It’s about expanding your pipeline, growing loyalty, and building a more resilient workforce. Because the best people aren’t always the ones with the “perfect” resumes. Sometimes, they’re the ones who never even hit "Apply" — until you gave them a reason to. #Fairchancehiring

We are so proud of our Program Director, Marcos Gonzales, on being selected for Leadership Greater Chicago’s Signature Fellows Program. We are delighted he will join the LGC network of cross-sector leaders to activate collaboratively for communities across the Greater Chicago region. Congrats, Marcos! Read more here: https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.plnkd.in/dKU95dn #LeadGreat #LGC2026

Can capitalism and compassion coexist? According to Mark Peters, CEO of Butterball Farms, Inc. and a Corporate Coalition member, the answer is a resounding yes. Traditional capitalism measures value in dollars. But what if we also measured it in growth? In stability? In human flourishing? Butterball Farms, Inc. is nationally recognized as one of the Best and Brightest Places to Work. Not because they give out free snacks. Because they truly invest in people. Back in 2003, Mark started The Source, a nonprofit helping employees at 28+ companies connect with housing, child care, transportation, and education services. The result? - Turnover dropped - Retention hit 90% for those on welfare benefits (vs 57% elsewhere) - Millions saved — for businesses and the state Butterball Farms, Inc. is a powerful case study: You can treat people with dignity and run a profitable business. When employee’s needs are met, they stay. When they're treated with dignity, they perform. And when barriers are removed, growth is unlimited. Too many companies still see employees as disposable parts in a profit machine. They extract value until burnout, then wonder why attrition is so high. The most successful leaders understand that investing in human flourishing isn't just the right thing to do - it's a competitive advantage. Let’s redefine what we mean by “value.”

At our recent National Fair Chance Hiring virtual brown bag, Mateus Santos, Dr. Chae M Jaynes, and Maria Ramirez at the University of South Florida, shared their insights on the impact having a criminal record has on employment opportunities. 1/The Cost of a Criminal Record Mateus Santos found that having a criminal record greatly reduces the chance of being hired. However, having a GED or college degree, strong references (especially from employers or professors), and at least one year of work experience can significantly improve hiring chances. Incomplete degrees or references from within the criminal justice system (like parole officers) are less effective. 2/ The effect of Time Since Conviction: Dr. Chae Jaynes discusses how the length of time since a conviction affects hiring decisions. The longer it has been since the conviction (especially 7–10 years), the more likely employers are to consider hiring someone. This effect is stronger for non-violent offenses; for violent crimes like robbery, time alone does not help much. When hiring managers are educated about the actual risk of reoffending (which drops over time), they become more willing to hire people with older convictions. 3/ The “Please Explain” Box on Applications Maria Ramirez showed her research on how job applicants with records can use the “please explain” section on applications. Leaving the box blank or denying responsibility leads to poor outcomes. Taking responsibility, referencing personal growth, or simply asking for an interview increases the likelihood of a callback. The type of crime matters, but the way the explanation is framed can make a significant difference. USF’s AIR(Aiding in Reentry) program is a step in the right direction - In this program, USF students are paired with incarcerated individuals to help with job readiness and reentry planning. This workshop led to discovering practical & actionable strategies that work best for helping people with records find employment. Thanks to Mateus, Chae & Maria for sharing their valuable insights!

1 in 3 U.S. adults has a criminal record, yet we're ignoring 80 million potential hires. Our Fair Chance Hiring Program Director, Stephanie Dolan & Jeffrey Korzenik hosted an Essential Guide to Hiring Fair Chance talent workshop in Athens, GA, with Sally Kimel-Sheppard of Envision Athens, Alvie Coes, III Ed.D. of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, and Mark Mills of redbox+ Dumpsters. The data on fair chance hiring is compelling: - People with records face 27% unemployment (vs 4% general population) - They're 10% more active in the job market - Yet they get 50% fewer callbacks from employers At a time when companies are struggling to find talent, this should be a wake-up call. We don’t have a labor shortage — we have an opportunity shortage. But here’s the good news: When organizations embrace Fair Chance Hiring, the results speak for themselves: - Fair chance employees have fewer policy or behavioral violations - They’re more engaged, have higher retention and get promoted faster - 85% of HR professionals say workers with records perform the same or better than peers. And the benefits ripple outward: → Safer streets → Stronger families → More prosperous communities Hiring someone with a record isn’t charity. It’s smart business. It expands your applicant pool, and builds resilience & retention into your team. One in three adults is more than a statistic. They’re your next high performer. Let’s open the door. #FairChanceHiring #HRStatistics #HiringPractices

Chicago can’t thrive when half its people are left behind. That’s the hard truth we face, and the reason we exist. At the Corporate Coalition, we work directly with businesses to help them reimagine how they hire, support, and invest in communities that have long been excluded from the economic mainstream. Here’s how we do it: 1. Fair Chance Hiring We run cohort programs to help companies: – Revamp job descriptions – Understand the legal landscape of hiring people with records – Build support systems so these hires succeed, not just survive 2. Trauma-Informed Workplace Support We equip frontline employers with practical tools to reduce stress, build resilience, and improve retention. Because when people feel safe at work, they stay. 3. Economic Investment in Disinvested Neighborhoods We help companies move not just jobs, but real capital into historically overlooked areas of Chicago, especially the South and West Sides. We not only help create new programs, but also work with companies who are already doing the work. Thriving businesses need thriving communities. And communities can't thrive when we sideline millions of potential contributors. Talk to us at the Corporate Coalition about how your hiring practices can be part of the solution, not the problem.

82% of 911 call centers are understaffed. We’re facing a staffing crisis in public safety and mental health response, while millions of qualified Americans remain locked out of these jobs. At our recent National Fair Chance Hiring virtual brown bag, we heard from two powerful voices in this space: – Sara Hayden, Research Manager at the University of Chicago – Roberta Meyers, VP of State Strategy & Reentry at the Legal Action Center Their focus? How to open up 911 and 988 call center jobs to people with criminal records. Right now, these roles are off-limits for most of the 70–100 million Americans with arrest or conviction histories. Even non-violent offenses or decade-old records can disqualify someone — not because of federal law, but because of how rules are interpreted. Take Illinois: If you’ve ever had a felony, you can’t access law enforcement databases — so you’re automatically excluded, even if you’ve done the work to rebuild your life. But here's the thing: People with records often bring empathy, resilience, and real-world experience — the exact traits we need in crisis response roles. Sara and Roberta shared a clear path forward: - Educate hiring managers on what the rules actually say - Push for background checks that reflect sealed/expunged records - Consider policy updates for non-violent or old convictions - Keep doing research, advocacy, and education at every level We don’t have a talent shortage. We have an opportunity shortage.