Through its Corporate Connector initiative, the Corporate Coalition of Chicago is supporting neighborhood organizations and developers in solving urgent problems and building capacity for long-term impact. Community organizations bring deep knowledge of problems and solutions in their neighborhoods, and businesses add specialized skills to support neighborhood leaders in achieving their goals.  

Professional services firm Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) stepped up to partner with the Oak Park Family Transitional Center to tackle an urgent challenge and with the Austin African American Business Networking Association (AAABNA) to assist with long-term planning. 

Addressing urgent needs at OPFTS

In February 2024, members of the Oak Park community set up the Oak Park Family Transitional Shelter (OPFTS) to provide shelter and services for South American migrants forced to camp outside. The Oak Parkers needed help organizing quickly and efficiently to respond to the migrants’ needs and contacted the Corporate Coalition. Through the Corporate Connector, Corporate Coalition staff connected Tim Liston, EY US Corporate Responsibility Leader, with Jack Crowe, Executive Director of OPFTS, and they quickly got a team together.  

Austin Christhilf, consultant at EY-Parthenon, a strategic consultancy within EY, noted, “When we got the call, we didn’t know exactly what the project would look like, but we knew we had a team that could offer a steady hand.”

The EY team conducted community research to align the Center’s resources with the migrants’ needs, leading to a shift in priorities from providing basic necessities to offering essential services such as legal assistance and job placements.

“The business skills the EY people used in their other consulting projects were directly applicable to what we needed,” said Jack Crowe. “And the EY team was clearly passionate about the mission.” 

This passion and experience helped the group open a shelter on time and rapidly address an immediate need in the community effectively and impactfully. 

OPFTS met its goal of finding stable housing for the migrant families in its care and wound down two months earlier than planned.

Empowering economic growth with AAABNA

EY US also worked with the Austin African American Business Networking Association (AAABNA) to support their efforts to foster new businesses and support economic empowerment in their community. AAABNA wanted to more clearly communicate its impact to stakeholders, which led to a comprehensive strategic planning initiative.  

“The priority was to understand where to take the organization next from a strategic direction and clarify the external messaging to donors and constituents,” explained Saranya Turimella, an EY-Parthenon associate.

The team gathered valuable insights through surveys and interviews to clarify the strategic direction and develop marketing materials for AAABNA. Jack Whitney, EY-Parthenon senior associate, emphasized their role as storytellers, transforming feedback into a comprehensive document that quantified AAABNA’s impact and clarified its diverse programs.

“Our board of directors were really thirsty for information,” said Malcolm Crawford, Executive Director at AAABNA. “Before, I didn’t have a way to communicate our successes. But after the project, we were able to share the document and answer all their questions.” 

This clarity strengthened internal audience engagement and boosted community involvement and business consultations.

“EY US is committed to making meaningful impact in our communities, and leveraging our people’s skills is one of the best ways to do that. These pro bono engagements were equally valuable to us, as we always appreciate the opportunity to develop deeper relationships with key community stakeholders and learn from their perspectives, while also providing diverse professional experiences for our team members,” said Tim Liston, EY US Corporate Responsibility Leader.

These projects highlight the impact of the Corporate Coalition’s Corporate Connector initiative, which connects corporate expertise to leaders and organizations addressing community needs. The partnerships with OPFTC and AAABNA are a testament to the significant community impact that can be achieved when businesses and communities work together.

The Corporate Connector, an initiative of the Corporate Coalition of Chicago, is uniting companies with nonprofits and small businesses to advance equity. When we align corporate expertise with community needs, both parties grow—and so does Chicago. Learn more. 

The views reflected in this article are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ernst & Young LLP or other members of the global EY organization.