Giving Back

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”.
- Winston S. Churchill

Philanthropy is best summarized as a deliberate affection for mankind, shown through contributions of money, property, or work for the benefit of others.  Recognizing the good fortune we have experienced both as ECI and as individuals, it is a priority for ECI to give back and support those less fortunate.  We often identify TIME, TALENTS and TREASURE as the areas for giving…none any more important than the other as needs within these groups are typically significant.  Recent community outreach involvement with ECI staff participation has taken place with firms like: The City of Hope, The DuPage Community Foundation, Aspire, The Greater Chicago Food Depository, Christian Elim Services, Easter Seals, Almost Home Kids as well as countless others… Through our volunteer activities and corporate giving, we help build the communities where we live and work.

 

Holiday Giving

ECI employees have to give back to the community as a group for holiday giving.  The Social Committee takes on the task of listening to suggestions and investigating the many different charities and not-for-profit agencies that are in need.  In the past years, families have been adopted, toys have been donated to Children’s Memorial Hospital, supplies have been given to different orphanages, and they have answered letters to Santa for children.

In 2010, the Chicago Sun Times “Letters to Santa” program was chosen for employee giving.  This program contracts social service agencies, homeless shelters, Head Start programs and schools in poverty stricken neighborhoods to identify children who are in need of assistance.

Almost Home Kids 
(Formerly Coach Care Center)

In 2006, ECI became a sponsor for CoACH Care Center now known as Almost Home Kids (AHK) which is recognized as a national model of excellence for the delivery of short term clinical care for children who are medically fragile and who may be technology dependent. It is a “home away from home” for children who require respite care or transitional care from hospital to home.  Clinical care is provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with highly trained nurses and a Medical Director who oversees the children’s treatment plan.

ECI supports AHK through its annual golf outing, and their gala, as well as having named them in the past as the beneficiary of dollars raised at the charity hole at ECI’s golf outing.  ECI’s ongoing support of AHK continues.

Golf Outing

Each year, ECI holds an invitational golf tournament with proceeds benefiting an area charity. In the past, ECI supported the following not-for-profit clients:

  • Almost Home Kids
    (formerly CoACH Care)
  • Aspire
  • Easter Seals
  • Educare
  • Elim Christian Services

Easter Seals

Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago provides educational and therapeutic services and programs to 150 children ages 3-21 that have a primary diagnosis of autism.  Easter Seals has a school in Chicago and in Tinley Park that provide state of the art therapeutic and educational interventions specifically for autism.  Easter Seals provides in-home respite and behavioral services for parents that need additional assistance in their home. ECI’s ongoing support of Easter Seals continues.

Aspire

ECI supports Aspire through its annual golf tournament, Aspire Classic, and their black tie gala, Big City Night, as well as having named them in the past as the beneficiary of dollars raised at the charity hole at ECI’s client golf outing.  ECI has become a supporter of Aspire’s new venture Coffee Works, using this coffee at both their Hillside and Chicago locations.  Aspire is a private, not-for-profit agency serving the developmental, residential and vocational needs of children and adults with developmental disabilities.  The mission of Aspire is to provide people with developmental disabilities quality lifetime supports and opportunities to achieve their individual highest human potential where they live, learn, work or play. ECI’s ongoing support of Aspire continues.

Benet Academy

Benet Academy is a four year, college preparatory, co-educational, Catholic high school located in Lisle.  Benet provides religious instruction and opportunities for prayer and reflection that nurture faith of the faculty and students; a devoted and demanding staff offers the support and attention necessary for academic excellence and distinction; a wide range of extracurricular activities seeks to develop the social and personal skills of each student.  ECI supports Benet Academy by sponsoring its annual auction, Redwing golf classic and various school activities throughout the year.