This past holiday season, What If Media Group’s Chicago office had the privilege of spending a day with Cornerstone Community Outreach, a non-profit dedicated to serving homeless and low-income residents of the Uptown Chicago area. 

Every year, Cornerstone conducts a massive gift-giving program for the families within their shelters, believing that the magic of Christmas morning should be available to everyone regardless of circumstance. Our colleagues were eager to contribute to this mission. Our team of 11 spent hours wrapping and sorting gifts, doing their part to bring a little extra cheer to those who need it most.

“It was a rewarding opportunity to partner with the wonderful folks at Cornerstone, assisting in their invaluable efforts to combat homelessness in the Chicagoland area,” said Jacob Zitter, CFA, Vice President of Email Analysis at What If. “It is comforting to know that such dedicated professionals are committed to not only providing the basics of shelter, but also a sense of normalcy and dignity with these holiday gifts. The Chicago team was honored and energized to play a small role in adding a little holiday cheer to those most in need. We look forward to continuing the partnership in years to come.”

In addition to our hands-on volunteering, What If Media Group donated $5,000 to Cornerstone Community Outreach — enough to fully fund shelter, food and wraparound services for 200 shelter guests.

Amanda Learmond, Resource Coordinator at Cornerstone, expressed her gratitude, saying, “Wow, were we ever blessed by you and your team.” Her words remind us of the profound impact collective efforts can have on individuals and communities facing hardship.

We are incredibly grateful for the time we spent at Cornerstone Community Outreach and look forward to working with them again.

 Learn more about Cornerstone’s community efforts here.  

Learn more about What If Media Group’s commitment to philanthropy and volunteerism here.