As a community that believes in paying it forward, 1871 allocates a cash allotment for each team member to donate to a charity of their choice as a part of their employee benefits. Here on the blog, we'll be highlighting the stories behind our team's giving. This week, meet Lewis McKinney and Jeanne Reidy.
Lewis McKinney | ArtReach
To be honest, growing up, I always thought I'd be an artist. Painting, sculpting, sketching -- it was my go-to artistic escape. One thing I wish I had growing up was an outlet, a place that I could go to and hone my skills. If I had -- who knows.
I chose ArtReach because it's important for kids to have an outlet especially if they aren't into traditional extra curriculars like sports. Art can transform and I hope my gift goes a long way in aiding the development of future artists I'd be honored to hang or place in my home.
Jeanne Reidy | Inspire Girls Academy
I met Shalini Patel a few years ago through the 1871 community and was immediately captivated and inspired by the work she is doing at Inspire Girls Academy. Through STEAM project based learning, Inspire gives young girls the leadership skills and confidence to explore their ideas and opinions.
Inspire creates an environment where girls can learn, experiment and break boundaries. Through Inspire's after school program, I've had the privilege to hear from young girls who are learning how to build businesses -- everything from budgets to business plans -- and I can't wait to see them walking the halls of 1871. We all know the alarming statistics around the number of girls in STEAM and we know that they begin to lose interest in these fields during adolescence. Inspire Girls Academy is working to change those statistics one girl at a time and I couldn't be more honored to support the effort and the next generation of women in technology & entrepreneurship in Chicago.
Interested in learning more about the 1871 team? Check out our Instagram Stories to hear them share their thoughts on giving.
