Companywide Charitable Giving Program Supports Diverse Organizations and Missions Across Cinnaire’s Footprint
Cinnaire Cares, our companywide staff-funded charitable giving program, was developed by our employees through the Staff Engagement Committee to support our mission-driven partners in the communities where we live, work, and serve. Our employees contribute twice monthly to a fund established to support staff-nominated charities. Since inception, Cinnaire Cares has raised more than $175,000 to support our mission-driven partners across our footprint!
We are excited to share the most recent Cinnaire Cares donations! With Cinnaire’s matching contribution, a total of $35,000 was raised during this funding round, making this our largest funding round to date! From a nonprofit providing low-income youth and families of color with opportunities through economic empowerment to a free training program offering students the opportunity to earn skills for a successful career in the hospitality industry, the Cinnaire Cares recipients are once again a diverse group of organizations and missions.
Each funding round, employees nominate organizations that benefit the people and communities we serve. From this list, nonprofits from across our footprint are selected to receive awards. During this funding round, two mission-driven organizations received equal scores and will split the Cinnaire Cares donation.
Community & Home Supports, Inc. (CHS) – Michigan Region
Nominated by Michelle Foster
Donation: $7,100
Community & Homes Supports, Inc. (CHS), a non-profit corporation serving Detroit and its surrounding communities, rights against poverty by helping families and individuals experiencing housing crises live healthy and independent lives.
CHS manages and redevelops low-income housing tax credit properties, partnering with local businesses and residents to reduce neighborhood blight. As a member of the Detroit Continuum of Care, they also provide support services to Detroit’s homeless and at-risk households, advocating for individuals’ rights, assessing their service needs, and providing financial support for more than 100 homeless households.
Cinnaire Cares donation will assist with paying for rental application fees, move in costs, furniture, bus tickets, clothing, school supplies, and other household necessities to assist clientele with the transition from homelessness to housing.
CLIMB USA – Wisconsin/Minnesota Region
Nominated by Chris Laurent
Donation: $7,100
CLIMB USA ( Communities Learning to Invest and Mobilize for Business) is a nonprofit that prepares low- and moderate-income youth and families of color to broaden future opportunities through economic empowerment. CLIMB USA encourages youth to expand their knowledge on how to increase wealth by offering investment clubs, entrepreneurial training, and thought leadership.
Cinnaire Cares donation will support advancing their objectives to forge collaborations between financial institutions and underserved populations, provide experiential investment education to youth and expand access to stock investing education resources.
Paul’s Place – MidAtlantic Region
Nominated by Sabrina Iga
Donation: $7,100
Paul’s Place is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life within Southwest Baltimore communities for 40 years. During that time, what started as a two-day-a-week soup kitchen has grown to offer critical resources through more than 20 programs to hundreds of individuals every day, helping them advance toward self-sufficiency.
Cinnaire Cares donation will support the Groundwork Culinary Arts Training Program, a free 12-week training program offering students the opportunity to learn restaurant-related skills, earn certifications favored in the hospitality industry, and gain access to career services. Every meal prepared at the restaurant supports the training and employment of a community member. Paul’s Place was honored as the Novogradac’s Small Business QLICI of the Year Award in 2021.
CHAMPS – Illinois/Indiana Region
Nominated by Ja’Shar Hartley
Donation: $3,500
CHAMPS (Culturally Helping and Making Positive Success) is a male mentoring program designed to educate, empower, and expose boys and young men of color to opportunities that can help them to achieve their dreams and goals.
CHAMPS has created a safe environment for young men in the Chicago area to broaden their experiences through culturally relevant conversations and positive interactions that help them develop transformative skills and habits. This strong fraternity of men brings stability to the boys lives, serving as mentors to strengthen social-emotional competencies, reinforce responsible decision-making, coordinate service opportunities and assist with job placement, helping them navigate life in a positive and productive direction.
Ladies of Virtue – Illinois/Indiana Region
Nominated by Ja’Shar Hartley
Donation: $3,500
For more than 10 years, Ladies of Virtue (LOV) has led the charge in empowering Black girls in some of Chicago’s most underserved communities on their journeys to becoming confident, purpose-driven leaders. Its unique community-based model integrates one-on-one and group mentoring, leadership development, and mental health support to meet the needs of Black girls ages 9-18.
Participants are matched with prominent women who serve as mentors, providing them career advice, leadership skills, and project management training to empower them to succeed in the modern workforce. After graduating from high school, the young women are mentored and supported for six years as LOV 4 Life Alumni. 100% of LOW girls have been accepted into 4-year colleges.
Cinnaire’s Emergency Fund
For the sixth time, a portion of funding from Cinnaire Cares will be allocated to an emergency fund. Cinnaire’s emergency fund is used to support our nonprofit partners during crisis, economic, or natural disasters.
About Cinnaire
Cinnaire is a non-profit financial partner that supports community and economic revitalization initiatives through creative investments, loans, and development services. Since 1993, Cinnaire has invested $4.7 billion to develop 811 housing communities in 10 states, providing 49,700 affordable apartment homes for more than 100,000 individuals and families, and has provided community development loans to support the creation/retention of more than 187,000 square feet of commercial, mixed-use, and community space. In its mission to change lives and transform neighborhoods into thriving communities, Cinnaire has helped to create or retain over 76,000 jobs and spurt $7.9 billion in economic impact. www.cinnaire.com
