North Lawndale Employment Network - Campaign Case Statement : simplebooklet.com

3 Our Vision for Change Dear Friends, For more than two decades, North Lawndale Employment Network (NLEN) has served residents of Chicago’s North Lawndale and nearby West Side communities, delivering employment services to those with significant barriers. Since our founding at the Sinai Community Institute with leadership from the Steans Family Foundation in 1999, NLEN has developed strong board leadership, community partnerships, and a team of mission driven employees. We offer job training and job-skills certifications that open doors to family-sustaining wages, help soften the stigma of having a criminal record or of being poor, and provide pathways to jobs and prosperity. Today, NLEN serves more than 1,000 people annually, helping them to gain new skills, elevate their self-worth, secure jobs, and become financially secure. NLEN’s mission remains to improve the earnings potential of people in North Lawndale and surrounding communities through innovative employment initiatives that lead to economic advancement and an improved quality of life. Looking ahead to our third decade of service, NLEN is on target to increase its impact, operate its social enterprises at greater scale, and address the systemic barriers to employment based on race, class, and criminal record. In 2021, NLEN opened its new campus, which allowed us to unify our programs and services under one roof. This new infrastructure will secure and strengthen the organization for the future as we seek to reduce the unemployment rate in North Lawndale by 10%. On the front cover: a newly employed graduate of U-Turn Permitted

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4 Guided by strategic and business plans, NLEN launched The Campaign That Works to fund critical investments that will enable our organization to innovate and scale our impact at our new and welcoming campus. To date, NLEN has raised more than $11.5 million towards our $15 million capital campaign goal. We invite you to partner with us to make NLEN a viable pathway to economic mobility and an improved quality of life for job seekers in the next decade. In partnership, Dr. Michael McAfee Brenda M. Palms Board President, NLEN President & CEO, NLEN President & CEO, PolicyLink Founder & CEO, Sweet Beginnings, LLC and the beelove café “The Steans Family Foundation has supported the work of North Lawndale Employment Network since its founding in 1999. With vision and tenacity, NLEN has become of the most impactful agencies on Chicago’s West Side, helping individuals overcome barriers to employment and poverty.” Heather Steans, Chair, Steans Family Foundation

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5 NLEN’s Strategic Action Agenda • Reduce the unemployment rate in North Lawndale by 10% by December 2027. • Address the systemic barriers to employment based on race, class, and criminal record. • Scale up Sweet Beginnings, LLC and its beelove café as a sustainable honey products social venture that demonstrates the power of a job to transform a life and a community. • Raise $15 million in a capital campaign to build on the foundation we have established through our new campus, innovate new approaches, and build a Sustainability Fund. Source: NLEN FY 2018-2023 Strategic Plan BEEKEEPING FOR NEW BEGINNINGS “There is something about the ancient profession of beekeeping that seemed to be the perfect analogy with people returning from incarceration. Like returning citizens, honey bees are often villainized due to fear and stigma, but they pose little threat to the public. Honey bees, like our participants, draw nectar from both flowers and weeds, seeing no difference in either one. Some may only see the remnants of a once bustling community, but honeybees and people searching for a better tomorrow have the ability to find something sweet in even the most unlikely environments.” Brenda M. Palms, President & CEO, NLEN and CEO, Sweet Beginnings, LLC and the beelove café Honey, I Shrunk the Recidivism Rate, Washington Monthly, June 29, 2017

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6 THE IMPACT OF A JOB The impact of employment for men and women returning from incarceration is profound. A returning citizen who secures stable employment reunites with and supports family, rejoins community, has a restored sense of self-worth, and is significantly less likely to return to prison. The impact of one job transcends the individual to change the entire network of relationships in a community. When families do better, communities do better. Reaching the Most Economically Vulnerable OUR PARTICIPANTS NLEN’s program participants include community residents, citizens returning from incarceration, and others who face the day-to-day hardships of living without enough income to support themselves and their families. One hundred percent of NLEN’s participants are low-income, 94% are African American, and 34% have a felony background. The overwhelming majority of NLEN clients face multiple barriers to employment and live in communities with persistently low employment rates and high poverty rates: 80% reside in North Lawndale, South Lawndale, Austin, East Garfield Park, or West Garfield Park. OUR APPROACH NLEN’s nearly 25 years of experience as a workforce development practitioner have provided us with valuable insights into delivering employment services to those with significant barriers. We have seen how poor options and limited resources lead to making poor decisions that, in turn, have collateral costs for our participants, their families, and our community. We have seen how a limited education and few skills can erode self-esteem, reduce lifetime earnings, and ultimately allow mediocrity to become the norm. We also have seen the positive difference that can be made by offering resources in a neighborhood-based workforce organization with a culture that sees and respects clients without judgment. By offering a new and supportive network of caring adults, and delivering job training and job skills certifications that open doors to family-sustaining wages, we help soften the stigma of having a criminal record or of being poor. The stigma becomes “less loud” as the volume of qualifications and self-worth rises, enabling individuals to move forward.

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7 NLEN’s Programs and Services Powered by a team of 59 dedicated employees, 14 deeply engaged board members, and a $6.7 million operating budget, NLEN delivers a range of programs to promote economic advancement and improve the quality of life for those we serve. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES NLEN offers job readiness training, career skill-building programs, and wraparound supportive services for asset-limited, income-constrained working people. Core programs include: U-Turn Permitted (UTP) – NLEN’s flagship job readiness training program helps returning citizens reintegrate into the community and secure employment. The program, designed specifically for those returning from incarceration, integrates clinical expertise with a strengths-based and trauma-informed approach to building social-emotional wellness, employment skills, and financial acumen. Path to Prosperity – a version of UTP designed for individuals with barriers to employment but no involvement with the criminal legal system. Empowered Now – integrates UTP with structured on-the-job training at Sweet Beginnings, our social enterprise honey business, through an earn-and-learn program model that more effectively addresses the basic needs of participants Moving Forward – a program providing middle-skills training and job placement in growing industry sectors including logistics, health care, and green technology READI – Rapid Employment and Development Initiative, a large-scale, trauma-informed employment and supportive services program for the most high-risk, disconnected young adults that seeks to prevent community violence Craft Your Path – a violence prevention and job readiness program for young adults including leadership and career pathway development, occupational skills training, post-secondary education navigation, supportive services, and job placement and retention in high-demand industries FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITY CENTER NLEN’s Financial Opportunity Center supports people at any income level in building economic self-sufficiency. Each FOC client has access to a network of coaches that help them with job placement, retention, and advancement; access to public and private benefits to supplement earnings; and managing a budget. The FOC coaches families as they strive to become more financially stable through employment and/or increased wages, improved financial condition and improved access to public benefits. NLEN was the first Financial Opportunity Center in Chicago and now is one of 120 centers across the country that currently implement this model designed and coordinated by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC).

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8 SWEET BEGINNINGS, LLC & the beelove café NLEN’s award-winning Sweet Beginnings, LLC and the beelove café are wholly owned subsidiaries of North Lawndale Employment Network designed to create local jobs, especially for people with multiple barriers to employment including a criminal background. Sweet Beginnings, LLC maintains apiaries across Chicagoland and manufactures the beelove® brand of honey and honey-infused skin care products that are sold online and at retail locations throughout the region, including Mariano’s and Hudson’s at Chicago’s airports. POLICY AND ADVOCACY DEVELOPMENT AND MOBILIZATION NLEN conducts research to support its advocacy for fairness and justice – for “second chances” – and for the structural, systems-level reforms necessary to realize NLEN’s priority of reducing unemployment by 10% in North Lawndale. Community Impact North Lawndale Employment Network’s comprehensive approach helps individuals gain new skills, improve their self-worth, obtain living-wage jobs, and become financially secure. With programs and social ventures designed to assist at-risk adults and youth, NLEN seeks to promote economic empowerment, racial equity and healing, and community regeneration on Chicago’s West Side. We are proud to share the outcomes of our work over the past five years by the numbers: • helped 70% of our workforce graduates retain jobs for the long term • returned benefits valued at $2.54 back to society for every dollar invested in our U-Turn Permitted program • ensured that fewer than 8% of NLEN clients who served time returned to prison – compared to 38.5% of returning citizens across Illinois • connected more than 1,000 individuals to technology annually • helped more than 1,000 people learn to manage income and increase wealth annually For the last 15 years, fewer than 8% of NLEN clients who served time return to prison – compared to 38.5% of returning citizens across Illinois.

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9 NLEN’S COMMUNITY IMPACT STRATEGY A PATH FORWARD FOR RETURNING CITIZENS “New research from The Brookings Institution shows that, not surprisingly, joblessness and incarceration are related. Barriers to hiring returning citizens come in different forms, and some are imposed from the outside. This year, we welcomed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s proposed changes to allow banks more flexibility in hiring returning citizens. Our responsibility to recruit, hire, retain and train talented workers extends to this population. Earlier this year, I visited one of our partnering organizations, the North Lawndale Employment Network in Chicago, which gives formerly incarcerated Americans a path to well-paying jobs. The network also builds a pipeline of trained mechanics for Chicago’s growing transportation sector. This is a win-win for workers, employers and the economy as a whole.” Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO, JPMorgan Chase Letter to Shareholders, 2018 Economic Empowerment •Lower unemployment • Higher incomes and savings Racial Equity & Healing •Decreased incarceration • Reduced racial wealth gap Community Regeneration •New investment in North Lawndale •Stronger families & better quality of life

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10 Everett’s Story Everett Dean's life story, deeply rooted in North Lawndale, is a profound narrative of resilience, transformation, and community commitment. From his early years idolizing his father, Calvin Dean Sr., to becoming a beacon of hope in the very community he grew up in, Everett's journey is emblematic of the power of perseverance and the impact of local support systems. As a seven-year-old, Everett saw his father, a Burger King manager, as his hero and aspired to follow in his footsteps. Despite Dean Sr.'s involvement in criminal activities to support his family, Everett, shielded by childhood naivety, cherished the care and love he received. His life took a dramatic turn at 19 when he suffered a heart attack. During his recovery, his father, freshly released from prison, was a constant source of encouragement and support. Everett's own brush with the law resulted in imprisonment from 2005 to 2008. Throughout this ordeal, his father's unwavering support was his bedrock. Upon his release, Everett enrolled in the U-Turn Permitted program, a pivotal decision that heralded a new beginning in his life. This award-winning job readiness program offered by the North Lawndale Employment Network was instrumental in his personal and professional development, equipping him with essential life skills and leading to meaningful employment. Everett's story is not just one of personal triumph over adversity; it is a testament to the strength and resilience of the North Lawndale community, and the profound impact of local initiatives like the U-Turn Permitted program in transforming lives. Above all, it is a story of a man living a purpose-driven life, fulfilling his roles as a loving father, a reliable employee, and a good citizen with dedication and integrity. ! !

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11 The Campaign That Works We invite individuals, corporations, foundations, and service organizations – friends old and new – who share our passion for helping individuals overcome barriers to self-sufficiency, to join us in our commitment to raise $15 million to increase NLEN’s impact and secure this vital work for the future. Gifts at all levels will be needed to meet our ambitious goal. NEW NLEN CAMPUS NLEN has created a campus for all of its programs and social enterprise ventures to boost its visibility, drive strategic alignment, promote integration and operational synergy, and accelerate growth and social impact. Before, NLEN leased space in five separate locations. The new NLEN campus includes: dedicated spaces for NLEN’s programs and administration; training space for NLEN and other community organizations; a custom-designed, glass-enclosed production space for Sweet Beginnings, LLC’s beelove® honey and honey-infused skin care products; a rooftop apiary for beekeeping; the new beelove café; a retail bank branch (in partnership with Wintrust); a space for pop-up shops for local entrepreneurs; a community event space; a peace garden and fountain; a pollinator pavilion and garden; and a large parking lot. NLEN developed its new campus at 1111 S. Homan Ave. in partnership with Wheeler Kearns Architects, Ujamaa Construction, IFF, Taft and Lincoln Park Zoo. NLEN also wishes to thank Wintrust, JPMorgan Chase, and Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP for their support of the campus development effort. ! !!CAMPAIGN GOAL: $11 million A unified home base for all of NLEN’s programs and social enterprise ventures $15 MILLION

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12 NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACT AND PROGRAM INNOVATION FUND NLEN will carefully scale up its well-established Sweet Beginnings, LLC social venture and develop two new social enterprise ventures at its new campus. Transitional Jobs Program Expansion at Sweet Beginnings, LLC Expanded production of beelove® honey and honey-infused skin care products will add 100 new transitional jobs over five years. the beelove café Development of a new beelove café to serve area employees and residents. The café offers beverages and prepared foods featuring beelove® honey at a central location in the NLEN campus; it also serves as a retail sales outlet for Sweet Beginnings, LLC and a showcase for local food vendors of color. A new hospitality training program prepares individuals for work as baristas and food service professionals. Space Rental & Events Business Creation of a new small-scale social venture to manage the marketing and leasing of a commercial banking space and a community room for event rentals in the Michael Scott Sr. Event Center on the ground floor of the NLEN campus. CAMPAIGN GOAL: $2 million Growth capital to expand Sweet Beginnings, LLC and launch two new ventures $15 MILLION In consultation with REDF, a national expert on social enterprises that employ people facing barriers to employment, NLEN has developed a plan for continued investment to optimize and scale-up Sweet Beginnings LLC, focusing on marketing and pricing strategy and selling-process redesign.

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13 On July 28, 2023, NLEN was honored to welcome Governor J.B. Pritzker, Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton, and REFORM Alliance co-founder Meek Mill to sign Senate Bill 423, implementing mandatory supervised release reforms. This legislation supports the reintegration of individuals into the community while lowering the possibility of recidivism, increasing public safety, and lowering taxpayer costs. SUSTAINABILITY FUND NLEN has a history of careful financial management but operates on narrow margins as do many human services agencies. This approach is consistent with our mission of providing for the needs of as many community residents as possible. With nearly a quarter of NLEN’s funding coming from government partners, the organization is buffeted by delays in payment for services performed under contract as well as by private funding cycles. The Sustainability Fund will provide a four-month operating reserve to increase NLEN’s financial stability, allowing the organization to more easily manage cash flow and support service delivery. This strategy aligns with the best practice in the nonprofit sector to maintain a reserve of three to six months’ worth of operating cash. The Sustainability Fund would also allow NLEN to respond to new opportunities to advance the organization’s mission, including new partnerships with other service providers and businesses. CAMPAIGN GOAL: $1.6 million An operating reserve to increase NLEN’s financial stability and advance its mission $15 MILLION

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14 The Sustainability Fund will strengthen NLEN’s leadership as an African American-led nonprofit organization and increase its economic and social impact on Chicago’s West Side. The Sustainability Fund will be managed in accordance with NLEN’s investment policy, which prioritizes capital preservation. BUILDING AND TECHNOLOGY RESERVE FUND The Building and Technology Reserve Fund will allow NLEN to properly maintain its new campus, including building systems and equipment. The Reserve Fund will also enable NLEN to maintain its technology infrastructure and employ the best software and equipment to support its programs and social ventures. CAMPAIGN GOAL: $400,000 A new building and technology reserve fund to facilitate the consistent and planned maintenance and upgrading of facilities and technology systems $15MILLION

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15 Giving Opportunities Through the generous support of friends like you, North Lawndale Employment Network will continue to make critical infrastructure investments, increase its impact, and create hope and opportunity for individuals seeking alternatives to unemployment and incarceration. INFORMATION FOR DONORS AND ADVISORS All donors to The Campaign That Works will be recognized on our website and a permanent donor recognition display at the new NLEN campus. • Any gift can be made as a memorial or honorary donation. • Campaign gifts may be made as outright gifts of cash or securities or as planned gifts, all of which must conform to NLEN’s gift acceptance policy. A supporter 65 years of age or older may receive credit for a confirmed bequest provision or a gift in the form of a life income trust. • A gift of real estate or personal tangible property will be credited at the appraised value of the gift at the time it is made. • Donors wishing to restrict their gifts to specific purposes should explain so in writing when the gift is made. Cash – Most campaign gifts are paid through cash (i.e. by check, wire transfer or credit card). Cash gifts are typically the easiest gifts for supporters to make and for the organization to receive. Monthly bank draft through a bank account or debit card is also an option. Securities – Appreciated assets such as stocks and bonds are a great way to give. Compared with donating cash, or selling your appreciated securities and contributing the after-tax proceeds, you may be able to automatically increase your gift and your tax deduction. Other Types of Gifts – The following types of gifts will be considered, in accordance with our gift acceptance policy, and may offer tax advantages to the donor: • Real Estate • Tangible Personal Property • Life Insurance • Charitable Lead Trust

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16 Naming opportunities are available for gifts at multiple levels. • Executive and Administrative Offices • the beelove café • Training Rooms 1, 2 and 3 • Employee Lounge North Lawndale Employment Network (FEIN 36-4295189) is a tax-exempt charitable organization as described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Your contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. To learn more about giving opportunities, please contact: Brenda M. Palms, President & CEO (773) 638-1805 brenda@nlen.org Dr. Michael McAfee, Board President (312) 498-5443 michael@policylink.org Jessica Butler, Chief Development & External Affairs Officer (773) 265-7944 jessica@nlen.org “Dave’s father, Jim Mabie was a strong advocate for programs that help people succeed in the labor market. Our family’s longstanding partnership with NLEN is a testament to his spirit, NLEN’s strong outcomes are a source of inspiration for all of us.” David K. Mabie and Amanda Carney Mabie

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17 Awards & Recognition North Lawndale Employment Network was honored to receive the: Bank of America Neighborhood Builder Award (2023 and 2015) Nourishing Hope Partner Award (2023) Sinai Community Institute Investment Award (2023) American Bankers Association Community Investment Award (2022, with Wintrust) Chicago Jobs Council Trailblazer Award (2021) Elevate Prize Fellowship (2020) Google Impact Award (2019) iHeartMedia Partnership Award (2019) Chicago Transit Authority Partnership Award (2018) Citi Foundation Community Progress Makers Award (2018) NBCUniversal Foundation 21st Century Solutions Award (2016) Impact 100 Award (2015) MetLife Foundation Community-Police Partnership Award (2015) John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Award for Creative and Effective Institutions (2006) Jacqui Hunter - 2023 Empowered Now Program Graduate Jacqui Hunter's remarkable transformation from READI program participant to successful entrepreneur epitomizes the impact of NLEN. His venture, 'Soo Fresh, Soo Clean Catering,' is not just a business triumph, but a testament to the power of community support and personal resilience.

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18 Board of DirectorsDr. Michael A. McAfee, President President and CEO, PolicyLink Sarah M. Bernstein, Vice President Partner, Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP Greg Faulkner, Secretary Vice President, Trice Construction Company Michael Kramer, Treasurer CFO of Corporate Functions, Boeing (Retired) Dave Davenport, Finance Chair Founder, MotherG Daniel Ash President, The Field Foundation of Illinois Brenda M. Palms President and CEO, North Lawndale Employment Network CEO, Sweet Beginnings, LLC and the beelove café Amanda Carney President, Amanda Carney Consulting Tyler Clark State & Local Government Affairs, Microsoft Tiana Conley Vice President, Global Portfolio Strategy, Mars Wrigley Laurie Glenn President and CEO, ThinkInc Elayne Granger Director of External & Legislative Affairs, AT&T (Retired) Winnie Kearns Upper School Counselor, Frances W. Parker School Kelsey Shulan Corporate Counsel, Hyatt Hotels Corporation

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19 Emeritus BoardPhil Adams Past Board President, Sweet Beginnings, LLC Cheryl Cooke Manager, Corporate Giving, Allstate Richard Kordesh Creator, Blue House Institute Fellow, Great Cities Institute, University of Illinois at Chicago (retired) Debra Wesley Executive Vice President for Community Outreach, Sinai Health System Robert Wordlaw Project Manager, African American Leadership and Policy Institute Executive Director, Chicago Jobs Council (retired) “In 2019, NLEN set a bold vision for reducing unemployment in North Lawndale by 10% by 2025 and we are working diligently to meet this goal. Our new campus at 1111 S. Homan Ave. has become a thriving community hub, offering residents a wide range of services and resources to accelerate their economic mobility.” Dr. Michael McAfee, President, NLEN Board of Directors; President & CEO, PolicyLink

North Lawndale Employment Network - Campaign Case Statement

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