The charities we love and support the most
/
One of the best parts of leading Busby Group is that we are one passionate group of women! And one of our biggest passions, and the biggest reason we are in real estate, is that at the end of the day, what we love most is helping people--all people. For each of us, this translates into some sort of charitable work. It is so easy to get caught up in the minutiae of the day, and helping others is the best way to step outside of that box and remember what is really important.
I am so proud of how passionately and openly our team gives back, and also the different causes each of us support. Take a look at what each team member had to say about their charity.
Ali
Park Community Church
The main “charity” I support is my church group. It’s Park Community/Near North, and I participate in several groups there. I am a helper in the Alpha Program, which meets every Tuesday evening. I also plan on competing in the Chicago 2020 Triathlon with Renew Chicago and Park Community.
Jane
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
I have supported St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for the past few years and now that we have a baby girl of our own, my family supports St. Jude now more than ever. St. Jude works to battle and treat childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases to children. These donations go toward the research of these diseases, plus it allows families who are going through this to never receive a bill for travel, housing, food or treatment. We donate to them multiple times each year, and there is no better feeling than getting a thank you card in the mail from a family or child that benefitted.
Julie
Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center
An important charitable cause to me is abused and battered children. I used to volunteer at Becky’s House in San Diego (an undisclosed safe home for abused and battered children/women). I would grow a close connection with those children and made the commitment that I would always work to help support children in need. When I moved to Chicago, I wanted to find a similar organization. I was introduced to Chicago Children’s Advocacy (CCAC) and have been blown away by their services. I have served on the board and volunteered with CCAC throughout the years. This incredible organization supports abused children in Chicago. CCAC is a front-line responder in Chicago to reports of child sexual abuse. They also respond to reports of child physical abuse, witness to violence, and other serious maltreatment. Since opening their doors in 2001, they have served more than 38,000 children.
Kenya
Crime Stoppers
I am a big supporter of Crime Stoppers. My sister has worked for the foundation for a number of years and my brother in law is a police officer so I am very connected to the cause and creating a safer community for all of us. Apart from being a hotline that you can report tips to about a crime anonymously, Crime Stoppers also has other initiatives which include promoting awareness for child and sex trafficking as well as animal abuse and school safety. I have had the pleasure of volunteering at numerous events that serve these causes and am grateful to have such a wonderful foundation driving towards a better community!
Liza
Trio Animal Foundation
One of the organizations I love is Trio Animal Foundation. I’m a huge animal lover, and have always been a big dog person. This organization works with Animal Control to rehabilitate animals in need, and has a very successful adoption program. It’s really amazing what they do!
Maggie
Special Olympics
When I was in middle school, I started babysitting for a family friend with special needs. At the time, the little boy’s dad had mentioned that he would be braving the cold water of Lake Michigan to raise money for the Special Olympics, and suggested that I participate in the friends and family jump. As someone who played as many sports as one could imagine as a child, and basketball throughout college, hearing each athlete speak about their experience with the Special Olympics and the profound ways it had affected each of them that day was a life changing experience that I will never forget. Ever since, I have loved being involved with the athletes and community. Most recently, I also joined the Special Olympics Associate board and love the opportunity to give back!
Pamela
Anti-Cruelty Society
I support the Anti-Cruelty Society by donating and volunteering my time. I was raised with animals including cats, dogs, rabbits, hermit crabs, fish, a guinea pig and a family duck! So you can certainly say I am an animal lover! My current dog, a Dogue de Bordeaux named Rubie, was an owner surrender to the Anti-Cruelty Society and I was lucky to rescue her in 2013.
About the Anti-Cruelty Society:
The Anti-Cruelty Society has been on the forefront of animal welfare and humane education since it was founded in 1899. Its focus is to provide the following:
Compassionate care for any animal in need
An attempt to find a home for every healthy or rehabilitatable dog and cat
Intervention to prevent cruelty to animals
Community education on animal issues to inspire compassion and respect; and
Low or no cost spaying or neutering
Susan
Special Olympics
I am a proud supporter of the Special Olympics. My sister has been a Special Olympics athlete for over 30 years, my dad devotes a large amount of his time to coaching her team. I have seen firsthand the amazing benefits this organization provides to athletes and their families. To show my support, I put together a team to do the Polar Plunge here in Chicago every year. In the past five years we have raised almost $40,000 to support this amazing organization. I look forward to putting a team together again in March, and making it the best year yet!
