Big Shoulders Fund Revenue and Competitors

The Big Shoulders Fund was founded in 1986, inspired by the late Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, by a group of Chicago's prominent business, professional and financial leaders. These leaders recognized that businesses and communities are dependent on a well prepared work force and that Catholic schools help address that need. Big Shoulders is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit entity that receives and channels private contributions exclusively to the inner-city Big Shoulders schools. The Fund was formed under the leadership of Mr. James J. O'Connor, Chairman of Commonwealth Edison Company; Mr. Andrew J. McKenna, President of Schwarz Paper Company; the late Mr. Edmund A. Stephan, partner of the law firm of Mayer, Brown & Platt; and Mr. Barry F. Sullivan, then Chairman of the Board of the First National Bank of Chicago. They were supported by a committee of fifty business and professional leaders. In introducing Big Shoulders, Cardinal Bernardin said: " Our greatest opportunity for service to the city and its people is to strengthen our inner-city Catholic schools. They offer a first-class education for both Catholics and non-Catholics and serve as anchors within their neighborhoods. We now seek support to help us do an even better job of preparing Chicago's young men and women for a productive future." The Big Shoulders schools offer a values-based education and are characterized by their judicious effort to help students distinguish right from wrong, responsibility from irresponsibility, active citizenship from passive citizenship, thus providing a strong foundation for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. The inner-city Catholic schools have been a cornerstone in their communities since the last century and are proud to educate a diverse cross section of ethnic, socio-economic and religious backgrounds. Over the past twenty-three years, the Big Shoulders Fund has raised more than $170 million in support of its 76 elementary and 17 secondary schools. Funds have been used to provide schools with operating grants; to finance much-needed capital projects; to offer vital tuition assistance to inner-city students; and, to enhance the academic environment through teacher professional development, instructional materials, new technology, and learning aides. In addition, the Fund has responded to the schools' needs by introducing special programs such as before and after school care, a vision and hearing screening program, and a Patrons Program, which pairs business leaders with Big Shoulders Fund schools to focus on ensuring the school's future stability and self-sufficiency. In fact during the last three years, no Big Shoulders Fund schools have closed. Bucking both recent history and national trends. Today, the Big Shoulders Board of Directors consists of 150 men and women from the civic and corporate leadership of Chicago. The success of Big Shoulders is recognized nationally and locally in the civic community. It is seen as a "saving grace" by inner-city children and their families.