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Special Funds

June 27, 2005

As part of its Bold Plans, Bright Future campaign for endowment and special program initiatives, the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) has created four special funds that allow donors to target their contributions to specific Council programs: Transportation Fund, Housing Fund, Jean Allard Fund, and Ferd Kramer and Laura Pollak Fisher Housing Fund.

The Transportation Fund will help expand MPC's transportation program, which is aimed at reducing congestion and improving transportation options throughout northeastern Illinois. MPC currently has raised $150,000 for this fund, thanks in large part to a generous Bold Plans, Bright Future campaign Trailblazer gift by the Chicago & Northeast Illinois District Council of Carpenters, which earmarked a portion of its gift for this fund.

"The Council has worked for decades to ensure a healthy transportation network in northeastern Illinois," said J. David Pepper, president of Pepper Construction Company, who also contributed generously to the Transportation Fund. "Such a system provides transportation choices for residents and businesses, sparks opportunities for new jobs and economic development, and allows all of us to spend less time on the road and more time with our families and in our communities."

The Council also envisions a region with quality homes available at all price points, and encourages public and private sector leaders to adopt policies that connect workforce housing to job centers and public transit. Through the Housing Fund, donors can support MPC's efforts to expand housing options in northeastern Illinois, through innovations such as employer-assisted housing (EAH). MPC introduced EAH in Chicagoland in 2000, providing employers with a way to invest in workforce housing solutions by helping employees purchase homes near work. These and other innovative housing strategies are MPC's hallmark. The Council has raised $261,000 for the Housing Fund, thanks again in large part to the Chicago & Northeast Illinois District Council of Carpenters, and to David K. Hill, chairman and CEO of Kimball Hill Homes, who also designated his Trailblazer gift to this fund.

"MPC has a track record for taking a fresh approach to tackling challenging issues, including the region's workforce housing shortage," said Hill, who is also a member of MPC's Board of Governors. "As a homebuilder and a homeowner in the Chicagoland region, I support the Council's efforts to spark creative partnerships that ultimately are getting quality homes built where they're most needed."

The Jean Allard Fund will be used to support the mentoring of young people through MPC internships and associate positions. Jean Allard, who was president of MPC from 1991 to 1996, inspired many with her tireless and spirited civic involvement. She is a founding member of The Chicago Network and served as the first woman chair of the Section of Business Law of the American Bar Association. Allard also is the first female partner in the law firm Sonnenchein, Nath and Rosenthal, which initiated the fund with a generous gift in Allard's honor. The Jean Allard Fund has raised $131,650.

"During Jean's tenure, MPC launched the Regional Cooperation Initiative (now the Regional Action Agenda), a critical move that expanded the Council's problem solving capacity beyond the city limits to the surrounding suburbs," said MarySue Barrett, MPC president and a member of The Chicago Network. "With her boundless energy, unparalleled professionalism and winning smile, Jean built a multifaceted career and an esteemed reputation. The Jean Allard Fund, which will help MPC develop future decision makers in northeastern Illinois, is a fitting honor for such an influential role model."

Draper and Kramer Incorporated honored Ferd Kramer and his sister Laura [Kramer] Pollak Fisher - both early and long-time leaders of the Council - with a generous gift that gave a rousing start to the Ferd Kramer and Laura Pollak Fisher Housing Fund. The fund has raised $300,000, and all monies contributed will advance MPC's housing efforts in the city of Chicago, where Mr. Kramer focused much of his housing development and advocacy work.

"Ferd's courageous work in the development industry, and his and Laura's lifelong commitment to furthering MPC's housing agenda, truly set an example for future generations of Chicago businesspeople," said John A. Buck, chairman and CEO of The John Buck Company, and chair of MPC's Board of Governors. "It is imperative that our daily work is not only building the city's infrastructure, but also forging strong relationships with other innovators to form the very fabric of Chicago."

Anchored by an exceptional $4 million gift from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, MPC's Bold Plans, Bright Future Campaign was a two-year effort to raise $14.2 million to fund an endowment, support programmatic initiatives, and provide operating support for 2003 and 2004. The Council has exceeded its goal, and recently opened the campaign to all donors who wish to join in this historic endeavor or support a specific aspect of MPC's work by contributing to one of the special funds. Anyone interested in contributing is encouraged to visit www.metroplanning.org/boldplans or contact MPC Development Director Ann Armstrong at 312-863-6010 or aarmstrong@metroplanning.org.