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Double the Gifts, Double the Cheer

AGB Foundation Bike Giveaway event graphic for 12/22/21

One of our favorite events at the Foundation is the annual Bike Giveaway, which helps kick off the holiday season early. Last year, we brought Christmas cheer to residents of the 60620 community with hot chocolate, a black Santa Claus, and 100 brand-new children’s bicycles. It gave us so much joy to give bikes to kids who had never had their own. The smiles on their faces were priceless, and inspired us to give back even more this year.

Thanks to our partnership with Walmart and the generosity of Always Giving Back Foundation donors, we are looking forward to gifting 200 kids’ bikes this year! We will distribute them to children in underserved areas of Chicago on Saturday, December 11, 2021.

In keeping with our tradition, we will serve hot chocolate from a heated tent (after all this is Chicago), and will enjoy a two-hour visit with not just any Santa, but Chicago’s Black Santa—Dreezy Claus! A big thank you to our donors for being our strongest supporters throughout the year, and especially during the holidays.

If you are interested in volunteering your time and talent to the event, please email Venetta Coley. Happy Holidays!

Your continued support allows us to impact even more young people and families in underserved communities. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your generosity.

Give now

 

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Fall Focus: Students, Public Health & Our Annual Fundraiser

The AGB Foundation is pleased to partner with the Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation (GAGDC) for another Free Food Pop Up and Vax event! Attendees will receive fresh fruits and vegetables and can also get COVID vaccines at the event, which starts at 10 am on Tuesday, October 26, 2021. The AGB Foundation will host a book bag giveaway, donating sturdy book bags in bright colors for elementary school children and 20-piece school supply kits. This event is open to the public and will be held in the Save a Lot parking lot at 7938 S. Halsted St. in Chicago.

Our Summer Business Interns collaborated with the GAGDC previously to pass out more than 200 book bags stuffed with school supplies and PPE materials in time for the new school year!

This community partnership aligns with the AGB Foundation’s culture of giving and our mission to pay it forward in our own backyard of Englewood and other underserved areas of Chicago. We are committed to disrupting the cycle of poverty in black and brown communities, and we believe that providing educational tools helps move us toward that goal.

Teaming with the GAGDC allows us to expand our reach to include the service area of Auburn Gresham, Englewood, and West Chatham. It also allows our organizations to support one another and make a greater impact. We are proud to be a member of the GAGDC and stand with them in their efforts to promote economic development, health, safety, and sustainability on the far South Side of Chicago.

The Free Food Pop Up and Vax event will be supported by AGB Foundation members and our Marketing Department. If you are interested in volunteering to assist with our backpack giveaway, please send an email to Venetta Coley. You are also welcome to assist our efforts with a charitable donation!

Support our mission

 

AGB Summer Business interns assist with summer backpack giveaway

 

Seeking Donations for a Successful Fundraiser

The AGB Foundation is gathering in-kind donations for our 10th annual fundraiser, held virtually from Nov. 26 to Dec. 1, 2021. Your donation of an item or gift card for an experience will be used to create themed baskets for an online auction.

In years past, we have raffled off incredible prizes, including gift certificates to restaurants, tickets to sporting events, salon services, fine artwork, and so much more. Please support our efforts this year with a donation for our gift baskets!

Your donated gifts and other revenue raised from our campaign will directly support the following programs:

  • Business Internships for young adults
  • College Scholarships for freshmen
  • Family First initiatives to assist parents and children in need

All donated items are tax deductible, and donors will be recognized in all our print and digital marketing materials.

Examples of items we would be delighted to receive include: gift certificates, tickets for performances or athletic events, airline or hotel vouchers, signed sports memorabilia, memberships to museums, high-end wines and craft liquors, tickets to local attractions, and the like. If you know of a business that we could reach out to for a silent auction donation, we’d love your recommendations!

Have an item to donate? Please send an email to Venetta Coley. Be sure to include a description of the item and its value, along with your contact information, business name, logo, and website address. If we need to pick up the donation, please let us know. Otherwise, we ask that you mail the item(s) to Always Giving Back Foundation, 7545 S. Western Ave., Chicago, IL 60620.

2021 Silent Auction poster

 

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February Newsletter: Black Heroes

Culturally, we often associate Black History Month to the trailblazers of the past who are no longer with us. But why can’t we acknowledge and honor those who are still among us? The Black heroes in our communities, families, and every day lives.

It is one decision that can set the tone for the next generation in your family. At the Always Giving Back Foundation we honor Dr. Denitra Griffin’s great grandmother’s choice to move from Clarksdale Mississippi to Chicago Illinois. She is the reason we exist today. Her journey to the north gave her daughter access to a greater life beyond Clarksdale Mississippi. That transition brought about a woman (Dr. Denitra Griffin) who married a man (John Griffin Jr.) with her same passion. This is the why behind the work we do: https://youtu.be/gaaarNOkUI4

To alleviate the pressures of work and life the Griffin’s often encourage their employees to serve their community. Research shows those who volunteer live a longer happier life. The act of volunteering releases endorphins in your body resulting in smiling more often and the desire to help more people. The better you feel the better the more likely you are to accomplish your goals.

Determine how you too can be a hero in your family and/or community. It can be as simple as donating to the Always Giving Back Foundation or volunteering when the opportunity presents itself.

Take time to reflect and be radically honest with yourself about the change you want to see and do it. You still have time to put your best foot forward this year.

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January Newsletter

 

If 2020 was a movie what would you title it? We think it should be called “We Made It”.

We have to find the blessing in everything this past year brought us. Life is always happening for us, not to us.  This year you don’t have to take on New Year resolutions but instead, find the good. Reflect on all the lessons and gifts from 2020 to implement in 2021.

Your Gift to the Community!

 

Naazneen Vhora, UIC

With your help, we raised $15,000 in 2020. This assisted with the expansion of our programs.

AGB Investigative Services employees traditionally celebrate the anniversary of the company by volunteering and gifting care packages to organizations selected by AGB officers. Due to the pandemic, we were unable to go out to our partners. Instead, we gifted those in the Auburn Gresham community!

All while hosting our AGB Business Internship and awarding 5 amazing scholars.

Summer of 2020, AGB interns completely transformed.  We took a moment to analyze the need of our Chicago youth and decided to expand the program to year-round. We are so happy to have received the Illinois State Grant to provide tangible resources and workshops to help 25 youth excel.

The work doesn’t stop there. We had 1,000 applicants apply to our scholarship program and we were able to gift 5 youth $2000 to continue their academic journey. Naazneen Vhora, a former AGB Scholar graduated in December 2020 and will join the AGB team this year.

You can still join us in changing the narrative of Chicago for our youth and community by donating at agbfd.org/donate 

“Hey Alexa, play Secure Podcast”

We are happy to announce we are now on Amazon Music. Closing the year with 1k audio downloads and 2.8K views on Youtube. Share Season 3 of Secure Podcast where the Griffins give you the step by step Entrepreneurial Journey.

According to the U.S Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, 33.7 million small businesses were accounted for in 2020. So many took the leap of faith to start their business as the economy changed. As successful owners of a medium-size business, that is black-owned the Griffins felt the need this season to dive deeper into entrepreneurship. Here are some of our favorites this season:

 

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Year In Review

Community Day of Appreciation:

Reinvesting in our community is extremely important to us. Every year on our anniversary, we celebrate by paying it forward in under-served areas of Chicago. We partner with nonprofit organizations to supply one’s everyday needs through care packages and/or employment advisory through our Community Appreciation Day.

Your Family Comes First:

The AGB Foundation is dedicated to helping minority families in struggling communities improve their financial security and quality of life. Family First provides two types of critical programming: seminars for young minority professionals on a range of business and financial topics; and direct assistance to families of color who are experiencing a crisis.

Today’s Interns, Tomorrow’s CEO’s:

The AGB Foundation is working to build a legacy of young minority executives. We are giving them tools to prepare for life after college and the workforce. Meet some of our developing leaders.

Because of You They Can:

You were the solution for our scholars in 2019. Thanks to the support of individuals and businesses, we awarded $20,000+ in scholarships and provided incredible social-emotional care packages for our scholars.

Learn More About the Griffins:

The founders of AGB Investigative Services, Inc. completed Season One of Secure Podcast. Their podcast addresses the intersections of love, family, and entrepreneurship.

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Great Gifts for Givers

This year we held nothing back! We moved to a new location. We expanded all of our programs! In celebration of community appreciation day, we stretched beyond state lines. We gifted the community with quarterly family first events. We started the  Secure Podcast where our founders voice the importance of family, love, and entrepreneurship. For Chicago youth, we took on more scholars and interns.

Our Annual Holiday Soiree was nothing short of everything we have accomplished in 2019. It was an evening filled with a silent auction, raffles, and more importantly givers.

This holiday season we decided to gift the givers

In the minority community we talk about a lot of things, but not enough about the importance of giving! The Always Giving Back Foundation values those who are culturally competent individuals that not only speak to youth but also lead by example. During our program honored our first Philanthroperneur Award to Keven Stonewall, who has dedicated his life to cancer research and advocacy for Chicago youth.

Then, we had the opportunity to surprise Shawnese Shannon, an AGB Innovative Security Solutions employee, with financial relief this holiday season.  Her commitment to the progression of others and vast heart for her family warranted her this award

and more. Last year, she suffered a stroke in the midst of work and refused to leave until her colleague made it in. In the words of  Dr. Denitra Griffin, “She is a true blend of strength and kindness, and it’s our pleasure to present this well-earned gift right before the holidays”.

We welcome you to contribute. Help us reach our goal before the new decade begins! Withhold nothing, every dollar counts to help us reach to support our scholarship, internship, and family first programming.

Join us in 2020 for our next event.

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Nothing Feels Better Than Giving!

Summer is finally here and so are the AGB interns! Nothing feels better than giving well deserved students a chance to fulfill their dreams!

Do you recall when you  applied to your first job or prepared for your first day of college? You were a little nervous right? In the minority community there is a lack of knowledge regarding finances, life after undergrad, and how to secure your first job. The unknown causes fear. We are changing that! The Always Giving Back Foundation’s programs provide young people with their first employment opportunity and funds to advance their educational endeavors. We help them get past their fear and  prepare to excel in the workforce.

The culture of AGB Investigative Services is not only about giving but rejuvenating and restoring the minority community.  We are the philanthropic arm of AGB, so leave the door open for AGB employees to attend our Family First workshops and provide their relatives with a internship and scholarship at the end of the school year.

20% of AGB employees voluntarily donate on a biweekly bases because they believe in our mission. Their gift will progress Chicago youth past their wildest dreams. In the words of James Baldwin we want our youth to understand, their crowns have been bought and paid for. All they have to do is put it on their heads.

We are serious when we say your dollars matter! Your biweekly, monthly, or  annual devotion to our youth gives them the ability to see beyond their current circumstance. As a monthly subscriber you receive perks and special invitations. Join us in this  life changing opportunity. DONATE TODAY!

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Community Appreciation Program Expands its Reach 5X

As AGB Investigative Services approaches 18 years of protecting people, property, and data, we are proud to SERVE THE COMMUNITY! This year, we are celebrating our anniversary by expanding our Always Giving Back Foundation’s Community Appreciation Program.

This year our three-day program of service is growing to help not one, but five, organizations!   

  • UCAN – One of Chicago’s oldest social service agencies, UCAN serves nearly 12,000 at-risk children, youth and families across Illinois. They provide healing and care for young people who have experienced trauma.
  • Margaret’s Village – Provides transitional housing for homeless women, children, and families, as well as enrichment activities for area seniors.
  • Caps – Community Assistance Programs (CAPS) strives to attract great talent to help their clients grow.
  • PRIMO Center – The Primo Center helps families transition from homelessness to a ‘normal’ life through programming.
  • Gateway Men’s Shelter – A 24-hour emergency homeless shelter serving single men, Gateway Men’s Shelter gives their residents personal care items, job seeking services and other services to meet their everyday needs.

AGB ’s leadership team continues to build a culture of giving within the overall staff of 700+ employees. This year, we are reaching our goal to expand our reach from one organization to five deserving groups. Pairing AGB leadership with their choice of several organizations will increase the value and quality of service we offer.

There are many things in life that you can make excuses about; making a difference should not be one. We want to strengthen our community, and sometimes just putting in the work is what you need to do.  To inspire a community, we must pour resources, time, and love into it. The Always Giving Back Foundation’s Community Appreciation Program invites you to be of service and volunteer with one of these organization’s this year. Or, support our good work with a tax-deductible donation to the AGB Foundation.

 

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AGB Community Service: Feed, Clothe & Help the Needy

AGB Foundation Community Service Day writing inspirational notes for homeless families

The AGB Foundation partnered with the Feed, Clothe and Help the Needy shelter in Englewood for our AGB Community Service Day on April 13, 2017. The AGB family gave back to Chicago by preparing 100 meals and care packages for homeless children and their families. It was a day filled with blessings and gratitude!

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