At Baird & Warner, giving back to our vibrant Chicagoland neighborhoods is an essential part of who we are. We launched Good Will Works to partner with local organizations that focus on fair housing, animal welfare, financial empowerment, arts education, racial equity, and more.
In 2021, our company was proud to donate over $175,000 to charitable causes throughout the city, and we’ve given nearly $3 million to date to regional nonprofits.
Each of our offices supports a number of vital charities that make an impactful contribution to the well-being of our neighbors in the spirit of our collaborative culture and our Good Will Works mission. Baird & Warner Lincoln Park embraces this giving spirit with individual contributions throughout the year, and several annual giving events.
Back to School
As part of our commitment to serving our communities, we recently hosted the 2nd annual Baird & Warner Field Day FUNdraiser, a wildly successful event at lakeside Waveland Park that raised more than $25,000 for 11 different organizations.
Successful real estate brokers work extremely hard, and we like to play hard as well. We’re also always looking for creative ways to bring people together and have fun while we raise funds for groups like Camp Artism, Camp One Step, and the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless.
We love to funnel some of our boundless energy into a charitable event where we can bond with our peers, get some great exercise, and enjoy the natural beauty of one of Chicago’s most gorgeous waterfront parks.
Many people fondly remember school field days from their childhood. It was a spring rite of passage, a sign that the joys of summer vacation were approaching fast. It was also a chance to spend the day outdoors running around with your friends and playing games instead of being trapped in a stuffy classroom all day.
That’s the carefree feeling we wanted to capture again.
Event organizers treated participants to 5 different competitions from our favorite memories of Field Day — the traditional potato sack race, the always challenging four-legged race, a highly silly bouncy ball relay, the thrilling water balloon toss, and of course, tug of war.
Working Together as a Team
This year’s Field Day festivities brought over 125 agents, loan officers, B&W partners, and staff members formed into 11 teams, each playing for a different worthy cause.
Key Mortgage provided ice-cold refreshments for the thirsty participants, as the day’s temps climbed into the high 70s and the competition became good-naturedly fierce. Baird & Warner Lincoln Park ensured there were plenty of tasty snacks for all of our players, referees, cheerleaders, and spectators.
“It’s a once-a-year opportunity to get agents, employees, loan officers, and business partners of Baird & Warner together to benefit eleven different charitable organizations, all in one day,” says Key’s Jason Finn. “It’s an incredible energy, a beautiful camaraderie, and ultimately a great way to benefit our community.”
Squads from the Lincoln Park, North Center, Gold Coast, South Loop, Edgebrook, and Corporate offices all sported their team colors and unique jerseys (and a few tutus) to compete for the coveted Best Team Spirit prize. The final champions in that category were Team Lawrence Hall from the Gold Coast office.
The top fundraising prize went to the group that raised the most money for their particular charity, Team Camp One Step, and the overall Field Day winners were Lincoln Park’s very own Team PAWS.
A Heritage of Service
The brokerage that evolved into Baird & Warner, the largest independent brokerage in the country, got its start back in the 19th century before the Chicago Fire ravaged the city in 1879. The company actually played a key role in the reconstruction, as the city’s courthouse and most real estate records were destroyed.
As Chicagoland continued to grow, our organization worked to maintain integrity in the area’s burgeoning real estate industry, with a member of the family founding what became today’s Chicago Association of Realtors. Our loans and management services enabled the building of affordable housing and we strove to encourage the single-family homeownership that helps create generational wealth.
During the tumultuous times of the 1960s, John Baird worked tirelessly for fair housing and anti-discrimination laws that made the dream of owning a home more accessible for all.
We proudly continue this history of serving our community with fun events like our Field Day in addition to meaningful volunteer opportunities with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity Chicago.
Our latest Habitat for Good Build Day on September 23rd saw 50 Baird & Warner volunteers build two homes for deserving families.
Our Good Will Works initiative is dedicated to making Chicagoland the nation’s very best place to live and ensuring that every resident has the opportunity to truly thrive.
If you’re ready to work with the best brokerage in Chicago and find not just business success but the joy of giving back to your community, we offer the unparalleled training, support, and mentorship you need to succeed. Reach out today to get started on your highly rewarding new path.