Amicus Community Outreach Program
Amicus, Latin for friendship, is CME Group’s community outreach program, which was founded in 1994 as a means to provide our community with a way to personally help others. Amicus offers year-round volunteer and donation opportunities to advance education, provide needed resources for the underprivileged and enrich lives by providing a human touch to those in need. Amicus volunteers collectively provide over 1,000 hours of community service each year to agencies throughout Chicago that are committed to making a difference in people’s lives.
Amicus Calendar (PDF)
Monthly Projects
Amicus sponsors monthly service projects with four partner agencies: Inspiration Cafe, Laboure House, House of the Good Shepherd and the Salvation Army Emergency Lodge.
- Inspiration Cafe: Amicus launched a monthly volunteer program with Inspiration Cafe in July 1995. Our volunteers can be found cooking and serving a warm and satisfying dinner to the cafe's homeless patrons.
- Laboure House: Amicus' relationship with Laboure House began in September 1995. Our volunteers spend one evening a month cooking dinner and socializing with the residents of this intergenerational home which provides housing for low-income senior citizens and college students with limited financial and family support.
- House of the Good Shepherd: The House of the Good Shepherd helps women and children affected by domestic violence rebuild their lives. Amicus began working with the House of the Good Shepherd in October 1995 when a group of volunteers accompanied the mothers and their children to the Chicago Children's Museum. Since that time, volunteers have planned a variety of recreational and cultural activities for the families.
- Salvation Army Emergency Lodge: In March 2000, Amicus began its partnership with the Salvation Army Emergency Lodge, a transitional homeless shelter. Our involvement consists of chaperoning field trips with the school-age children to cultural, educational and entertaining activities they might not otherwise have a chance to enjoy.
Annual Projects
In addition to the monthly projects, Amicus offers seasonal volunteer and donation opportunities to provide needed services to a wide array of non-profit agencies and worthwhile causes.
- United Way Employee Giving Campaign: CME Group is proud to conduct an annual employee giving campaign that provides vital funding to the United Way and its partner agencies. Through the generosity of the exchange community, people throughout the Chicago metropolitan area will get the help they need to overcome life’s challenges.
- Chicago White Sox Illinois Fatherhood Essay Contest benefiting the Illinois Fatherhood Initiative: Over 100 Amicus volunteers serve as judges for this annual contest which involves reading thousands of essays written by students from across Illinois about their fathers or father figures.
- Banking on Books benefiting the Carole Robertson Center for Learning: Amicus hosts 50 school-age children for this annual book fair that provides free books and financial literacy activities.
- Support Our Troops Drive benefiting Operation Support Our Troops Illinois: The exchange community provides care package items and monetary donations to organizations such as Operation Support Our Troops Illinois which benefit the troops serving overseas.
- Tailgate Parties benefiting Special Spectators: Amicus volunteers host fun-filled tailgate parties for children with serious illnesses and their families before football games at Northwestern University and the University of Illinois.
- Exchanges Holiday Food Drive benefiting the Greater Chicago Food Depository: Each Thanksgiving, CME Group joins other local exchanges in the fight against hunger. Monetary donations are collected on behalf of the Greater Chicago Food Depository to provide meals for those in need.
- Holiday Projects benefiting Christopher House and Toys for Tots: The exchange community provides gifts for children and families that otherwise would go without during the holiday season.
