Aux Board and Friends Raised Nearly $8K For Their City at the Summer Soiree

We hit the dancefloor with Lisa La Boriqua at this year's Summer Soiree.

Our network of young professionals just proved to their city how much they care. At this year's Summer Soiree-- our annual networking and fundraising party-- the Association House Auxiliary Board and their guests raised $7,700 in direct support of our programs. In this unprecedented time of federal budget cuts and limited grant availability, this support is truly transformative.

The end-of-summer bash at El Cid in Logan Square was the perfect place to celebrate what makes Chicago special, and to get into the spirit of giving back. Our Aux Board served delicious frozen margaritas and ice-cold cervezas, along with delicious Mexican passed plates for our packed house of over 50 guests!

The patio at El Cid was bursting with energy!

Once everyone had their fill, we hit the dancefloor with salsa instructor Lisa La Boriqua, learning the basic steps first before grabbing a partner and turning up the heat! Meanwhile, the competition was fierce at the raffle table: our guests battled it out for Blackhawks tickets, an evening of dinner & drinks at El Cid, Court Theater tickets, and more.

Along the way, we heard motivating words from Aux Board Chairman Kendal Garrett, and Association House's Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives, Lillian Bui: who retold the inspiring story of Amiyah, one of our amazing high school grads, and spoke to the resilient spirit of the House.

"In this world of labels, we see the real person-- the whole person. And we walk alongside them to help them achieve anything they can dream of. Our culture is stronger than any caricature of a person overcoming addiction, or fighting to reunite their family."

These words went a long way. By the end of the night, our guests had collectively shattered our fundraising goal for the night by purchasing nearly double the number of raffle tickets from the year before. New friendships were formed, key professional connections were made, and the spirit of generosity in the air was palpable.

We're so proud to have such a vibrant community of Chicago professionals who are so dedicated to seeing their city heal and grow. The Summer Soiree is just one way we work to give back-- but if the results are any indication, we have a bright new year to look forward to.

A special shout-out to our Auxiliary Board for their hard work in organizing and spreading the word.

Interested in joining the Auxiliary Board at Association House? Learn more at associationhouse.org/auxiliary-board.