BMO and United Way partner up to support West Side students for Giving Tuesday

CHICAGO - Hundreds of BMO employees gave their time and energy on Giving Tuesday, packing thousands of snack bags that will be distributed to school kids on Chicago's West Side.

The volunteers from BMO spent their work day in the new gym at BUILD, Inc., a West Side youth center that specializes in gang and violence prevention and building paths toward a hopeful future. When kids are working through their personal trauma, hunger can be a big obstacle. 

BMO and the United Way addressed the needs together Tuesday on the West Side.

Darrel Hackett, CEO of BMO, said the financial institution has been partnering with United Way for 11 years, making the first corporate gift to BUILD to start the fundraising for the new center, 

"It’s something we all do together at BMO, our purpose is to boldly grow the good in business and in life. This is an example of doing just that," Hackett said.

BUILD is the anchor to the community, where kids can gather safely, study, work out, create and play. 

"This is what it was build for, not only to serve kids and families but for community and to host events like this as well. All this matters. These little bits of contributions, what they’re doing today matters to organizations like ours," BUILD’s Executive Director, Adam Alonso said, 

The contributions by employees helped raise the money to complete the new addition to the West Side facility. It just opened earlier this year.