Esprit De Corps Foundation

08/19/2026

🎒 BACK TO SCHOOL GIVEAWAY! 📚✨

We’re getting ready to send students back to school with everything they need AND some pretty awesome prizes! 🙌

🎟️ Students will have a chance to win a Samsung tablet, ASUS Chromebook, mountain bike & more!

Plus, we’ll be giving away 300+ backpacks filled with school supplies while supplies last! 🎒✏️📓

We can’t wait to see everyone there! ❤️

08/17/2026

📣 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED | AUGUST 29

Esprit de Corps Foundation is looking for 30 volunteers to help bring our 2026 Back-to-School Community Event to life!

📅 Saturday, August 29, 2026
⏰ Public Event: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
📍 Dreamcatcher Café | 1824 W. 47th St., Chicago

We’re bringing together local nonprofits, businesses, community organizations, veterans, volunteers, and supporters for a day dedicated to helping students and families prepare for the school year.

And we need a strong crew behind the scenes to make it happen. 💪

🙋 VOLUNTEER ROLES INCLUDE

🎪 Setup & Breakdown
Help transform the space before families arrive and help us pack everything up afterward.

🎒 Backpack Distribution
Help organize and distribute backpacks and school supplies while keeping lines moving.

👋 Welcome & Guest Services
Welcome families, answer questions, provide directions, and help people navigate the event.

🤝 Community Partner Support
Assist participating nonprofits, businesses, sponsors, and community organizations throughout the day.

🥤 Hospitality
Help with water, refreshments, volunteer support, and making sure our partners are taken care of.

🚗 Parking & Arrival Support
Help participating organizations unload, direct arrivals, and keep event access organized.

🎈 Kids Activities
Help monitor the bounce house and activity areas and keep things running safely and smoothly.

📦 Logistics & Event Support
Move supplies, restock stations, assist other teams, and help solve whatever comes up.

📸 Photography, Video & Social Media
Help us capture the people, partnerships, stories, and moments that make the day special.

🧹 Cleanup Crew
Help us leave our host site and surrounding event space better than we found it.

⏰ FLEXIBLE SHIFTS

You do not have to volunteer for the entire day.

We’re building approximately 3 to 5-hour shifts throughout the event.

Morning shifts begin as early as 7:00 AM, afternoon opportunities run through the event, and cleanup will continue after 4:00 PM.

Want more hours? Volunteers are welcome to take multiple shifts or stay for the full day.

Volunteers will be organized into teams led by Esprit de Corps Foundation leadership so everyone knows their assignment, responsibilities, and who to report to.

Whether you’re a veteran, student, military family member, corporate employee, community member, or simply someone who wants to give back, we’d love to have you serve alongside us.

Come help us build something special for Chicago. 🇺🇸❤️

📩 Interested in volunteering?
Contact us at [email protected] or send us a message.

🌐 espritdcf.org

Built by Veterans. Driven by Community.

A veteran-led 501(c)(3) in Chicago building community, wellness, and belonging for veterans, military families, and supporters through fitness, recreation, and service.

08/11/2026

🎒 322 BACKPACKS PACKED. AND WE’RE NOT DONE YET.

The work for our 2026 Back to School Community Event is already underway!

This weekend, our team and volunteers came together to sort, pack, organize, count, and prepare 322 backpacks that will be distributed to youth in our community on August 29.

And backpacks are only part of what we’re building.

We’re continuing to prepare raffles, giveaways, activities, resources, food, and more to make this more than a school supply distribution. We want families to come out, spend the day with us, meet organizations serving their community, have some fun, and start the school year feeling supported.

There are a lot of boxes, a lot of counting, a lot of organizing, and a lot more work ahead. But seeing hundreds of backpacks lined up and ready makes every hour worth it.

None of this happens because of one person or one organization. It happens when veterans, service members, volunteers, nonprofits, businesses, and neighbors decide to build something together.

And we still need people to serve alongside us!

🇺🇸 We are especially encouraging veterans, currently serving military members, Guard and Reserve members, and prior service individuals to volunteer. We want our youth and families to see that service continues here at home and that those who serve our country continue showing up for their communities.

📅 Saturday, August 29, 2026
⏰ Event: 10 AM to 4 PM
📍 Dreamcatcher Café
1824 W. 47th Street
Chicago, IL 60609 |
Back of the Yards, Chicago

Volunteer opportunities run from setup through cleanup, approximately 7 AM to 6 PM.

Volunteers can choose their shifts, track verified service hours, and receive a Certificate of Service through our volunteer portal.

🔗 SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER: ⁠https://volunteer.espritdcf.org/login

322 packed. Now we get ready to put them into 322 sets of hands. 🎒

Built by Veterans. Driven by Community. 🇺🇸

08/10/2026

🎒✨ BACK-TO-SCHOOL COMMUNITY DAY 2026! ✨🎒

Chicago, we’re coming together to support our children, families, and community! ❤️

Join the Esprit de Corps Foundation and our amazing community partners for a FREE Back-to-School Community Day on:

📅 Saturday, August 29, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
📍 Dreamcatcher Café
1824 W. 47th Street, Chicago, IL 60609

Families can look forward to backpacks & school supplies, hygiene and care resources, health services, mental health resources, food, activities, giveaways, community organizations, and more! The event page currently lists stocked 320 backpacks/school supplies and 150 hygiene/care kits, with resources available while supplies last.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Want to volunteer? We need community members who are ready to give their time and help make this event a success. Our volunteer portal allows you to sign up for shifts and track your service hours.

📲 LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EVENT & OUR NONPROFIT:
[Event Information & Details](https://www.espritdcf.org/events/back-to-school?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

🙌🏽 SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER:
[Volunteer Portal](https://volunteer.espritdcf.org/login?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

Please share this video and flyer with your family, friends, neighbors, schools, churches, community organizations, and anyone who may benefit.

One neighborhood. Everything they need to start strong. ❤️🎒

07/21/2026

🎒 BACK TO SCHOOL GIVEAWAY IS ALMOST HERE! 📚🍎

Esprit de Corps Foundation is proud to host our 2026 Back to School Giveaway, bringing together veterans, nonprofits, community partners, and local businesses to help students start the school year prepared and confident.

📅 Saturday, August 29, 2026
🕙 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (while supplies last)
📍 Dreamcatcher Café
1824 W. 47th St.
Chicago, IL 60609

Families will have access to:
🎒 Free backpacks & school supplies
✂️ Haircuts
💉 Chicago CareVan vaccine clinic (10:00 AM – 2:00 PM)
🩺 Community resources & services
🎁 Giveaways and more!

A huge thank you to our incredible partners and sponsors helping make this possible, including Travis Manion Foundation, Dreamcatcher Café, Chicago Department of Public Health, WBL Life Choices, Ignite, Kids Above All, and everyone else joining this effort.

We also want to recognize Wells Fargo as our Platinum Sponsor for investing in local students and families.

This event is free and open to the community, but supplies are limited, so we encourage families to arrive early.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/back-to-school-community-event-2026-tickets-1994371231039?sg=2642a32fe107a7579d1bf6e84bbb75c6b819533981ed9130a6078c55599930fbd6849e551393229c7f4fe87e8e65706cc0d5c5039fc5d7791204e94731fffc61f0278764adfe00203c6932b4c2&aff=ebdsshios

Interested in becoming a sponsor, partner, or volunteer? We’d love to have you involved in making an even bigger impact.

Indigo Divine | Community Outreach Coordinator
📞 312-509-3411
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.espritdcf.org

Built by Veterans. Driven by Community.

07/17/2026

📚🇺🇸 More donations are rolling in!

A huge thank you to Lucy, a U.S. Navy veteran, for today’s generous donation to our Back to School Community Event! Every contribution helps us provide more students with the supplies they need to start the school year prepared and confident.

This is exactly what Esprit de Corps Foundation is all about: veterans and community members continuing to serve by investing in the next generation and strengthening our communities together.

📅 Saturday, August 29, 2026
🕙 10:00 AM until supplies are distributed
📍 Dreamcatcher Café
1824 W. 47th St.
Chicago, IL 60609

We’re still accepting donations, sponsors, volunteers, and community partners. Join us in making a difference!

Learn more or get involved:

espritdcf.org/events/back-to-school⁠

07/15/2026

📚 In-Kind Donation Request – Back-to-School Community Event 🎒

The Esprit de Corps Foundation is excited to host our annual Back-to-School Community Event and we are calling on community partners, businesses, and individuals to help make a difference in the lives of children and families throughout Chicago.

Our goal is to provide students with the essential tools they need to start the school year prepared, confident, and supported while connecting families with valuable educational, health, and community resources.

📅 Event Details
Back-to-School Community Event
🗓 Saturday, August 29, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
📍 Dreamcatcher Café
1824 W. 47th Street
Chicago, IL 60609

🎒 We Are Seeking In-Kind Donations Of:
• Backpacks
• School supply kits
• Notebooks, paper & folders
• Pencils, pens, crayons & markers
• Calculators
• Glue sticks, scissors & rulers
• Art supplies
• Hygiene kits
• Children’s books
• Clothing & shoes
• Healthy snacks & beverages
• Gift cards
• Educational resources
• Other school-related essentials

Every donation, big or small, helps a child begin the school year with the confidence and resources they deserve.

Businesses, organizations, and community partners who contribute will receive recognition for their generosity and commitment to strengthening our youth and community.

🤝 Interested in donating, sponsoring, or becoming a community partner?
Please contact us to coordinate donation drop-off or pickup arrangements.

For bulk school supply purchases, visit:
Backpacks USA – Wholesale School Supply Kits
https://www.backpacksusa.com/collections/wholesale-bulk-school-supplies-kits

Together, we can create opportunities, provide resources, and remind our children that their community believes in them. 💙

Esprit de Corps Foundation
“Together We Can Make a Difference in the Lives of Our Children.”

✉️ [email protected]
✉️ [email protected]
🌐 espritdcf.org