Cara Collective to Honor Allstate
Chicago-based workforce development leader to hold 9th Annual Gala
CHICAGO – Cara Collective, an industry leader in workforce development, is pleased to announce it will honor Allstate at the upcoming 9th Annual Cara Gala on Friday, May 17, 2024. Allstate will receive the Trailblazer Award for its partnership with Cara Collective and for its commitment to closing the racial wealth gap.
“Through its influence and reputation, Allstate demonstrates its dedication to creating opportunity and improving communities by taking bold steps and challenging conventions,” said Kathleen St. Louis Caliento, President & CEO of Cara Collective. “They’re an integral part of our Cara Collective community, fueling our mission to support our job seekers, striving to become a more inclusive employer through participation in our Inclusion Action Labs, and building our leadership capacity and supporting the professional advancement of our staff. We are thrilled to honor this partnership at our signature Gala.”
“This award highlights the importance of removing barriers to employment and supporting workforce development,” said Francie S. Richards, Allstate’s Vice President of Social Impact and The Allstate Foundation. “Working alongside Cara Collective helps us further embrace unique identities, provide more opportunities, and deepen relationships with local communities.“
The Cara Gala is annually attended by more than 550 civic, philanthropic, and business leaders and raises more than $900,000 for the nonprofit. This year’s Gala Co-Chairs include Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias & Josephine Giannoulias, Judge Charles Burns (Circuit Court of Cook County), Dr. Suzet McKinney (Sterling Bay), and Jim & Sandy Reynolds (Loop Capital).
(left) Mario Rizzo, President, Property-Liability, will accept for Allstate. (right) Da’Sean Hillsman, Cara graduate and staff member will also be honored.
Previous Trailblazer recipients include Bank of America, Sterling Bay, Rivers Casino, JPMorgan Chase, and philanthropists Dona and Sam Scott, Pete and Amy Kadens, Jim and Kay Mabie, and Martin H. Nesbitt.
In addition to Allstate, Cara Collective will honor program graduate and staff member Da’Sean Hillsman with the Jesse Teverbaugh Distinguished Alumni Award. This award is given annually to a graduate who is a shining example of Cara’s work to transform lives and communities. Da’Sean started his Cara journey in 2010, after serving a nearly decade-long prison sentence. For the past 12 years, he has served on Cara’s coaching team, walking alongside hundreds of job seekers in their journey out of poverty.
The 9th Annual Cara Gala will be held at The Geraghty. Tickets and sponsorships are available at www.caragala.org or by contacting Tara Harper, Chief External Affairs Officer, at tharper@carachicago.org or 312.798.3307.
About Cara Collective
Cara Collective seeks to fuel a courageous national movement to eradicate relational and financial poverty. Through our four entities – Cara, Cleanslate, Cara Connects, and Cara Plus – we work with job seekers, employers, and other organizations across the country to break the cycle of poverty through the power and purpose of employment. Since 1991, we’ve placed more than 8,500 people into more than 14,500 jobs, starting them on their path to real and lasting success. To learn more, please visit www.caracollective.org.
Contact: Mark Toriski
Senior Director of Marketing & Communications
312.798.6723
mtoriski@carachicago.org
