At OCC, championing diversity, equity, and inclusion is part of our DNA, and we take responsibility to help drive change and make an impact in the communities where we live and work. OCC is proud to partner with local organizations that support marginalized and historically disinvested communities to promote access to quality education and employment opportunities. Colleagues across our offices donated their time, talents, and funds to several nonprofit organizations throughout 2023, from launching fundraising campaigns to organizing volunteer events and more. Read on for a summary of our philanthropic efforts and the impact we’re driving.
OCC Community Impact Highlights:
- $325k+ donated in total, including:
- $70k+ donated by colleagues, including $35k+ matched by OCC
- $227k+ contributed by OCC through corporate donations and sponsorships
- $20k donated to nonprofit organizations nominated by our Employee Network Groups
- $8k donated through our “Dollars for Doers” program
- 48 nonprofits supported
- 612 hours of Volunteer Time Off logged
OCC’s Nonprofit Partner: Chicago Scholars
In recognition of the value of sustained long-term partnerships, OCC selected Chicago Scholars as our Chicago nonprofit partner for 2022-2025. Chicago Scholars is the largest college access and success program in Chicago, serving more than 5,000 Scholars and Alumni each year. In April, OCC hosted representatives from Chicago Scholars who shared information and invited colleagues to get involved through volunteering and mentoring.
OCC colleagues volunteered at multiple Chicago Scholars events throughout the year, including a New Scholar Selection Day event and the Onsite College and Leadership Forum, both sponsored by OCC.
We hosted a Scholar for a 13-week internship with our Internal Audit department and an Emerge Growth Lab where 30 Scholars visited our office to learn about OCC and network with senior leaders.
Volunteer Hours
In addition to our work with Chicago Scholars, our colleagues volunteered with several local nonprofits. OCC offers colleagues 8 hours of Volunteer Time Off (VTO) per year. Through our “Dollars for Doers” campaign, we donate $25 per hour of each employee’s VTO for OCC sponsored volunteer activities, resulting in $8k donated in 2023. Below are several of the organizations supported through volunteer hours in 2023.
American Cancer Society
Colleagues participated in the “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” 5k walk in Chicago during October, and our ENG Women’s Leadership Network (WLN) donated $25 per walker.
Chicago Run
In August, our ENG Helping Young Professionals Excel and Develop (HYPED) and OCC’s CEO, Andrej Bolkovic, participated in the Chicago Triathlon SuperSprint Relay Race. HYPED also donated $2k to Chicago Run.
Greater Chicago Food Depository
Groups of OCC colleagues volunteered with Greater Chicago Food Depository in May and October, helping with unloading, sorting, and repacking boxes of fresh food items into family-sized portions.
Ignite
HYPED held an in-kind clothing donation drive at our Chicago office in collaboration with Ignite, to support youth in taking the first step toward their journey to a stable home and a future with promise. HYPED members used their Volunteer Time Off to sort, organize, and drop off the donations to Ignite.
Instituto del Progreso Latino
In August, members of our ENG Hispanic/Latino OCC Leaders and Allies (HOLA) volunteered at Instituto del Progreso Latino’s food bank assisting with packaging bags of produce, running the intake process, and loading bags into vehicles.
During the organization’s December toy drive, members of the Human Resources team wrapped holiday gifts for asylum seekers in Chicago.
JPMorgan Corporate Challenge
In May, more than 100 colleagues participated in the 3.5-mile J.P. Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge in Chicago.
Kenwood Oakland Community Organization (KOCO)
BOLD held a school supplies drive in August and volunteered at the Peace at the Park Back to School Fest to help distribute backpacks and school supplies to students in need.
Metrocrest
Throughout the year, groups of OCC colleagues, including our Employee Network Group (ENG) Black Organization for Leadership and Development (BOLD), hosted and attended multiple volunteer events.
Metrocrest moved to a new facility in 2023; OCC sponsored a staff lunch on moving day.
Chief Clearing and Settlement Services Officer, Mike Hansen, and colleague Brooke Blackwell attended the grand opening of Metrocrest’s new facility in August. The new facility includes an OCC meeting room in recognition of our continued support to Metrocrest over the years.
Visiting Nurse Association of Texas
Dallas colleagues volunteered for VNA’s Holiday Gift Project to prepare gift bags of necessities for seniors that VNA serves.
Nourishing Hope
In April, OCC volunteers assisted with packing produce and dairy boxes and assembling client orders for Nourishing Hope’s Online Market.
WILD Gives Back
OCC colleagues attended the Women in Listed Derivatives (WILD) second annual WILD Gives Back trivia fundraiser benefitting the Associated Colleges of Illinois. Our team took home 1st place in the competition. Additionally, OCC sponsored the event and provided a $3,500 donation toward the Next Generation Women In Finance Scholarship
Corporate Sponsorships and Donations
To help individuals impacted by the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, OCC donated $25,000 to Heart to Heart International and $25,000 to Center for Disaster Philanthropy, and another $10,500 was donated with colleague contributions matched by OCC.
Additionally, below are some of the other nonprofits and organizations that OCC supported in 2023:
A Leg to Stand On (ALTSO)
OCC supported ALTSO’s Rocktoberfest-Chicago event as the exclusive GLOW sponsor for a total of $15,000. Colleagues attended the event, including Mat Cashman of Investor Education who played the saxophone as part of the band Matthew Scharpf’s Strangers and Saints.
Connor Hunt Memorial Foundation
OCC sponsored the 5th Annual Connor Hunt Memorial Golf Outing at the silver level for $5,000. Like many of our market participants, OCC has been a sponsor of this event since its inception in 2019. The foundation is managed by Gary Hunt, a well-known options staffer whose son passed away from cancer the previous year. Through its fundraising efforts, the foundation has donated more than $1,000,000 to Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital for pediatric cancer research.
Cristo Rey
HOLA led efforts to launch a partnership with the Cristo Rey Corporate Work Study Program. As a Corporate Partner, OCC brought on two Cristo Rey students as interns, one in Internal Audit and the other in Business Engineering and Strategy. The interns work one day per week and gain exposure to teams and projects across OCC. All ENGs contributed funding to support this program for a total of $9,300.
Dallas Regional Chamber
OCC sponsored multiple events throughout the year, including the Women’s Business Conference.
Chief Clearing and Settlement Services Officer, Mike Hansen, attended the Year Ahead economic outlook event in December where OCC was the presenting sponsor.
Edu-Futuro
OCC sponsored the Edu-Futuro Annual Gala, where we were recognized as their Corporate Sponsor of the Year for the second time. HOLA presented a $5,000 scholarship to a student from Edu-Futuro’s program.
Equality Illinois
OCC sponsored the Equality Illinois annual gala event on February 4.
Equality Texas
OCC sponsored the Love Equality event on March 18, an annual fundraising event in support of Equality Texas.
Museum of American Finance
OCC donated $15,000 to the Museum of American Finance in support of the 2023 gala honoring Robert D. Arnott, Vincent J. Viola, Mark R. Shenkman and Carol Loomis.
T4Youth
OCC sponsored a five-person team to compete in the T4Youth annual tabletop tennis tournament in Chicago.
United Service Organizations (USO)
In honor of Veterans Day, OCC held a session with USO Illinois where colleagues learned more about the programming and support USO provides to service members and their families. OCC also presented a $5,000 donation to support the annual USO Salute Gala in Chicago.
University of Chicago Crime Lab
OCC sponsored the second cohort of The University of Chicago Crime Lab Policing Leadership Academy, a leadership and management education program designed to reduce violence.
Year Up
BOLD donated $5,000 to Year Up and invited a representative to OCC to speak about the program’s mission and impact. Colleagues who are graduates of the Year Up program also shared their experience and how it led them to work for OCC.