Beyond the creation of structures and neighborhoods, we are committed to the belief that a community is nurtured by developing minds as well as buildings. Of its numerous charitable activities, we focus our efforts principally on supporting children, education and public improvements.

Constructing Bright Futures 

Magellan Development Group in honored to participate in the Constructing Bright Futures program. An avid supporter of Chicago youth programs for many years, including awarding scholarships to inner-city children to attend GEMS World Academy, Magellan recognized a unique opportunity to give back to the community. In partnership with James McHugh Construction Company, the firm launched Constructing Bright Futures in the summer of 2017.

Constructing Bright Futures offers candidates interested in pursuing jobs in the construction industry an opportunity to work under McHugh Construction on Magellan’s largest, most iconic development project to-date: Vista Tower. After completing the onboarding interview process and union training, participants, including electricians, carpenters and labor apprentices, work on site at Vista Tower to learn and develop these trade skills until its projected 2020 completion date. President of Magellan Development Group David Carlins, a lead visionary for the program, is committed to providing an alternative career option outside of a conventional four-year college track for
Chicagoans who qualify for the program.

Constructing Bright Futures works in tandem with ComEd’s CONSTRUCT program, a training program that prepares qualified minority candidates for entry-level jobs in construction-related fields. Once the candidates’ CONSTRUCT training is complete, Magellan works closely to ensure there is a smooth transition to their next step in the process, which is the Constructing Bright Futures program. Heartland Alliance is responsible for supporting participants through the process by providing social services including transportation expenses, connections to child care providers, financial support for needed equipment and connections to financial literacy.

In addition to providing employment to qualified participants, the program also consists of a supplemental mentorship component, which includes meetings with Magellan mentors and educational dinners with industry leaders. Participants are also expected to give back to the community by helping on construction projects in their local neighborhoods and pursuing other volunteer opportunities.

Since the program’s inception, Carlins has enjoyed witnessing the immediate impact of employing a motivated individual, who may not have the opportunity otherwise, noting, “You get to see the light in their eyes, the happiness that having a job gives them and the self-esteem that they build while working on the job.”

Looking ahead, Magellan plans to expand and evolve the program to help other qualified individuals learn valuable trade and career skills.

Scholarship Program

Furthering education for unprivileged youth is an important philanthropic focus for us. To further this initiative, we work with Chicago Youth Programs to provide scholarships to GEMS World Academy.

As a continuation of our support and passion for funding education initiatives across the city, we are adding another organization – Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago (BGCC) – to our current lineup of charitable partners. We will reward one BGCC student a four-year high school scholarship to GEMS World Academy.

GEMS World Academy is a private K–12 school in Magellan’s Lakeshore East Community. The Lower School located on the Park at Lakeshore East houses 660 students within 10 stories. The Middle-Upper School, currently under construction, will house 1,440 students and overlook the Chicago River and Lake Michigan.  In early 2018, the foundation was laid for the new Upper School building, with a completion date of spring, 2019. Once completed the newly expanded GEMS academy will offer even more scholarship opportunities to deserving area youths.

Chicago Youth Program (CYP)

Established by volunteers in 1995, the Washington Park Youth Program (WPYP) is CYP’s largest community program. Serving the high-need communities of Washington Park, Grand Boulevard and surrounding areas, WPYP provides youth with tutoring, mentoring, recreation, college and career preparations, scholarships, and free high-quality health care from volunteer physicians at CYP’s Washington Park Children’s Free Clinic. Completed in 2003 by from in-kind donations from Magellan Development Group, Loewenberg Architects, CS Associates, McHugh Construction and many others the Community Center houses a tutoring room, library, pre-school area, gymnasium, computer lab and outside playground. Currently, the WPYP serves over 150 youth and is sustained by over 175 volunteers.

Chicago Cares 

We are proud to partner with Chicago Cares whose mission is to mobilize volunteers to build a stronger, more unified Chicago. Tapping into our resident base over the last several years, we’ve provided over 150 volunteers to specific community enhancement activities.

Reaching out to the residents has been a great way to build community as friendships have been formed while helping groups in need. Also, by engaging our resident base it only helps spread the mission of Chicago Cares to more local Chicagoans as we hope they may then, in return, engage their companies or sign up to be an ongoing volunteer. Magellan Development volunteer days have ranged from building furniture and replanting gardens for a variety of Chicago Public Schools to working directly with senior groups on making meals, playing games and keeping them company. Each year we are excited for a new challenge!