How We Work
“A veteran, service member, or family should walk into Esprit on the hardest day of their life and leave with hope, connection, and the knowledge that they belong.”
Our Purpose
To strengthen the lives of those who serve by creating places where purpose, belonging, and community endure.
The Four Pillars
Four ways the mission shows up.
Every event, program, and partnership lives under one of these four. Each pillar drives an initiative. Each initiative runs programs.
The Initiatives
How the pillars become programs.
Each pillar drives one initiative — a body of work that runs year-round.
Recreation & Adventure
Operation Adventure
Kayaking, hikes, seasonal outings, the EDC Remembrance Muster, and recurring workouts. Programming that builds camaraderie through shared physical experience.
Community & Service
Operation Serve
The Back to School Community Event, volunteer projects, park restoration, and Memorial Day and Veterans Day activations. Service beyond the uniform.
Growth & Opportunity
Operation Next Mission
Leadership workshops, education pathways, career and entrepreneurship support, and benefits navigation.
Family & Belonging
Operation Homefront
Family recreation, holiday events, spouse programming, and youth activities. Because service is a family calling.
What We Track
Six categories. Growing every year.
These are the measurements the Foundation builds its data practice around — the questions the numbers are meant to answer.
Tracking
People
- Veterans served
- Active-duty service members served
- Military families served
- Community members served
- Youth reached
Tracking
Events
- Events hosted
- Event attendance
- Volunteer hours contributed
- Community service projects
Tracking
Partnerships
- Partner organizations
- Corporate sponsors
- Government partners
- Schools engaged
- Healthcare partners
Tracking
Programs
- The EDC Remembrance Muster participants
- Outdoor outings
- Leadership workshops
- Family events
- School supply kits distributed
- Hygiene kits distributed
Tracking
Campus
- Funds raised toward the Campus
- Founding partners
- Program spaces planned
- Capital campaign progress
Tracking
Financials
- Total revenue
- Program expense ratio
- Administrative expense
- Fundraising expense
- Reported annually on Form 990
How We Count
Straight tracking. No inflation.
Program attendance is counted at events. Volunteer hours are logged directly by volunteers or estimated from event participation. Partner organizations are listed only when the Foundation has a documented working relationship. Sponsor tiers are named at the dollar amount actually committed.
The authoritative financial record is the Form 990 on the Transparency page. Community sign-up counts update in real time through the community counter API on the homepage and /join.
The Long-Term Vision
The Esprit de Corps Campus.
The permanent home where the mission is lived every day — recreation, leadership, service, growth, and family, under one roof.
Standing with veterans
THE TASKFORCE
Chicago sponsors, partners, and community organizations working alongside the Foundation.
