about
Esprit de Corps Foundation is a veteran-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Chicago, founded in January 2025 by Damian Garcia (President) and Rogelio Villa (Vice President).
We started this because we lived it. The transition from military to civilian life is one of the hardest things a veteran will face, and too often there is nowhere to go, no one to connect with, and no community waiting on the other side. We decided to build one.
Esprit de Corps Foundation exists to create real community for veterans, service members, military families, student veterans, and dependents. Not through programs on paper, but through relationships, shared experiences, and spaces where people actually want to show up.
We are a young organization with a big vision. Everything we do is built for long-term impact, real partnerships, and sustainable growth.
OUR MISSION
We build community through fitness, wellness, advocacy, and leadership. Our mission is to create spaces and experiences where veterans and their families can connect, grow, and thrive while also standing up for the rights, benefits, and opportunities they have earned.
OUR VISION
We are working toward Chicago's first Veteran Recreation and Resource Center. A dedicated space with public fitness and training areas, a private veteran and family community lounge, wellness resources, and leadership programming all under one roof.
This is more than a building. It is the foundation for a model that can be replicated in cities across the country. It starts here in Chicago, and it starts with the community we are building right now.
WHY "ESPRIT DE CORPS"
Esprit de corps means the shared spirit of a group. The pride, loyalty, and bond that holds a team together. In the military, it is everything. We named this foundation after that feeling because we believe it should not end when the uniform comes off.
We are here to keep that spirit alive.
WHERE WE ARE TODAY
We launched in January 2025 and since we have:
Partnered with the University of Illinois Chicago Student Veterans Affairs
Partnered with the University of Illinois Chicago Recreational Center
Built a growing community of veterans, supporters, and partners across Chicago
Launched our flagship event, the MURPH Festival, for Memorial Day weekend
Partnered with Urban Kayak on the river
Partnered with Chicago Fire FC for Military Appreciation Night at Soldier Field
Begun early planning for the Esprit Recreation and Resource Center
We are just getting started. Every event, every partnership, and every person who joins this community brings us closer to something lasting.
GET INVOLVED
This is a community effort. Whether you want to volunteer, sponsor an event, partner with us, or just show up and be part of what we are building, there is a place for you here.
Email us at letconnect@espritdcf.org or call 312-219-5015.