When the team at Mowery & Schoenfeld talks about community, it isn’t just lip service — it’s about actually providing service. Since launching the M&S Cares program in 2015, employees and leaders have rolled up their sleeves to give back, putting in more than 800 volunteer hours annually, raising money, hosting supply drives, and building long-term partnerships with local organizations that support children and families.

“Our mission is simple: Helping charities help children,” said Jeffery Mowery, founder and managing partner of Mowery & Schoenfeld, a Lincolnshire-based accounting, tax, advisory, and IT consulting firm. “We call Chicagoland home, and by supporting the charities active in our community, we’re creating opportunities for a better future for families right here.”

What began as a committee of passionate employees has grown into a defining part of the firm’s culture. M&S Cares directs nearly $30,000 annually — 90% of which goes directly to partner charities — and the initiative has earned recognition from the Illinois CPA Society, the American Business Awards, and the Association for Accounting Marketing.

But the true impact of M&S Cares is measured in the lives touched.

Over the last decade, Mowery & Schoenfeld and M&S Cares have built strong ties with local organizations that support their mission.

• Arden Shore Child and Family Services provides counseling and family reunification services. Among other initiatives and drives, Mowery & Schoenfeld employees and interns donate school supplies each summer then assemble backpacks to give children a strong start to the school year.

• Keeping Families Covered provides women and children critical resources, including diapers, period supplies, and other essentials. Mowery & Schoenfeld collects more than 5,000 diapers during its annual November diaper drive, and over the years, the team has also donated thousands of period supply kits. Each year, interns, new hires, and other staff pack and distribute supplies in the Keeping Families Covered warehouse.

• Bernie’s Book Bank is dedicated to expanding child literacy in at-risk communities. M&S Cares supports the nonprofit’s mission by volunteering in their warehouse to sort, sticker, and bag books for distribution. Mowery & Schoenfeld also sponsors 1,000 books annually and hosts in-office stickering events, where the firm’s job shadow students prepare books for distribution.

• Feed My Starving Children provides meals to children worldwide. Individual Mowery & Schoenfeld teams volunteer regularly at their facilities, and each fall, the firm’s remote team members come together in the Chicago area for a large group packing event.

• Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois (GSNI). M&S Cares and the firm’s other employee resource group, GLOW (Growth and Learning Opportunities for Women), join forces to sponsor an annual Business Badge Bash. This event pairs Girl Scouts with professional women, helping the girls build skills in entrepreneurship, leadership, and financial literacy. Since 2022, participants have earned more than 250 badges.

• Art Impact Project supports mental health and emotional wellness through art. As the newest M&S Cares partner, their first collaboration this summer invited employees to contribute 50 individual paintings for AIP’s Concentric Circles mural fundraiser, embracing creativity and self-expression as tools to support youth well-being.

One hallmark of M&S Cares is its full integration into the firm’s culture of learning and career growth. Interns, job shadow students, and recently hired staff participate in community service from day one — whether it’s stickering books, assembling backpacks, or packing supply kits.

“As a firm, we know our responsibility goes beyond serving clients. It is important to us to instill in the next generation of CPAs that giving back is an integral part of being a professional,” said Mike Deering, Mowery & Schoenfeld tax partner and leadership sponsor of M&S Cares.

For Mowery & Schoenfeld, philanthropy is more than the occasional golf outing or fundraiser sponsorship, it’s a commitment woven into the fabric of the firm. As M&S Cares continues to grow, the team is excited to deepen its relationships with partner charities and inspire the next wave of professionals to make community impact part of their careers.

Because when charities are empowered to help children, the ripple effects strengthen everyone.

Learn more about Mowery & Schoenfeld:

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