Seyfarth Provides Pro Bono Assistance on YWCA Metropolitan Chicago and StreetWise Merger

CHICAGO - (March 5, 2020) - Seyfarth provided pro bono assistance on a merger between YWCA Metropolitan Chicago and StreetWise, a magazine sold by the homeless population in Chicago.

StreetWise will become part of YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, allowing the two organizations to serve more women and men with expanded and diverse resources. StreetWise will slide into the existing Economic Empowerment Services of YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, retaining its moniker.

Founded in 1876, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago is a social enterprise committed to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. As a leading association among a national network of more than 200 YWCAs, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago impacts tens of thousands of women and families annually through comprehensive human services provided across the region. You can learn more here.

StreetWise started in 1992 to help Chicagoans facing homelessness get their lives back on track by providing an opportunity to work and earn an income by selling a newspaper. This newspaper - turned magazine, StreetWise, has been sold by thousands of individual vendors over the past decades. Today, StreetWise helps those who are homeless and at-risk of homelessness by providing immediate self-employment, training and preparation to transition into job opportunities, and access to social services, including emergency and employment clothing, referrals for housing and legal aid, financial and computer literacy workshops, free meals, and healthcare support. You can learn more here.

Seyfarth’s Corporate team in Chicago was led by partner Robert Sell and included Paul Drizner, Whitney Schmidt, Kayla Siam, and Deirdre Mangan.

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