Case Study: Ada S. McKinley Community Services
About the Organization
Founded in 1919, Ada S. McKinley Community Services (Ada) has evolved over 106 years into one of the most trusted comprehensive human services organizations in Chicago. From its beginnings as the South Side Settlement House by social reformer Ada Sophia McKinley to serve returning veterans from WWII and families migrating to Chicago from the south seeking a better life, today Ada offers a wide spectrum of care in Behavioral Health and Clinical Services, Child Development and Youth Services and Employment and Community Support Services. Within its geographic footprint of 70 locations across Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, Ada S. McKinley Community Services recently celebrated the grand opening of its newly renovated Multi-Service Hub located in the Englewood community on the south side of Chicago and accessible to families across the city, Cook County and surrounding suburbs. It will offer direct access to behavioral health care, family support, and job training in a model for expanding integrated services across areas that have long faced barriers to such services.
The Situation
With its centennial year approaching in 2019, Ada engaged Alford Group to develop a fundraising capacity building strategy which would combine its comprehensive array of services and support to children, youth, families and adults into a holistic message of care and impact for individuals and communities. Central to the vision to unite the agency’s multifaceted service under a singular organization brand was creating a calendar of events to elevate its centennial anniversary year. The calendar included launching an annual meeting of the board of directors and leadership team, the culminating celebration of high school graduates of its hugely successful college preparation and placement program, and concluded in a festive fall gathering of donors, business, civic leaders and public sector partners.
Additionally, Alford Group provided fundraising training to the board of directors, assessment of the donor database, guided the establishment of a centennial campaign committee and developed a fundraising plan. Our continued partnership has included funder research, grant writing and ongoing fundraising counsel.
The Goal
In 2021, Ada sought designation by the State of Illinois for its nearly forty years of providing behavioral health care as a Community Care Support Organization to expand mobile crisis response across a greater footprint to new multi-community, designated service areas (DSAs) at the request of partners Brightpoint (formerly Children’s Home & Aid Society of Illinois), Mount Sinai Hospital, and Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C4).
Alford Group collaborated with program leadership in the development and submission of Ada’s application response to the RFQ. In August 2022, Ada was awarded the CCSO designation and added service areas.
Additional fundraising counsel helped secure increased public and private funds for expansion of programs in Employment and Community Support and Education services.
On December 2, 2025, Ada held a ribbon cutting for its renovated former site for community day programs for people with intellectual and development disabilities (I/DD) into a cohesive Multi-Service Center. The Center offers 26,000 square feet of program space in a welcoming hub for Mobile Crisis Response teams and includes:
- Mental Wellness Clinic for outpatient behavioral health care and counseling for adults and families;
- Youth Crisis Stabilization Center, the first-ever located on the south side of Chicago, which will offer a safe, clinical environment to reduce trauma and an alternative to emergency rooms or police stations for youth experiencing a mental health crisis.
- Family Resource Hub for early learning and child development services for parents and youth including parenting classes, life skills training and other resources
- Golden Years, a community day program for seniors with intellectual and developmental disabilities
- Sophia Café opening in Spring 2026, named after founder Ada Sophia McKinley which will open to the public as a workforce development program for people with intellectual and development disabilities
The Center now serves youth, families and adults across Ada S. McKinley’s areas of care in Behavioral Health, Education, Employment and Community Support.
“Alford Group helped us rebuild our development operation nearly from the ground up into a sophisticated, high-performing fundraising enterprise. Their strategic partnership has accelerated public and private investment, culminating in milestone efforts like our 100 year anniversary and centennial campaign. The impact has positioned us to scale our mission and deepen our reach. Together, we are expanding our ability to empower, educate, and employ people while strengthening communities across Chicago and beyond.”
– Jamal Malone, CEO Ada S McKinley Community Services