BMO celebrates grand opening of Aspire Center, deepening commitment to neighborhood transformation
On June 19, BMO joined community leaders, elected officials, and residents in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood to celebrate the grand opening of the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation, a new hub for workforce training, education, and economic opportunity located at the revitalized former Emmet Elementary School building. The momentous event featured appearances by Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Department of Planning and Development Commissioner Ciere Boatwright, among others.
The grand opening ceremony began with a press conference and ribbon cutting, followed by a community celebration that included tours of the center, workforce technology demonstrations, and a “Freedom Village” in observance of Juneteenth.
“The Aspire Center’s grand opening is a pivotal moment for the Austin community and a testament to the power of collaboration and community-based investments to driving meaningful, positive change,” said Eric Smith, Vice Chair, BMO U.S., during his remarks at the grand opening. Smith added, “BMO’s presence here is more than philanthropic – it’s a commitment to being part of this community and its future.”
The Aspire Center is the culmination of a seven-year community-led campaign to reclaim and repurpose the shuttered school building. It fulfills key components of Austin’s quality-of-life plan, “Austin Forward. Together,” and is projected to create 50 new jobs in its first five years, help increase the incomes of more than 500 Austin households and facilitate financing for new businesses or property for over 250 residents by 2030.
BMO was a founding partner of the United Way of Metro Chicago’s Neighborhood Network Initiative and is the lead philanthropic investor of the Aspire Center, demonstrating its long-standing commitment to the Austin community and its place-based giving strategy.
“BMO believed in the vision for the Aspire Center and its promise for the Austin community from the beginning, which is why we became a cornerstone investor in the project more than six years ago. Witnessing its journey from concept to groundbreaking to grand opening has been truly inspiring and is a shining example of neighborhood-led transformation that aligns with our purpose to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life. We look forward to deepening our commitment to the Aspire Center and driving progress for the people of Austin with the opening of our BMO branch.”
– Darrel Hackett
CEO, BMO U.S.
BMO’s integral role in the Aspire Center dates to a founding funder gift to the United Way of Metro Chicago’s Neighborhood Network Initiative over a decade ago in 2013. The partnership has since evolved, highlighted by BMO’s largest donation of $10 million in 2019, specifically aimed at empowering resident-led efforts in Austin and helping to reduce economic disparity in the area.
The Aspire Center will house four anchor tenants: Austin Coming Together (ACT), Westside Health Authority (WHA), Jane Addams Resource Corporation (JARC), and BMO. Each organization will provide services tailored to the Austin community, including workforce training and job readiness programs, financial coaching, legal services, and small business development. BMO will operate a branch within the facility, providing financial education, coaching, and banking services, slated to open in late summer.
The opening of the Aspire Center is a powerful example of BMO’s broader place-based giving strategy in Austin, which focuses on recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by local neighborhoods. This commitment extends beyond the Aspire Center to other vital community projects.
