Baird & Warner celebrated its annual "OUT of the Office" LGBTQ Pride Month event June 7 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Vertigo Sky Lounge downtown.
Chicago publicist Andrew Hayes said, "It's one of the first events to kick off the month and it's just professional. People give a donation at the door and they get a drink in exchange. Every year we benefit a different charity."
The event, in its sixth year, serves as a fundraiser for a charity in the community; this year the beneficiary was Vital Bridges. Vital Bridges is a non-profit organization that provides food, nutrition, housing, case management and prevention services to people throughout the community who are suffering and impacted by HIV and AIDS. The organization recently announced that it will merge with Heartland Alliance July 1.
Open Hand Co-Founder/ Vital Bridges Food Program Coordinator Lori Cannon stated, "We are grateful. We are the city's only meals on wheels and groceries program for men, women, and children all living with HIV and AIDS. We started the program about 25 years ago when our friends were homebound, bed-ridden, and dropping like flies. We couldn't save them; all we could do was feed them."
Baird & Warner Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Jim Schiefelbein said, "We need to support those who support us in the community. Times are tough and they are especially tough for people living with HIV and AIDS who are seeing their funding and food literally ripped from their mouths. We need to stand up as a community as we've done in the past and help those people out."
Even though there was only a suggested donation of $10 at the door, the generous donations from attendees helped Vital Bridges with $1,114.
Attendees enjoyed libations courtesy of sponsors Fifth Third Bank and Grey Goose. Media sponsors included ChicagoPride, NBC 5 Chicago and Windy City Media Group.