M&S Cares

Helping Charities Help Children

We call the Chicagoland area home, and one of our corporate priorities is to make a positive impact on our community. Each year, our team donates over 800 service hours, focusing on charities that help children and promote financial literacy. Team members can participate throughout the summer months during weekly volunteer opportunities during the day, as well as occasional charity events on weekends and evenings. We also host a number of drives and opportunities to give back.

Through M&S Cares, we participate in charitable events and activities that benefit children in the Lake County, IL area. While we are always open to new giving opportunities, our five core charities include:

Arden Shore Child and Family Services is committed to rebuilding lives affected by trauma and abuse through foster care, family support, behavioral health services, and residential programs. Located in Waukegan, Illinois, Arden Shore is dedicated to providing children in its care with the resources and support that they need to become healthy adults


2 out of 3 low-income children have no books of their own. Bernie’s Book Bank, Chicago’s largest provider of quality children’s books, is changing that with 12 books per year for 12 years.  This year, they served over 275,000 under-served infants, toddlers and school-age children throughout Chicagoland.


Keeping Families Covered provides diapers and other basic needs to families. They distribute items through community partners and direct-to-client services. The organization also raises awareness about diaper needs and period poverty, while working to build sustainable programs in Lake County and the surrounding areas.


Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) believes hope starts with food. FMSC meals are developed by food science and nutrition professionals to supplement nutritional needs and reduce problems with malnutrition. Nutrition allows children to grow, thrive and develop to their full potential.


Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois currently has over 15,000 members (some even in our M&S family). Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. We support local troops and partner with them on service projects in our community.