About Us
Who We Are
In an atmosphere of dignity and respect, Inspiration Corporation connects people and creates opportunity through access to social services, job training, housing, and food.
For 35 years, Inspiration Corporation has been a leader in Chicago’s efforts to support our most vulnerable neighbors by offering a continuum of impactful services and also advocating for new, innovative strategies to address food insecurity and end homelessness.
Our story started in 1989 with a little red wagon and a big heart. Lisa Nigro, a Chicago Police Officer, started walking the streets of Uptown with her nephew’s Radio Flyer wagon filled with coffee and sandwiches. Lisa built authentic connections with the people she encountered – many of whom were unhoused – because she always showed up and because she offered a meal with a smile.
Over the years, that wagon grew into a van, then a bus, and eventually a full-service café for people experiencing homelessness. Over three decades later, Inspiration Corporation still embodies Lisa’s values: to connect over food; to treat everyone with respect; and to be there for our neighbors. And we proudly display that little red wagon in our café to remind all of us what a big heart can accomplish.
Key Milestones
Meet Our Senior Leadership Team
Shannon stewart, executive director and ceo
Shannon Stewart, Executive Director & CEO, has served in her current capacity since 2011, after four years as our Chief Operating Officer. Shannon has been leading efforts in workforce development and related fields since 1992. Shannon holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and a master of social work from the University of Maryland at Baltimore, concentrating in community organizing and social administration. She also holds a certificate in nonprofit management from Roosevelt University. Shannon lives in the West Ridge neighborhood. In her free time, she enjoys bikepacking and playing with her dog, Bleu.
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Meet Our Board Members
John Bankhurst, Board Chair
Riveron
Board Chair John Bankhurst is passionate about non-profit work and has served on Inspiration Corporation's Board of Directors since 2019. He is also on the Board of Directors of Out in Finance and is an active member of the Executives Club of Chicago and the Chicago Chapter of FEI (Financial Executives International). John works for Riveron as a Managing Director. He has spent nearly two decades in a variety of accounting and finance leadership roles at Korn Ferry, JLL, Kraft Heinz and KPMG. John graduated from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana with a B.A. in Economics and lives in the Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, traveling and taking advantage of all the cultural events Chicago has to offer.
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La'Shawn Hill - Vice Chair, Board Development
2S1D, LLC
Lisa Anderson
Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago
Jeff Gawel
United Way of Metro Chicago
Lisa Hampton
Chicago Department of Family & Support Services
William Pekin
Pekin Hardy Strauss Wealth Management
Susan Weiss
Self
John Potter - Vice Chair, External Relations
Morgante Wilson Architects
Brandon Barela
McKinsey & Company
John Garnett
Charter Next Generation
Karl Isaacs
720 Gordon Terrace Condo Association
Kaitlin Roe
The Kraft Heinz Company
John Shapiro, JD
General Counsel - Non-Voting | Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP
Vinu Ramasamy - Vice Chair, Program Development
Whirlpool Corporation
Thomas Dixon
State of Illinois Bureau of Prisons
Shannon Halloway
University of Illinois Chicago
Elisabeth Payne
Kargo
David Rudd
The Northern Trust Company
Susan Boin
Bank of America
