By Rhonda Stern

If you’ve been reading this column for a while, you know that I have a soft spot for “do-gooders,” those individuals who go above and beyond to give back to their community in thoughtful and creative ways.

This blog is about corporate philanthropy, with a lens on individual potential. Ten years ago, staff at Bank of America started thinking about how the bank could make a difference in communities in which the bank has branches. Specifically, how could bank personnel or affiliates help to train future leaders by exposing them to community issues and developing their leadership and problem solving skills? Here in Chicago, two programs were created to meet critical needs:

• Empower high school youth through sponsoring (community based) summer internships, the Student Leaders program and
• Support neighborhood development through sponsoring nonprofits, the Neighborhood Builders program.

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