Sarah’s Circle and Executive Service Corps: A Steady Partnership for Nonprofit Stewardship

In a challenging nonprofit landscape, Kathy Ragnar, Executive Director of Sarah’s Circle, cites her long-standing partnership with Executive Service Corps (ESC) of Chicago as a contributing factor guiding the organization’s growth and evolution.

Over the past 12 years, Ragnar and her leadership team have collaborated with ESC on multiple initiatives, including strategic planning, board governance and nominating committee development, leadership succession planning, and redefining the role of the Executive Director and overall organizational structure.

Sarah’s Circle Receives 2025 ESC Community Partner Award

“Sarah’s Circle is worthy of the Executive Service Corps of Chicago Community Partner Award for its unwavering leadership to permanently end homelessness for women in Chicago,” said Philip Waitzman, President and CEO of ESC Chicago.

Sarah’s Circle provides permanent supportive housing and a continuum of immediate services to not only meet the needs of women who are homeless, but to permanently end their homelessness.

Additionally, Sarah’s Circle is a housing developer. With the first three buildings developed, the agency is poised to embark on the development of three more buildings providing permanent housing for women.

“The organization provides trauma-informed, wraparound care that meets women where they are—addressing immediate health needs while advancing long-term stability. Through bold advocacy and direct services, Sarah’s Circle amplifies the voices of women experiencing homelessness and systemic inequity.”

About Sarah’s Circle: Ending Homelessness for Women

Founded in 1979, Sarah’s Circle served more than 700 women in 2025 through housing and support services at three owned facilities in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. Programs include a daytime drop-in support center, a 50-bed interim housing program, rapid rehousing services, and 281 units of permanent supportive housing.

Plans are underway to add three additional permanent supportive housing facilities with the purchase of a 32,000-sq-foot lot located on Clarendon and Sunnyside.

About Executive Service Corps of Chicago: Strengthening Nonprofits

Founded in 1978, Executive Service Corps of Chicago, a non-profit organization, delivers high-impact professional consulting to nonprofits and public agencies across the Chicago metro region and beyond.

By pairing experienced executive volunteers with nonprofit leaders, ESC empowers organizations to operate more effectively using proven business practices to successfully fulfill their missions in the community. Services are provided at a substantially reduced cost relative to for-profit consulting organizations.

What Makes the Partnership Work

“The caliber and experience of ESC’s engagement managers foster meaningful dialogue about our challenges,” said Ragnar. “Their thorough preparation, thoughtful questions, and diverse perspectives lead to productive conversations and actionable outcomes.”

She noted that ESC delivered a comprehensive assessment and implementation plan on schedule, while remaining flexible to staff and Board needs. “Their support for Board presentations was especially effective,” Ragnar pointed out.

As a result, Ragnar said Sarah’s Circle continues to move confidently forward aligning around property development, talent needs, expenses, and facility improvements. “Working with ESC helped us educate and gain full support from our Board of Directors.”

Meet the ESC Engagement Team

The ESC engagement team serving Sarah’s Circle included Mary Lee Schneider and Ed Solan. Schneider brings extensive C-suite leadership experience and nonprofit board service, while Solan previously served as CEO of both an affordable housing business and a housing development corporation.

“Our proven methodology ensures clients remain fully engaged in the work,” Solan said. “We don’t do the work for them—we facilitate, advise, and help guide the process.”

Both Schneider and Solan are appreciative that Kathy Ragnar knows the value of a strategic consulting partnership and the importance of a strategic plan. “Their Board is very sophisticated and thanks to Kathy’s professional leadership, the Board believed what a strategic plan could do for them,” Schneider said.

“The Assessment Report and Implementation Plan were the key deliverables to guide Sarah’s Circle team on a going forward basis,” Solan emphasized, “We make sure to stay in touch with the client during the implementation phase to help keep everyone on track with achieving the results of our collective efforts.”

Learn More About Sarah’s Circle and Executive Service Corps of Chicago

For additional information about Sarah’s Circle visit https://sarahs-circle.org/ or call 773-728-1014. To learn more about Executive Service Corps of Chicago visit: https://www.execservicecorps.org/ or call 312-880-7734.