Andrew and Susan Code
/SOURCE OF WEALTH: Code Hennessy & Simmons, Promus Holdings, Promus Equity Partners
FUNDING AREAS: Religious, Youth, Human Services & Health, Education, Global
OVERVIEW: Andrew Code, his wife Susan, and family conduct their philanthropy through the Code Family Foundation. The Codes strongly prioritize Chicagoland and the Midwest in their philanthropy. A top interest is supporting religious organizations: Code is among the founders of Chicago Fellowship, a religious nonprofit for men. The foundation keeps a low profile but appears to accept unsolicited proposals. Available tax filings indicate that the foundation awarded over $2.8 million in grants in 2017.
BACKGROUND: Raised in Iowa City, Andrew W. Code received a B.B.A. and an MBA from University of Iowa. He worked at American National Bank and Citicorp, and was partner at Code Hennessy & Simmons. Code cofounded Promus Holdings and Promus Equity Partners in Chicago.
ISSUES:
RELIGIOUS: Andrew Code is among the founders of Chicago Fellowship, which works to help "men find relationship with other men for the purposes of accountability and support in pursuing and living Biblical truth." The foundation was originally started by Code and a group of Chicago-area businessmen. It is clear that Code's faith is important to him, and he has been featured in some of Chicago Fellowship's podcasts. The family steadily supports Chicago Fellowship. Other grantees have included Breakthrough Urban Ministries, Soul City Church, Christian Life Ministries, Abundant Life Ministries, and International Teams, "a nondenominational Christian, evangelical ministry based in Elgin, Illinois, builds and sends missionary teams on summer, two year, and career commitments."
YOUTH: Many of the youth organizations the Codes support also have faith-based aims. The family has strongly supported Young Life, "a nondenominational Christian ministry that reaches out to adolescents through volunteers, staff, club meetings, and camps." From 2006 to 2016, Young Life received nearly $1.9 million over several grants from the Code Family Foundation. Other grantees have included By the Hand Club for Kids, "helping kids in critical need of intervention have new and abundant life," Grip Outreach for Youth, and Inner City Impact.
HUMAN SERVICES & HEALTH: The Codes have supported Bridge Communities, which helps " transition homeless families to self-sufficiency by working with partners to provide mentoring, housing, and supportive services," Grace Place for Children and Families, and Giant Steps, which works with those with autism.
EDUCATION: Code and his wife both graduated from University of Iowa, Susan from the College of Nursing. Their mutual alma mater is now the home of the Susan K. Code Nursing Scholarship. Code is on the board of the University of Iowa Foundation. The family has also supported places like Catalyst Schools, Citizen Schools, and Holy Family School.
GLOBAL: A component of the family's philanthropy also involves organizations that work on a global level, like buildON, Arc of Hope Uganda, UNICEF, and CURE International, a "Christian nonprofit organization that is focused on providing medical care to children suffering primarily from orthopedic and neurological conditions." Some of the family's work through the University of Iowa Foundation also supports global causes. One grant provided funding for medical trips focusing on obstetrics, grant gynecology, family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics in Niger.
LOOKING FORWARD: Andrew Code is still very much engaged in business but should be watched for greater giving down the line, particularly with respect to religious organizations.
CONTACT:
The Code Family Foundation keeps a low profile but appears to accept proposals. Below is contact information:
The Code Family Foundation
30 S. Wacker Dr., Ste. 1600
Chicago, IL 60606
Telephone: (312) 876-3945
LINK:
