The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago) and Avanade each know something about partnership. The FHLBank Chicago Mortgage Partnership Finance® (MPF®) program collaborates with lenders from around the country to help strengthen communities through property ownership, while Avanade partners with local and global clients from a range of industries to advance the world through the power of people and Microsoft.

Among the many partnerships the two organizations sustain, the one they have together is special. It started 20 years ago, not long after Accenture and Microsoft created Avanade as a joint venture. During that time, Avanade and FHLBank Chicago have innovated together across almost the entire Microsoft stack as the company transformed for the future.

A long and successful collaboration among two people-first organizations warranted a celebration, but the companies agreed that a champagne toast didn’t feel right. Given the commitment the companies share for being active and responsible corporate citizens, they decided to extend the power of collaboration into making a genuine impact in the Chicago community.