Our Story
Photo Courtesy of Big Shoulders Fund
Early Life and Influence
Both products of modest midwestern upbringings, John and Kathy Schreiber met as teenagers at a high school dance. After marrying in 1968, they started building their lives, their family, and – ultimately – their philanthropy.
Between college, business school, the army, and careers, John and Kathy raised eight children and achieved great success in business. John excelled in the commercial real estate investment industry, combining his talent and hard work with the passion he had for closing a deal and seeing a vision through to reality.
While achieving success was important to them, John and Kathy also believed deeply in raising kind and compassionate children, and lived their values at work and at home.
They recognized that, thanks to a combination of hard work and luck, they were able to give their children a lifestyle that they had not been afforded.
They were also heavily influenced by Kathy’s uncle, Monsignor John “Jack” Egan, a social justice leader and civil rights activist who often asked his family, friends, and even new acquaintances:
“What are you doing for justice?”
Fr. Jack was a fixture in the Schreiber home, bringing visitors from all walks of life, asking challenging questions about the systems and structures of oppression, and encouraging John and Kathy (and their young children) to press for equality, equity, fairness, and justice. From marching with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, to challenging the Catholic church to reform some of its more draconian policies, Fr. Jack left an indelible mark on how John and Kathy approach social issues.
Starting Their Philanthropic Journey
Over time, John, inspired by his deep Catholic faith, and Kathy, inspired by her service-oriented upbringing and Fr. Jack’s passion, began to commit more time and resources to their philanthropy. Their daughter, Heather Sannes, helped them launch the John and Kathleen Schreiber Foundation in 2005, and worked with them to build it over nearly two decades.
Education was a key area of focus from the beginning, as John credited his own success to good teachers and academic diligence. Over time, the giving focus evolved and expanded to adjacent areas, including health, housing, and human services.
Regardless of sector, John and Kathy’s philanthropy was – and continues to be – characterized by their unique and authentic commitment to human dignity, empathy, equity, and compassion. Instead of swooping in-and-out of projects or focusing solely on writing checks, they’ve committed to building long-lasting, meaningful relationships with partners. As a result, they have built a culture of true accompaniment, inspired by the Ignatian principle of joining another person’s journey, without being too far ahead or behind, leading to shared experiences and mutual respect.
Turning Up the Juice
As John and Kathy spent more time on their philanthropic work, a key question lingered: should they build the foundation to live in perpetuity, or should they “turn up the juice” (as John liked to phrase it), and plan to sunset the organization after giving all of their assets away?
Around this time, John and Kathy’s seventh child, Molly Cullum, joined the team on a full-time basis to help support the growth and strategic direction of the organization. Shortly after she joined, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, highlighting the urgent inequities they’d been working on for years, and calling them to increase their giving. In 2020, they scaled their grantmaking to respond to the varied needs of their partners and community. At the same time, they made a very personal decision to begin to spend down the wealth they had worked so hard to earn.
That decision set them on a course to grow strategically and think carefully about the impact they wanted to have.
Long-Term Impact
In 2023, Heather Sannes retired after nearly twenty years of service, and the Schreiber family hired Whitney Smith as their first non-family CEO. With support from Heather, who shifted into a board role, Whitney and Molly collaborated with John and Kathy to crystalize their desired philanthropic impact. As part of that effort, John and Kathy consolidated their various giving sources under a single brand, shifting from the John and Kathleen Schreiber Foundation to Schreiber Philanthropy.
This process also included the development of a revised mission statement, which reframed the work as inspiring hope by supporting the well-being and economic mobility of all people.
John and Kathy, with support from their board and team, also identified four key areas of focus for their giving: education, health, housing, and immigrant justice. In addition to these four key giving areas, John and Kathy decided to continue their special focus on Lake County, where they raised their children but also witnessed great disparities in wealth and access. Their Lake County grantmaking is broadly aligned with the four key giving areas, and they decided to continue some family giving outside of the defined impact areas.
Guiding Principles for the Future
After deciding to operate as a limited lifetime philanthropy, John and Kathy reaffirmed their intent to conduct their charitable work with the same discipline and rigor with which they conduct their business. Each grant will continue to require careful due diligence, thought partnership, and stewardship. This led to hiring additional team members to develop and execute upon cohesive strategic plans for each of the four giving areas.
And, while they hope to be able to witness the impact of their giving while they are living, they recognize the importance of communicating their guiding principles for their team and family. These values include:
Empathy and respect: putting the worth and dignity of all individuals at the center of the work.
Trust and partnership: recognizing this work can only be done in true collaboration, listening to partners and trusting them to lead.
Reflection and excellence: taking informed risks in service of impact and committing to continuous learning.
John and Kathy also rebuilt their board, who have a clear understanding of John and Kathy’s philanthropic interests, and will support them as they increase their giving.
While it is unlikely that John and Kathy will give away all of their assets in their lifetime, they have committed to grant as much as they can while they are here. After they’re gone, they expect their team to continue executing on their mission of enhancing well-being and economic mobility until the Foundation is spent down. While the timeline will depend on how much can be done in the years ahead, John and Kathy are committed to sharing transparent, ongoing updates with their grantees.