2023 Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

STEPPING UP & OUT

11

EMPLOYEE SUPPORT

13

FINANCIAL OVERVIEW

14

DIRECTORS

15

DONORS

16

MISSION & VISION

1

LETTERS FROM LEADERSHIP

2

ASPIRITECH ACADEMY

6

ACE FUND

7

POWERFUL PARTNERSHIPS

8

ASPIRITECH MISSION

Meaningful employment and social opportunities for autistic adults VISION

Working together for a world that embraces neurodiversity by valuing talents, supporting challenges, and welcoming differences 1

LETTER FROM THE CEO To the Aspiritech Community, It's hard to believe another year has passed! Time tends to move fast when you are doing something you love, and I have never had a more fulfilling role in my professional career than the opportunity to lead this wonderful organization.

I decided to swap out my usual professional headshot for a picture that shows you something much more personal. This joyful picture is of my youngest son, Sjouke, on the day of his official autism

TARA MAY CEO

diagnosis eight years ago.

Sjouke was my introduction to neurodiversity, and he opened up a beautiful, magical world to me. The day I joined Aspiritech, I unknowingly gave something back to him — the representation of thriving, successful autistic adults — something often sorely missing in our representation of what’s possible.

Every day, Aspiritech works to provide a supportive environment for autistic adults, and the team in return shares their talents with each other. Seeing how our team members support, guide, and mentor each other is inspiring. As our team members grow and evolve as individuals, so does our organization. In 2023, this evolution was marked in myriad ways.

We greatly expanded our sales and marketing efforts, adding a Chief Growth Officer. We also hired two autistic adults to implement our sales and marketing efforts. Through this team, we laid the foundation for growth and success in 2024. They have done an incredible job finding new clients and strengthening Aspiritech.

Among 2023's highlights was our hosting of the Neurowrx International Conference. We were thrilled to host advocates for neurodiversity in the workplace from around the world in our Evanston office. We shared insights, strategies, success stories, and ideas to promote a more inclusive workplace environment during the three-day event. Our SUO activities continue to provide our team members with wonderful social opportunities. Our Aspiritech Remote Employment Academy saw its third year and has been expanded into a yearlong program, allowing us to expand our education and training opportunities.

None of this, however, would be possible without your support. Donations from individuals and organizations continue to help define Aspiritech. Your generosity allows us to fund our support team, a critical element of Aspiritech's mission. It also allows our ACE fund to continue to provide grants to team members in need. The value of these aspects of Aspiritech cannot be overstated.

I am so excited for Aspiritech's future and for a world that will, hopefully, fully embrace neurodiversity in the workplace. Thank you again for your support and for believing in Aspiritech's crucial mission.

Tara May CEO

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LETTER FROM THE CHAIR Dear Aspiritech Community, As I embark on my second year as board chair, I am thrilled to present our annual report. It has been an honor to serve this organization in a leadership capacity and to see firsthand the amazing work Aspiritech performs daily.

Our team members, 93% of whom are on the autism spectrum, define Aspiritech. Their dedication, hard work, and unique

MICHAEL DUFF BOARD CHAIR

perspectives make Aspiritech the extraordinary organization it is.

The last year has been one to celebrate, as Aspiritech continues its mission to not only provide a safe, supportive environment for autistic adults but also promote inclusive workplaces globally.

None of this would be possible without the unwavering support of generous donors, foundations, and partners. It is your belief in our mission and work that fuels Aspiritech. For that, we are eternally grateful. You should be proud of the work Aspiritech is doing because your support is crucial to making it happen.

I would like to express my deep appreciation for our management team, led by our exceptional CEO, Tara May. Under Tara's leadership, Aspiritech has expanded its sales and marketing team, adding a Chief Growth officer, which has positioned Aspiritech to grow and expand. The future for Aspiritech looks bright, thanks to a leadership team that is fully dedicated to this organization's mission.

I would also like to extend my deepest gratitude to our outstanding Board of Directors. Each board member brings a unique perspective and skillset. This allows our board to deliver resources and assistance to our leadership team and help Aspiritech fulfill its mission. I have been honored to work with this incredible and dedicated board of volunteers.

The Aspiritech community is wonderful to be a part of, and your continued support helps make it possible. We are confident that we can continue to serve the autistic community and fulfill Aspiritech's mission with friends and supporters like you. Thank you for being an integral part of what we do. Together, we will continue to break down barriers and unlock the incredible potential of autistic individuals.

With gratitude,

Michael Duff Aspiritech Board of Directors Chair

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WORKING FOR GROWTH Kayley Bogdan joined Aspiritech in November 2023 as Chief Growth Officer. With a deep background in digital strategy and product development in both the B2B and nonprofit spaces, she is uniquely poised to grow Aspiritech’s mission through revenue operations, business development, marketing, and advocacy efforts.

Kayley is a mother of two and a passionate advocate for making the world and work environments more inclusive. She comes to

KAYLEY BOGDAN CHIEF GROWTH OFFICER

Aspiritech from Do Big Things, where she led digital strategy for large nonprofits and advocacy organizations, including the American Heart Association, SEIU, Common Sense Media, and The DeBruce Foundation.

Sarah Clark joined Aspiritech in July 2023.

She plays a dual role in leading Neurowrx as executive director as well as pushing forward Aspiritech’s digital marketing strategies.

As an autistic adult herself, Sarah brings a credible voice from a place of lived experience to our content, our social media, and our brand.

SARAH CLARK DIRECTOR OF GROWTH MARKETING

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LOOKING FORWARD This year was transformational for Aspiritech as we operationalized and sophisticated our sales and marketing processes to position the organization for growth and expansion in 2024.

In addition to bringing on a Chief Growth Officer to lead our revenue strategy, Aspiritech also invested in sales and marketing team members and resources to support our ambitious goals. We continue to focus on scaling within our core capabilities — software QA testing, digital accessibility, and data services — as well as explore strategic expansions into related areas including cybersecurity, AI, automation, and development.

From expanding work within our current clients, to doubling the number of new clients we’re engaged with, to winning our first federal government contract, it’s exciting to see the next chapter of the organization unfold.

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ASPIRITECH ACADEMY

Thanks to generous grants from Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, HAAPE (Helping Adults with Autism Perform and Excel), and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, since 2022 we've conducted 6 Aspiritech Academy sessions and seen over 40 neurodivergent students graduate to exciting careers.

Aspiritech Academy not only provides invaluable knowledge about quality assurance and other technical work - it interfaces with Aspiritech team members and experts in the field, incorporates soft skills training, and allows participants access to all of Aspiritech's virtual and in-person activities, Employee Resource Groups, and support services.

Working with groups of 8-10 students at a time, our Academy Team, headed by Director Brian Sundh, guides participants through a tried-and-true sequence of trainings to teach fundamentals of Quality Assurance and on-the-job skills. We are now able to offer three Academy trainings a year and launched a partnership with HAAPE to involve many more students in the future.

If you are interested or know a candidate who might want to apply for a future training class, please contact our Academy Team at academy@aspiritech.org.

6

ACE GRANTS FOR AUTISTIC ADULTS ASSIST • CHANGE • EMPOWER The ACE FUND is an emergency fund for staff in need. ACE FUND grants are often pivotal to a recipient’s ability to maintain meaningful and gainful employment at Aspiritech, and thereby lead a healthy, independent life. All grant applications are filled out by Aspiritech team members and reviewed anonymously by an independent committee, and all interactions are mitigated by trained staff.

In 2023, the ACE FUND distributed more than $18,000 in grants. This resource was a lifeline for many employees facing unexpected hardships, including medical bills, legal fees for life transitions, COVID-related trauma and challenges, and assistance with auto repairs. In some cases, the ACE FUND kept employees housed. Since its inception, the ACE FUND has awarded 76 grants totaling more than $140,000 to autistic adults.

Funded by the generous contributions of community members and foundation partners, the goal of the ACE FUND is to assist, change, and empower staff.

ASSIST with transportation, housing, or short-term unexpected medical, family, and other emergency expenses.

CHANGE the quality of life by funding programs or services incorporating fitness, health and wellness, and independent living.

EMPOWER through funding continuing education opportunities, advocacy programs, and navigation of resources and benefits.

To learn more about the ACE FUND or to make a contribution to help our team members most in need, please contact Tara May, CEO, at tara.may@aspiritech.org or (517) 862-2893.

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POWERFUL PARTNERSHIPS

STATE & LOCAL We believe advocacy starts where you are. We’ve worked hard to establish firm relationships right here where our roots are in Chicagoland. In 2024 we worked with the Center for Independent Futures to host a roundtable on housing issues for autistic adults.

Katie Levin, Aspiritech’s digital producer, represented Aspiritech at the Evanston Workforce Development Symposium. We’ve hosted tours and mentorship opportunities for many school districts in the area, including The Cove School in Northbrook.

We’re delighted to have joined The Economic Club of Chicago and work with business leaders throughout the area to make a powerful difference. We joined Oakton Community College’s neurodiversity event.

We’re so grateful to all our partners at the local and state level for representing the neurodiversity movement close to home.

8

REACHING AROUND THE GLOBE

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL Aspiritech’s model acts not only as an incredible organization itself but also as one that is studied and respected nationwide and around the world.

Our partnership with the Consumer Technology Association Foundation gave us a presence advocating for accessibility and neurodiversity at the CES show in Las Vegas. We also hosted visitors from Lima, Peru, as well as Singapore, Australia, and many other countries.

Aspiritech was also host to the international conference for Neurowrx in 2023, with a dozen autistic employment advocates gathered together to discuss advancing the space around the table of our Evanston office. Our neurodiversity movement podcast, On The Verge, put us in touch with self-advocates all over the country.

We consider ourselves humbled to be in conversations with the neurodiversity movement around the nation and the globe.

9

OUR MINDS & BODIES

HEALTH INNOVATION We want to thank Endeavor Health (formerly North Shore University Health) for bringing their Simbulance to our Evanston offices. They showed Aspiritech staff how be comfortable in medical situations in an ambulance or hospital, and even how to potentially save lives using chest compressions and an AED machine. We also discussed advocating for yourself when autism may complicate other medical situations.

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STEPPING UP & OUT Since 2012, and thanks to the generosity of The Grandy Foundation, Aspiritech established, has implemented, and has continually fine-tuned its Stepping Up and Out (SUO) program. We are happy to report that we have successfully transitioned to a permanent hybrid program (a mix of virtual programming and in-person programming) that is serving our many participants (both employees and community members) who live in the Chicagoland area and sometimes even further!

Thanks to your support, SUO has provided hundreds of diverse social enrichment and wellness activities to our staff members with autism, as well as to others from the general

Aspiritech’s CEO, Tara May, has continued to be

autism community. This has allowed for many

a strong advocate for SUO programming, and

participants to form friendships even outside of

she frequently attends in-person events. She

Aspiritech’s programming, which achieves one

also encourages staff to participate, and always

of Aspiritech’s goals of helping individuals form

enjoys getting to see them, along with

organic social relationships.

community participants, having a good time.

Also importantly, continued use of tried-and-

SUO leadership and activity planning has shifted

true classics, such as social programming and

to our staff on the autism spectrum with

supportive empowerment groups; and new

assistance from our support team (ESS)

innovations, such as the Hey Taco rewards

members and much input from participants. Alex

program and Employees of the Quarter

Dudasik, Aspiritech’s Community Engagement

recognition, promote affirmation of each

and Happiness Coordinator, continues to grow

individual's unique strengths, talents, and

in terms of professionalism and program

contributions, not only to the success of

leadership. He now coordinates and oversees

Aspiritech as a business, but also to promote

several other autistic staff members who assist

continuous improvement in confidence and

with programming.

self-esteem, that can be generalized to all aspects of the employee’s life.

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STEPPING UP & OUT

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OUR SUPPORT TEAM OUR WORK Working hand in hand with Aspiritech Operations, our Employee Support Specialist (ESS) team is an integral element of this organization. These professionals incorporate diverse backgrounds and methodologies into their daily interactions with Aspiritech team members, and are dedicated first and foremost to elevating the mind and body wellness of all employees.

They are trained in First Aid, Mental Health Awareness, and the QPR (or Question, Persuade, Refer) method, the leading Suicide recognition and prevention program available today. They facilitate Employee Resource Groups, run the Aspiritech Academy, mediate interactions, and most importantly, take into account the entire individual team member and their wishes while navigating, and moving through, conflict and blockers.

OUR GRATITUDE . *More than 50% of the costs of funding our support services, including technical coaches and the emergency grant ACE FUND, comes from our generous philanthropic partners.

The following foundations have supported our wraparound services over the years: Barnsley Fund, Modestus Bauer Foundation, Alvin H. Baum Family Fund, Helen Brach Foundation, Fred. J. Brunner Foundation, Debicki Foundation, Finnegan Family Foundation, Julian Grace Foundation, Grandy Foundation, Christopher L. and M. Susan Gust Foundation, Health Care Foundation of Highland Park, Takiff Family Foundation, and Sweeney Family Foundation.

We are also deeply grateful to the many other donors who have contributed to the success of our ESS services.

Thank you!

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FINANCIAL OVERVIEW REVENUE Client Revenue

$4.97M

Foundation Donations

$680K

Individual Donations

$84K

COVID Relief Funds

$2.02M

EXPENSES Program Costs

$6.2M

Management & Admin Costs

$237K

Foundation Donations 8.7%

COVID Relief Funds 25.9%

Client Revenue 63.6%

Management & Admin Costs 3.7%

Program Costs

*All financial numbers are fully audited.

96.3%

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Aspiritech’s dedicated Board of Directors plays a critical role in our success.

The Board volunteers their time tirelessly to ensure that our goal of providing meaningful employment for individuals on the autism spectrum is met.

Our Board includes leaders in technology, law, healthcare, communications, and social services.

OFFICERS Michael P. Duff, Jr., Executive Director, Technology Engineering and Execution, CME Group; Chair Janice Block Chaddock, Retired Global Education Executive; Vice-Chair Sharon Bielski RN, BSN, MS; Secretary Alan Berkowitz, Retired; Treasurer

BOARD MEMBERS Vivek Chopra, Executive Chairman; Strategic Advisor; Board Member; Mentor Kyle Cramer, Diverse Partner Development at Microsoft Maureen Dunne, Ph.D., Co-Founder, Managing Partner, Autism Angels Group Roman Eisenberg, Head of Digital Banking Technology, JP Morgan Chase Consumer and Community Banking Matt Epstein, Staff Accountant, Misericordia Home Mitch Greenwald, Business Technology Executive (semi-retired) Steve Henkels, Retired Senior Technology Executive Kelly Killian, PR & Media Executive Rachel Loftin, Ph.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist Benjamin Prozinski, Digital Transformation Architect Emily Raclaw, MS, LPC, CRC Director, On Your Marq, Marquette University David Rappaport, Rappaport Reiches Capital Management Nikhil Sonpal, Chief Executive Officer, Mobility Quotient Marcus Williams, Accounting System Manager Brad Zelinger, Founder and CEO, Stride Autism Centers 15

ASPIRITECH 2023 DONORS $130,000

Anonymous

$85,000-$112,500

The Coleman Foundation The Grandy Foundation Christopher L. and M. Susan Gust Foundation

$50,000

Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation

$20,000-$49,999

Alvin H. Baum Family Fund Fred. J. Brunner Foundation HAAPE Foundation Julian Grace Foundation Phyllis and Perry Schwartz Foundation

$10,000-$19,999

Fidelity Charitable Helen Brach Foundation Modestus Bauer Foundation

$5,000-$9,999

Yung Bong and Peggy Lim Fund Eric and Laurie Chern Debicki Foundation Goldman Sachs Giving Finnegan Family Foundation William McIntosh, in honor of Condre Koepfgen and her parents, Bruce and Kristin

16

$1,000-$4,999 Abbott Action Electric Sales Gray Benoist Mrs. Sharon and Dr. Robert Bielski* Michael and Nina Blechman Linda and Robert Braun Carolyn and Ray Burton Byline Bank Rachelle Jervis Chopra Vivek and Bernadette Chopra CME Group Community Foundation Michael Duff and Chantal Forster Roman and Julia Eisenberg Matthew Epstein Trust Julie and Brian Finerty* Jill and Brad Gordon Family Foundation, in honor of Alan Berkowitz Mitch and Amy Greenwald

Steven and Elise Henkels JP Morgan Chase Kenton Klaus Charitable Fund Tara May and Brian Slupski* Maria Race*, in honor of the Weitzberg family David and Karen Rappaport* Patricia Sayre, in memory of Anna and Ferdinand Golenko Mitchell and Barbara Serota Glenn and Susan Snyder Jim and Joanne Steinback Trillium Foundation UK Online Giving Foundation Walter S. Mander Foundation James and Minerva Weiss Foundation Linda Murakishi Whitted* Bradley Zelinger

$500-$999 AbbVie Employee Engagement Aon Foundation Reva Auerbach* Emily Carroll Janice Block Chaddock William Chiasson Chicago Running and Social Events Teri and Dennis Dudasik* Yuji and Rika Fukunaga Grainger Richard Meehan Andy and Nancy Mills

Todd and Lori Newberger Sashi Reddi Manu Rekhi Ridgewood High School Michelle and Larry Rivkin Drs. Deborah and Laurence Segil* Beverly and Myron Shapiro Drs. Hong Zhang & Xian-He Sun Donald and Carmella Tozzo Susan Wagner* Benjamin and Nicole Wineman Cynthia Wolfson

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$250-$499 Jean and Dr. John H. Beckerman, in honor of Andrew Beckerman* Ben Bielski Linda Bowers Joan Costello Joann Dinneen Victor and Annette Feldman

Vicki Jenkins* Dale Kehr Edward Koznarek Pete Manautou Alap Patel Elaine Schafer* Akhil Verma Jessica and Michael Young

$100-$249 Shikha Aggarwal James Almas Jennifer Amdur-Spitz Andrea Arndt Kenneth Ashman Natalie and Bruce Belrose Alan Berkowitz and Andrea Mann Ravi Bhagavan Anurag Bhatia Bindy Bitterman Lawrence Buchanan Suzan Caspell Hiral Chandrana Sunil and Maria Chopra Daniel Contreras Kyle and Chandra Cramer Leslie Davis Laleen and John Doerrer Dr. Ira and Mrs. Amy Dolnick Facebook Kurt A. and Marguerite Feichtmeir Janet Freed Steven and Brianne Froehlich*

Harvey and Bonny Gaffen, in honor of Brenda and Moshe Richard Gardner Jeremy and Irene Gibson Thomas and Carol Gilbert Richard and Bonny Goldin Gail and Donald Goldstein Amy Greenebaum Louis and Suzanne Greenwald Sue and Dick Greenwald Vikas Gurugunti Craig Hallenstein James and Kelly Hart Hirsch Charitable Fund Maria Jensen Ida Kersz Sameer Kishore Arlene and David Koenigs Arieh Konigl, PhD Toby and Moshe Liebowitz Rhita Lippitz, in honor of Robin Kacyn for her dedication Rachel Loftin

Kevin McCarthy Lynn Mohr Joy Murawski Rakesh Nangia David Nehmadi Lynette Nichols Newman Paul Opiela Michael O’Shields Linda Parker James Pellegrino and Susan Goldman Cheryl Perry Ted and Joan Podeszwa Debbie and Scott Rudin Don Shearn Deborah Silver Ronnie Sokol Nikhil Sonpal Yana and Gene Sosonkin US Cellular Associate Matching Linda Wagner Dr. Moshe and Yonatan Zamir Beth Zanon 18

UNDER $100 Anonymous Mel and Donna Alexander, in honor of Rick Alexander Kateri Atkins Mary Bauling NS Balasubramian Ruth Bittner Eileen Blondin Ron Brix Marsha Brody Barbara and David Campbell Leslie Corn Betty Dayron Shayna Bailey Foley Skip Frost Lorraine Geyer Paul Guggenheim Marcia Haier Mark Hess Rajiv Jayaraman Jeffrey Kadison Jeff Kaufman Kelly Smith Killian

IN-KIND DONORS Julio Berlin Julie Finerty Amanda Herbert Hughes Tabitha Lyon Tara May Louise Pearson

Travis Kroot Vanessa Puchalaska Linke Barbette and Arthur Loevy Gail Lovinger Oranda May Kourtney McGrew Donna Mirro Sally Mydill Ganesh Pai Paypal Giving Fund Annette Sacks Stuart Sadick Rahul Shah Sharon Slupski Maria Talarico Mitch and Nancy Trudell Jeanni Watson Moshe and Brenda Weitzberg

Ben Prozinski Nixon Peabody LLP Mobility Quotient Tech Soup Upmetrics Marcus Williams

*MINDS: MONTHLY IMPACT NEURODIVERSITY DONOR SOCIETY

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2023 TEAM MEMBERS Aaron Berkowitz

David Domeier

Joseph Goodmann

Reanin Stone

Aaron Pizarek

Dominick Bruno

Joseph Vidal

Rider Hallenstein

Alan Stahl

Donald Schickel

Joshua Buchhop

Robert Dowling

Alexander Dudasik

Douglas Norton

Joshua Haworth

Robin Kacyn

Alexander Bowers

Dustin Chiasson

Julia Opalinski

Ryan Bennett

Alicia Moore

Eitan Sacks

Julie Finerty

Ryan Murawski

Andrew Beckerman

Elaine Larsen

Justin Jungst

Samuel Newman

Andrew Nelson

Emma Straznickas

Katina Levin

Samantha Sayre

Anna Suiter

Eric Lawson

Kayley Bogdan

Sarah Clark

Annie Brinkman-Muller

Eric States

Kyle O'Shields

Sarah Meehan

Anthony Pease

Gail Henjum

Kyle Verbeke

Scott Weiss

Austin Van Der Karr

Han Cheng

Lauren Birnhak

Sebastian Haake

Bonny Goldin

Holly Holtz

Leah Rappaport

Shea Brisben

Bradley Burton

Ian Race

Lewis Concklin

Sheila Serota

Bradley Cohen

Ian Strahan

Macartan Summerville

Stephen Braun

Brandon Johnson

Isaac Gibson

Mary Kate Naughton

Tara May Tesimu

Brandt Schafer

Jack Opiela

Matan Raff

Thanh Hang Pham

Brent Austin

Jacob Bielski

Matthew Hemauer

Timothy Ackermans

Brent Hornig

Jacob Foley

Maxwell Huffman

Timothy Collins

Brian Sundh

Jacob Fox

Michael Bjornson

Timothy Kim

Brian Tozzo

Jacob Klein

Michael Frederick

Titus Quarles

Cara Cusack

Jake Sapir

Misha Yunovich

Trevor Sayre

Casey Parker

Jamari Briggs

Mitchell Bandes

Troy Slager

Christian Dorantes

James Box

Mitzi Van Der Karr

William Hickey

Christopher Coe

Jared Bunzol

Nathan Schram

Winston Tsao

Christopher Horning

Jason Polakoff

Nicholas Papageorge

Wolfgang McKeown

Christopher Newton

Jeffrey Therens

Olivia Larsen

Zachary Davidson

Colin Raiden-McRae

Jennifer Goubeaud

Oran Weitzberg

Zachary Wyman

Cuiying Lin

John Bruder

Owen Travis

Daniel Auerbach

John Colao

Paul Chancey

Daniel Belrose

John Cooley

Rachael Brusic

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THANK YOU

Phone/

+312-945-TEST Email/

info@aspiritech.org Website/

www.aspiritech.org Address/

939 Chicago Avenue Evanston, IL 60202