Announcing the Morgante Wilson Foundation: Helping Make Home Ownership a Dream Come True

This holiday season, we’re bursting with excitement over our latest project: the formation of the Morgante Wilson Foundation. For the last thirty years – over the course of our entire careers as residential architects and business owners – we’ve designed homes for wonderfully appreciative and supportive clients. As well, we’ve each championed a variety of well-deserving philanthropic organizations. But we’re ready to do more – more good, for more people. And so we are merging our philanthropic endeavors by establishing the Morgante Wilson Foundation, which will act as a catalyst to fund sustainably affordable homes for a broader segment of our community than ever before.

As we have for more than a decade, MWA will continue to partner with Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH) to provide pro bono services for the drawing, design and permitting of their projects in Evanston, Highland Park, Lake Forest, and soon, Wilmette. As well, Fred will remain on CPAH’s Board. The Morgante Wilson Foundation will enable us to further solidify this partnership with even greater advocacy, outreach, and financial support.

How does it work? Our fundraising underwrites grants and donations used to buy land, so the homeowners we serve only have to qualify for the cost of their mortgage – without the cost of the land. It’s what makes their housing affordable, and provides them the necessary foundation to grow and thrive. Ultimately, affordable housing provides more than safe shelter – it provides life-changing stability. Offering this “leg up” to hard-working families also gives them access to great schools, enriching park district programs, exceptional libraries, and a supportive community. These valuable amenities, along with a safe and secure home, comprise the quality of life we believe everyone deserves.

Here’s just one example: By using grant money to underwrite the value of the land this once-empty Highland Park home sits on, CPAH was able to use additional grants – and donations – to purchase and rehab the house itself. Not only did the house become an asset to its neighborhood, it created a safe, stable, affordable home for the family who eventually purchased it. They’ve lived here for nearly five years now, and it’s no exaggeration to say that having a permanent home to call their own has positively altered the trajectory of their lives. That’s the power of affordable housing!

As residential architects and business owners, we’re proud to establish the Morgante Wilson Foundation to broaden the availability of affordable housing in our community – because we believe everyone deserves a place to call home.