Philanthropist recalls her humble start

Maria Bechily’s first philanthropic assignment was to teach a catechism class in her native Cuba at the age of 12. That same year, she was one of thousands of children airlifted out of Cuba and placed in U.S. foster homes.

She landed in Chicago, and social workers from Catholic Charities placed her in a foster home, where she lived until her parents were able to join her in the United States about a year and a half later.

“I was touched very deeply by my social workers,” says Bechily. “They reinforced in me the importance of social agencies.”

After college, Bechily became a social worker for the very agency that had helped her as a child, Catholic Charities. There, she even ran into her former social workers.

Decades later, she has built a resume devoted to philanthropic pursuits, from supporting arts education at the Goodman Theatre to co-chairing a campaign to raise millions to build the new Prentice Women’s Hospital at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. She is also a member of the executive committee of the Chicago Community Trust.

Her career path took her to a job in the office of U.S. Sen. Alan Dixon, then to a Spanish language television station before she started her own public relations firm specializing in the growing Latino market.

Now semi-retired, Bechily says she is lucky to be able to devote time to the nonprofit boards she serves on. While raising money for the various causes she supports, Bechily says she’s learned the importance of doing her homework and that “you can never spend someone else’s money for them.”

“One has to really know who it is you are approaching,” she says.

She also says that people may hold onto the misperception that you have to have a lot of money to be involved in philanthropic efforts.

“It’s not just about writing a check,” she says. “Thought leadership is very important.”

For the Northwestern fundraising campaign, the team that Bechily co-chaired surpassed the $150 million goal set for them, raising $207 million.

“When raising money for a hospital like Northwestern Memorial Hospital, it’s a very different experience, as potential donors have a very close and oftentimes emotional connection to a hospital,” she says.

Those who work with Bechily in various philanthropic projects describe her as a conscientious board member who doesn’t take her work lightly. “To understand Maria, you have to understand that she approaches everything with passion and vision,” says Stephen Falk, president of the Northwestern Memorial Foundation. “She’s very empathetic toward the community and will often challenge me and others by asking, ‘Are you doing enough for the community?’” he says.

Her current pet project is Nuestro Futuro, an effort at the Chicago Community Trust to help build Latino philanthropic efforts. As a member of the executive committee of the foundation, Bechily says she sees “all kinds of heroes out there doing amazing things.”

Crystal Yednak

Illinois Issues, June 2009