Last week, volunteers from HSAwareness, the social outreach arm of HSA Commercial Real Estate, returned to Chicago Commons’ Paulo Freire Family Center in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood to help freshen up the playground for the upcoming school year. This marks the third consecutive year the HSAwareness team, led by HSA CEO Bob Smietana (right) and SVP Josephine Thomas-Hoytt (second from left), have assisted with the playground restoration.

The playground weathers the harsh Chicago winters every year. This time around, HSAwareness' team sanded and stained logs and a wooden patio canopy, and hauled and spread fresh mulch and wood chips throughout the playground.

HSA Commercial was named 2016 Corporate Partner of the Year by Chicago Commons, HSA’s long-term social outreach partner and a leading provider of early childhood education and senior care services in low-income Chicago neighborhoods.