We all benefit from time spent outside - for clarity, connection, compassion, creativity - but that can be hard.

SUM makes it easy for everyone to find their place outside by creating restorative experiences…

… for all

… to reconnect

… to take a breath and a break

SUM does the hard work of making outside easy.

Four people from Daylight sit in discussion during a staff retreat, in a sunny summer forest.

What SUM Does

SUM brings the benefits of time spent outside - focus, calm, insight, connection - to people and groups who need it. We curate and lead wellness outings, trainings, retreats and more - all outside, and close to Chicago.

We prioritize experiences in Chicago’s Southland and Northwest Indiana. We focus on procurement, hiring and partnerships that are local and supportive of communities frequently excluded from the benefits of experiences outside.

Whether yours is a workplace group, a social organization, a class or a group of friends, SUM works with you to understand your needs and aspirations, and then we customize an experience or set of experiences around you.

And while we believe everyone can benefit from time spent outside, we know that is disproportionately difficult for some. Our model ensures that welcoming, inclusive, purposeful and memorable experiences outside are available to all.

Two women from PODER walk and talk through a sunny fall forest during a staff retreat and training in appreciative inquiry.
A member of South Loop Moms n Tots walks along a gravel road, with smoke from a controlled burn creating haze on the horizon.

Why SUM Does It

There are many reasons people don’t spend more time outside. It’s considered unusual at work or limited to the weekend. People don’t know where to go. People don’t want to go alone. People have been excluded because of race, disability, gender, identity or income. The outdoors and nature feel like someone else’s. The list goes on and on.

SUM is working to change this. We all can benefit physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually from time spent outside - as long as it’s easy, safe and welcoming. SUM is working to ensure that our core premise - everyone + outside - means just that.

Whatever your group, and whatever your need, SUM makes it easy, welcoming, inclusive, meaningful and memorable.

Sx members of the PODER staff smile and playfully flex their muscles for the camera.

Griselda Piedra, PODER

“SUM allowed me and my team to connect without office distractions and truly listen to each other. Absolutely had a wonderful time and can’t wait to do it again.”

Rae Perez, Daylight

“SUM helped our organization step back, take a breath and see ourselves in a new light. Being outside together helped us connect to ourselves, each other and our work in a different way. ”

Kyle Berry, Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd.

“SUM offered me and my co-workers the opportunity to connect purposefully outside work in a setting that allowed us to reflect, laugh and learn more about each other.”

Crystal Ritger, member of South Loop Moms n Tots

“The event was extremely fun and relaxing. SUM provided an environment that allowed for reflection and comfort.”

Two people from the Daylight staff do a writing exercise, sitting in a sunny forest with a bouquet of seasonal flowers.

All day staff retreat and culture setting discussion - Daylight

  • "SUM got us out of the office and into the Palos Preserves for a day of reflection and reconnection — helping us get aligned, focused, and energized for our organizational development work ahead. Grateful for the safe, comfortable, and thoughtful experience SUM created for us!”

    Lyndon Valicenti, Daylight

Two women from staff of Burke Engineering are standing on a beach at Indiana Dunes National Park, with Lake Michigan waves crashing behind them.

Employee wellness walks - Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd.

  • "The Indiana Dunes trip was fun, informative, and refreshing! It was wonderful to spend time with coworkers and their families in such a laidback and unique setting. Thanks, SUM!”

    Andie Maertens-Pizzo, CBBEL

Ten members of the PODER staff are gathered in a sunny fall forest for reflection during a staff retreat.

Staff retreat and training in appreciative inquiry - PODER

  • “I do firmly believe that being outside, specifically while walking in the woods, greatly contributed to my clarity of thinking and my willingness to express myself more openly. I highly recommend the experience”

    Dan Loftus, PODER

SUM Examples

  • A professional headshot of Lesley Roth, SUM's Board President.

    Lesley Roth

    Board President

    Principal, Lamar Johnson Collaborative

  • Jennifer Guzman, SUM's Board Vice President, sitting on a log in the woods with her dog.

    Jennifer Guzman

    Board VP

    Independent Consultant

  • Ashley Eisenmenger, SUM's Board Secretary, being awarded a medal on a podium following a triathlon.

    Ashley Eisenmenger

    Board Secretary

    Disability Inclusion Training Specialist, Access Living

  • A casual photo of Andrew Geer, SUM's Board Treasurer, on a beach by Lake Michigan.

    Andrew Geer

    Board Treasurer

    Principal, Blue Eddy Community Advisors, LLC

  • A casual photo of Josh Ellis, SUM's Executive Director. He is leading a group discussion outside with trees in the background.

    Josh Ellis

    Executive Director, SUM

  • A professional headshot of Heather Miller, one of SUM's Board Members.

    Heather Miller

    Board Member

    Director of Historic Preservation and Tribal Relations, Illinois State Museum

  • A photo of Angela Brooks, one of SUM's Board Members, speaking in a professional setting. Skyscrapers are in the background.

    Angela Brooks

    Board Member

    Director, Illinois Program at Corporation for Supportive Housing

  • Juan Carlos Linares, one of SUM's Board Members, standing on the edge of an oceanside cliff with an island and tropical blue water behind him.

    Juan Carlos Linares

    Board Member

    President and CEO, Association House of Chicago

  • Shannon Madden, one of SUM's Board Members, standing outside in front of the opening to a cave..

    Shannon Madden

    Board Member

    Public Sector Consultant, Crowe LLP

About SUM

SUM’s our name and our philosophy. It means everyone + outside. It means restorative experiences, new amenities and unique partnerships. It means more people spending more time outside in more ways. SUM means the total positive impact of all that.

SUM is a registered 501(c)3, founded in 2022.

We know it is disproportionately difficult for some groups to get outside and benefit from it. We use resources earned from full-service clients and their experiences to provide the same kinds of experiences to mission-aligned groups supporting people and communities frequently excluded from outdoor spaces. SUM also gratefully accepts charitable giving to support our efforts.

Several staff members from Burke Engineering descend a wooden staircase toward the beach at Indiana Dunes National Park, with Lake Michigan waves in the background.
Three members of PODER's staff smile and laugh at a picnic table during a staff retreat discussion.
SUM's Josh Ellis and two members of the Daylight staff smiled toward the camera as the sun sets behind them.

Contact SUM

Have an idea for an experience? Want to talk about your group’s needs? Curious what might be possible? Just want to learn more? Let's talk!

Josh Ellis, Executive Director, josh@sum.fun

SUM is a registered 501(c)3 social enterprise, and all charitable donations are fully tax deductible. Make a gift today! SUM is in its infancy and your giving now will have an outsized impact on the growth of the organization.

Please send checks payable to SUM NFP, 1322 S. Wabash Ave., #402, Chicago, IL 60605 - Thank you!

Photography (for the most part) by Kathleen Hinkel

The whole PODER staff sits under a large oak tree, with orange fall leaves, in discussion with SUM's Josh Ellis.
Staff from PODER walk single file along a narrow forest path, surrounded by bright sun and fall foliage.
Six members of the Burke Engineering staff walk along a waterfront boardwalk at Indiana Dunes National Park.