Bearing Gifts—Innovative Soldier Field Employee Finds Creative Ways to Help Kids

July 22, 2025

In between pro football games, concerts, and other events at Chicago’s Soldier Field, Maggie Szot, a human resource manager at Soldier Field – ASM Global, likes to bring warmth, dignity, and joy to our young people and families.

Last fall, Szot and Soldier Field partnered with Soldiers’ Angels to collect leftover, unused Halloween candy for Chicago’s Jesse Brown VA Hospital and to Mercy Home —an unexpected and delightful treat that brought smiles to many faces.  During the Christmas season, she coordinated a clothing drive with Soldier Field that benefitted Mercy Home. The donations provided much-needed winter wear for our youth and Community Care members.

And last spring, Szot launched a new initiative inspired by a program at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. The stadium’s strict clear bag policy often results in the collection of unclaimed or non-compliant bags and purses following concerts. Rather than letting these items go to waste, stadium management began donating them to local charities.

Szot saw an opportunity to bring that same spirit of reuse and support to Chicago. Now, thanks to her efforts, all purses collected at Soldier Field concerts are being donated to Mercy Home. These purses will either be sold at Mercy Beaucoup, a Chicago upscale resale boutique that benefits Mercy Home, or given directly to our youth and community care members, offering both practical support and dignity. For example, over 100 bags were donated following three Beyoncé concerts in May.

Szot continues to explore new ways to support Mercy Home’s mission. Over Memorial Day weekend, she collected shirts and sweaters left behind by participants in a 10K run at Soldier Field. Rather than discarding them, Szot dropped the clothes off at Mercy Home where they will be put to good use, both by our youth or to generate needed support through our resale store. Mercy Home raises nearly 100% of the resources it needs to provide services for kids and families, which includes financial and in-kind donations and proceeds from sales at Mercy Beaucoup.

Szot’s warmth, initiative, and commitment demonstrate what a strong community partnership can look like. Thank you, Maggie Szot, and our friends at Soldier Field, for turning every concert, holiday, and opportunity into a moment of joy and sharing.