Jackie Borchew

Jackie Borchew

Jackie Borchew's story is one animal lovers and animal advocates can understand. She says, "I was always an animal lover. But as a graphic designer, Chicago School of the Art Institute graduating class of 1980, I found a 16 year career in the design field in Chicago working at various ad agencies, design firms and finally as a partner with my husband in our own design firm the Borchew Design Group." 

Shortly after she had completed an assignment for Riverwoods, IL the village in which she lives, the Mayor introduced her to the volunteer president of Orphans of the Storm telling her, "You can design signs and this man needs a sign."

Little did Jackie realize that by taking that assignment her life was about to change. She visited Orphans of the Storm animal shelter and designed a new logo and identity. However, seeing the animals waiting for adoption and the dedicated staff and volunteers touched Jackie deeply, so deeply that she spent the next five years and countless hours as a volunteer.  

Today, after 17 years with Orphans of the Storm, as Director of Development and Community Outreach Jackie says, "I have found a niche that I never imagined.  I was lucky to have found what became my passion through a design project, but even luckier to have seen the opportunity to build it into a dream job." 

Every day she continues to design her own job, developing programs to help the animals, to build adoption rates, creating annual fundraising events as well as a very active offsite adoption program, and most importantly matching up volunteers into key positions that benefit the shelter. There is much more to be done, and she plans to enjoy every step of the journey with these wonderful, overlooked, thrown away pets of Lake and northern Cook County, Illinois.

Her long and productive career with Orphans of the Storm Animal Rescue provides her the perspective to share the story of what is one of the oldest and largest animal rescue facilities in the country, and to inspire those who like her love animals and become awesome animal advocates.

Orphans of the Storm