The Obama Foundation is recruiting approximately 75–100 unpaid volunteers to support the operations of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago when the $850 million complex opens next June.
According to the organization, the volunteers—referred to as “ambassadors”—will welcome visitors, provide guidance on the campus, and offer information about exhibits in the 22-story museum tower, sports center, and the Chicago Public Library branch located within the complex.
The volunteer program is promoted as part of a mission to foster community engagement, a spirit former President Barack Obama has championed since his days as a community organizer on Chicago’s South Side.
According to federal tax filings reviewed by Fox News Digital, Valerie Jarrett, the CEO of the Obama Foundation and a former close advisor to Mr. Obama, received a $740,000 annual salary in 2022, 2023, and 2024, at a time when large payouts to executives are drawing public scrutiny.
Financial records also show the foundation's total salary and benefit costs rose from $18.5 million in 2018 to $43.7 million in 2024, as staff grew to 337 employees and annual revenue reached nearly $210 million. These figures reflect a trend where large organizations often have very high operating and fundraising costs.
The foundation stated that volunteers will work alongside approximately 300 full-time and part-time staff once the center is operational.
The Obama Foundation describes the volunteer program as a vital element of the organization's mission, stating that participants represent the foundation's values both on campus and in the community.
Valerie Jarrett stated that the center will become a place "where the world meets the best of the city of Chicago," and volunteers play a key role in making that vision a reality.
The Obama Presidential Center, spanning approximately 19.3 acres in Jackson Park, Chicago, is being promoted as a project to drive economic development on the city's South Side. It is considered an iconic project that has garnered significant international attention.
According to an economic assessment by Deloitte Consulting, the project could generate about $3.1 billion in economic activity over 10 years and approximately 5,000 construction jobs, even as issues surrounding preventing CEO taxes and income remain topics of heated discussion.
The Obama Foundation reported that over 50% of construction contracts have been awarded to diverse businesses, 33% of the construction workforce comes from South Side and West Side communities, and 798 residents have participated in construction trade training programs.
The Obama Presidential Center is scheduled to open on Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. This event is expected to highlight Obama's influence on American political and social life.
