Feeding Change in Our Region
The Chicago Region Food System Fund is a group of funders and community partners working together to build a more resilient local food…
Stories
Spotlights on community issues, the people, and the organizations who contribute to effective philanthropy as well as a stronger Chicago region and world.
Recent Stories
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Cultivating a Bright Future in Little Village
Little Village, or La Villita, has a long history of welcoming immigrant communities, starting with the German, Czech and Polish residents who flocked…
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Boosting Impact: The Amplification Fund
The Amplification Fund is an opportunity for donors to participate directly in the Trust’s grantmaking and join a community of philanthropists with similar…
“Experts & Opinions” Stories
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Welcoming Chicago’s Newest Neighbors
Recently I was in New York City on a family vacation. During this trip, my 10-year-old daughter’s must-see list included the Statue of Liberty. Many…
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Community Development Builds Framework to Close Racial Wealth Gap
This article was originally published in the Chicago Tribune on May 17, 2022. Chicago’s cycle of neighborhood disinvestment may be at a turning point. As…
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Strengthening Community Organizing Infrastructure is Central to COVID-19 Recovery Efforts
A little over two years ago, the pandemic forced us to collectively adapt to an unprecedented set of circumstances. Community organizers quickly pivoted to address…
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For the Economy to Recover, the People Must Recover
For two years we worked to combat COVID-19 – masked up, stood six feet apart, got vaccinated, and then carried proof. Today, we continue rising…
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Violence as a Public Health Crisis: Starting Off with the Right Question
“Have you eaten?” Inevitably, this is the first question my parents ask guests who enter their home. My parents are fluent in three languages: Korean,…
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MLK Day Prompts a Look at How the Trust is Living Its Mission
Our national observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday is a time for reflection, but also for action that can lead to long-term change.…
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The Importance of a City Ward Remapping Process that is Transparent, Incorporates Community Voice, and Strengthens Resident Representation
As part of the Trust’s Building Collective Power and Advocating for Policy Change teams, I often reflect on different strategies to actively engage and uplift…
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Make CTC/EITC Improvements Permanent: Sound Economic Policy with Far Reaching Impacts
There’s a political game playing out in Washington, and the stakes could not be higher. Will the debt ceiling be raised? Will major infrastructure legislation…
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Trusted Voices: Organizing for Change
As a part of its 10-year strategy to close the Chicago region’s racial and ethnic wealth gap, the Trust made a deliberate commitment to investing…
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Land is the Truest Asset
A few years ago, I attended a peer city exchange with representatives from Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles. In the spirit of mutual…
