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…
All Stories
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Lifeblood for Nonprofits: Why Donors Should Choose General Operating Support
As the year draws to an end, many donors are deciding how to make their final charitable gifts for 2018. No matter what cause they’re…
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What a Difference a Year Makes: ADA 25 Advancing Leadership Fellows for 2019
Emily Harris is a senior director at The Chicago Community Trust and serves as executive director for ADA 25 Advancing Leadership, an initiative to build…
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It’s Time: Advancing Economic Equity in Chicago
Since coming to Chicago and The Chicago Community Trust a little over a year ago, I have been spending a lot of time listening and…
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Empowering Communities by Raising Up Latina Leaders
At a rally outside the Thompson Center in downtown Chicago, an impassioned speaker in a purple t-shirt takes the mic. “We believe in a state…
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How the Public Charge Rule Could Endanger Illinois Families
On October 10, 2018, the Department of Homeland Security published a proposed new rule that would change who is considered a “public charge”—and could radically…
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Designing a Space Where Chicago’s Youth Live Safely – and Authentically
On a quiet corner in Greater Grand Crossing, a former church daycare center is being transformed in both structure and purpose. By spring 2019, after…
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How Small Arts Nonprofits Lead Neighborhoods Forward
Across the city of Chicago, small arts and culture organizations serve as vital neighborhood assets—responding to local needs ranging far beyond the arts. That’s according…
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West Englewood Tells Complex Truths about Health, Race and Violence
“If we’re constantly slammed with these images, we will be looking over our shoulders rather than reaching out to each other.” Englewood is often depicted…
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California Wildfires: How You Can Help
A series of deadly wildfires is raging across California, forcing the evacuation of entire communities as businesses, homes and lives are lost. Now the deadliest…
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Hermosa’s Health Challenges Highlight Wellness Barriers for Immigrants
“A lot of moms can’t get the nutrition they need.” Tucked into Chicago’s northwest side, Hermosa—“beautiful” in Spanish—is aptly named for its scenic residential blocks.…
