Unity Fund: A Look at Impact in 2025
The Chicago Community Trust’s Unity Fund is a testament to the power of collective giving. Since its founding in 2008 at the height…
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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Financial Health in Cook County: Why it Matters and How Policy Impacts Financial Well-Being
In 2025, The Chicago Community Trust, with support from JPMorganChase, commissioned the Financial Health Network to update the findings of its Financial Health…
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Responding to Chicago’s Urgent Needs in 2025
As the region’s community foundation, The Chicago Community Trust exists to respond to the needs of our region and the people who call…
All Stories
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Oral History: Preserving a More Diverse, Dynamic Legacy
As the second oldest community foundation in America, the Trust is dedicated to documenting its rich history, intertwined with Chicago philanthropy and with the development…
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In Humboldt Park, Healthy Food and Health Care Often Out of Reach
“Inadequate services mean you lose people when they’re finally willing to open up.” The name “Humboldt Park” conjures up one of Chicago’s most beloved outdoor…
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Health & Hunger, Support & Stigma in West Town’s Cultural Heart
“We need to take away shame of getting support.” Pay a visit to West-West Town’s main strip, and you’ll know you’ve arrived when you pass…
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Evolving Leadership, Enduring Commitment
Along with the new year has come an influx of strong new leadership to The Chicago Community Trust. We’re pleased to update you on several…
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Task Force Recommends Prison Alternatives for Youth with Mental Health Conditions
Illinois’ criminal justice system reports nearly 30,000 youth arrests and 11,000 youth admissions to local jails each year. Research consistently suggests that about 70% of…
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Immigration, Wage Suppression and Health in Little Village
“There is a fear of asking for help.” Often called “the Mexico of the Midwest,” Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood is a well-known port of entry…
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The "Craft Beer of Philanthropy" Turns 20
Select, meticulously curated grants. A hands-on, labor-intensive process to make sure organizations develop just right. That unique approach explains why members call Springboard Foundation “the…
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Technology is an Avenue, Learning is the Destination
Learning by doing. Youth choice. Open technologies for digital mapping. These are a few of the approaches that the Hive Chicago Fund for Connected Learning…
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Lawsuit Targets Illegal Property Tax Burden on Communities of Color
Communities of color in Cook County have been burdened by residential discrimination for decades—from Federal Housing Administration redlining beginning in the 1930s, to racial steering…
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Five Local-Food Innovators Helping Chicago Eat Sustainably
On December 6, students and staff at Humboldt Park’s Clemente High School opened the lids on their first boxes of fresh, affordable, locally grown food.…
