Working Together to Care for Our Neighbors
The Chicago region has a long and valued tradition of community organizations working alongside government to deliver essential services and enhance residents’ lives.…
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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Bob Crawford’s Journey from Business Leader to Philanthropic Changemaker
Individual giving remains the driving force behind philanthropy in the United States. Even amid market uncertainty, giving increased by 3.3 percent in 2024…
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Young Leaders Fund Awards $100,000 in Community-Based Grants
Young Leaders Fund (YLF), an initiative of The Chicago Community Trust, provides young professionals with an innovative way to make a difference in Chicago…
All Stories
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Business Leaders Discover the South Side's 'Best-Kept Secret'
For the last seven years, I have had the distinct honor to be the principal at Southside Occupational Academy—the only school in the Chicago Public…
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Bringing Mental Health Care into the Living Room
“There are times when I get some real bad things happening inside of me and I had nowhere to go.” When a group of civic…
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Meet the Young Advisors Teaming Up With the Trust for Philanthropic Impact
Playing a critical role in the future of philanthropy, professional advisors are one of The Chicago Community Trust’s most important resources. Two committees of professional…
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Building Space for Artistic Diversity at EXPO CHICAGO
Every September, Chicago kicks off the international fall art season, hosting one of the world’s leading forums for contemporary art and culture. EXPO CHICAGO brings…
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Converting Collectibles into Charitable Impact
It can be a challenge to encourage donors to think broadly about how to leverage their wealth for philanthropic purposes. Writing a check or transferring…
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Make Your Events Truly Accessible and Inclusive
Over the past several years, The Chicago Community Trust has taken steps to increase inclusion and access at our meetings and events. I have worked…
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From Homeless Families to Aldermen, an Uptown Community Dinner Where Everyone is Welcome
Inside Iyanze, chafing dishes brimmed with baked chicken, roasted vegetables, garlic bread and Nigerian jollof rice and spiced spinach. Outside the restaurant, a magnet for…
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Listening with Courage and Compassion: Lessons from On the Table
Columnist David Brooks frequently talks about the decline in social capital and social trust in our communities. In one column he asks the question, “What…
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Study Links Food Insecurity and Disability in Cook County
Access to healthy food is a serious concern for families across metropolitan Chicago—and the risks are even greater for people with disabilities, who face food…
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Fighting the Most Urgent Need in Chicago's LGBT Community
When Illinois’s Bill of Rights for the Homeless was signed into law, it outlawed discrimination against homeless individuals, guaranteeing the right to remain employed, to…
