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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Art, Honesty, Joy: Throwing a Party for Chicago's Homeless Teens
“Is society the reason why people are homeless?” This was the question posed to a room full of homeless youth on a July afternoon…
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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…
