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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For People with Spinal Injuries, Dance Sparks Creativity and Community
In a small studio on the third floor of the Old Town School of Folk Music’s Szold Hall, fourteen people sat in a circle. One…
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Equipping Teens as Critical Digital Consumers and Active Creators
In the U.S., the Internet currently contributes to roughly 6 percent of our GDP, and the demand for the future work force increasingly involves technology.…
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“An Eerie Hidden Disaster”: The Great Chicago Flood
At 6:00 a.m. on Monday, April 13, 1992, the basements of the buildings in the Loop began to fill with water. It began with the…
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A Jobs Program Creating Tech 'Stars'—and Community Leaders
Brandies Meva’a recalls the experiences that led her to where she is today: co-owner of a digital marketing firm based in Chicago’s River North neighborhood.…
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For Job Seekers, an Advocate Helps Close the "Access Gap"
Charles Gentry has always had a passion for helping people and working hard. Working in the security industry has allowed him to pursue both of…
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Ice Cream for Breakfast Spreads Happiness—and Hope
Ice cream for breakfast? In February? In Chicago? As fundraising concepts go, it might seem a hard sell—but not to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. [pullquote]What’s…
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How a Mealtime Conversation Opens New Doors to Client Engagement
In 2017, The Chicago Community Trust will celebrate the fourth year of its marquee community event On the Table. On the Table is an annual…
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IRA Planning: Beyond the Donor Advised Fund
The “baby boomer” generation—the second largest generation in U.S. history—is on the cusp of a significant financial transition. The first baby boomers were born in…
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Honoring Gwendolyn Brooks, Chicago's Poet and Pioneer
“In order to be heard, one had to shout. Whispers were not heard at all.” With these words, former U.S. Poet Laureate Rita Dove paid…
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For Chicago Artists, a New Data Platform Changes the Game
How do you celebrate the arrival of a game-changing data platform that connects artists, nonprofits and funders more intimately and equitably than ever before? If…
