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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For Youth in Prison, This Library Fuels Imagination and Connection
A good book has the power to take you places. Help you discover new things about yourself. See the world in a new light. In…
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A Global Activist Reflects on Marching with MLK
In 1966, Rozell W. “Prexy” Nesbitt was 22 years old, fresh from a year studying in Tanzania and eager to join the Chicago Freedom Movement.…
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The 64 Great Ideas Sparking Change in Chicagoland Communities
Across the Chicagoland region, our collective civic pride is deeply rooted in the steady determination to bring about the very best conditions of life for…
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Access, Equity, Opportunity: Building a Moral Economy
How can communities access full employment, fair credit, early childhood education and an increased health and life expectancy in the American heartland? These were the…
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Through Collaboration and Community, a New Model of Leadership
Reflecting the recent passing of the 26th anniversary of the ADA I had those words in mind: “Let the shameful walls of exclusion finally come…
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Giving a Voice to Children in Foster Care
Almost 18,000 children are in foster care in Illinois. Many of these youth face a challenging and disrupted childhood, as they are placed in a…
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Fifty Years Later, Chicago Pastor Continues MLK's Local Legacy
On August 5, 1966, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and a diverse group of 700 civil rights activists, religious leaders and courageous community members marched…
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Setting Tables Across America for Community Conversation
Since On the Table debuted in 2014, thousands of people from across the Chicago region have gathered to forge new relationships and foster fresh discussions about making…
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Remembering a Son, and a Community of Compassion
In the early 1980s, Tom Graziano and his wife adopted a baby boy named John. John was constantly sick, but his doctors were never able…
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Fighting Homelessness for a New LGBTQ Generation
Hundreds of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer young people in Chicago have no place to stay tonight. Longtime activist Richard Turner is helping to…
