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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Growing Up—and Grieving—as a Gay Muslim American
Upon learning that someone has died, Muslims recite “Inna Lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un”: “We surely belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return.”…
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Philanthropic Kids Set the Agenda to "Make Our City Great"
How can we engage our children in service so compellingly that they’ll make it a lifelong habit? The Honeycomb Project has been addressing that question…
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In Chicago's Highest Fire Risk Neighborhoods, Protecting Homes and Families
Christine White opened her door on a Saturday morning to welcome the American Red Cross inside. “I’ve never needed your services, thank God,” she told…
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The Retired Educator Building Literacy Centers Across Joliet
In 1974, during the fourth Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Weekend, a small team of women came together in a Washington D.C. hotel room and mapped…
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Leading the Next Generation of Ocean Preservation
Before she’d ever heard of Chicago or Lake Michigan, Daniela Fernandez spent happy times at the beach in Ecuador. Those times lasted until she was…
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"People Business": An Investment Banking Magnate Embraces Generosity
At the age of eight, J. Ira Harris went to work. It was 1946, and he brought home money for his family by selling newspapers…
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After Reparations, Police Torture Survivors Seek Justice and Healing
On May 10, as the sun fell, 13 people sat down at the Arts Incubator on East Garfield Boulevard to talk about the trauma of…
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Inside a Supercharged Celebration of Teen Philanthropy
On April 29th, more than 15,000 young people gathered in Allstate Arena for a massive interactive stage event, featuring concerts, activities, and world-renowned speakers—all to…
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Seven Tables, One Passion for the Place We Call Home
On May 10, I was awed to see more than 55,000 people around Chicago participate in more than 3,500 conversations for On the Table 2016,…
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Tool Bank Lends Service Projects the Power to Do More
Good ideas and good will are two important elements of service—but they can take the everyday philanthropist only so far. Then you need shovels. And…
