Feeding Change in Our Region
The Chicago Region Food System Fund is a group of funders and community partners working together to build a more resilient local food…
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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Cultivating a Bright Future in Little Village
Little Village, or La Villita, has a long history of welcoming immigrant communities, starting with the German, Czech and Polish residents who flocked…
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Boosting Impact: The Amplification Fund
The Amplification Fund is an opportunity for donors to participate directly in the Trust’s grantmaking and join a community of philanthropists with similar…
All Stories
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At This Breakfast Table, Police and Neighbors Talk Racism and Reconciliation
On May 10, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson told his breakfast companions that he’s been “doing a lot of listening” lately, as he and his…
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A Historic Mansion Finds New Life as Gateway for Prisoner Re-Entry
“I was drafted into this. My wife will tell you: we drove new Cadillacs, I was living in Lake Point Towers. And you know, I…
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For Young Chicago Professionals, an Immersion Course in Philanthropy
On May 5, young professionals from throughout Chicago gathered at Arciel to enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a stunning sunset view of the Loop. But…
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In a Segregated City, Refugees and Volunteers Build Community of Citizenship
After working all day at the Chicago Urban League in Bronzeville, Mahjeed Marrow walks a few blocks through the falling snow and gusty wind, to…
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In the Wake of Violence, a Secondary Survivor Finds Her Power
“Being able to talk about it, when you can’t… oh, my God. It’s unbelievable. It’s the start of a new beginning.” [pullquote].@ALongWalkHome fights gender violence,…
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High-Risk Kids Race Towards STEM Careers
On a rainy spring evening, a group of young people are busily chopping vegetables, whisking olive oil and spices into salad dressing and cutting bread…
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Designing Tools for Urgent Community Conversations
E pluribus unum: One out of many. Our unofficial national motto until the mid-1950’s, it still appears on the Great Seal of the United States.…
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How Getting Kids Civically Engaged Builds Academic and Social Success
Being civically engaged is so much more than just exercising our right to vote. It is also about being committed to making a difference in…
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Healing LGBTQ Youth Homelessness by Connecting Across Generations
A trained psychotherapist and artist, Bonsai Bermudez fully integrates his time and talent to promote art as an agent for social change. Bermudez is the…
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Forget ‘Chi-Raq’: Morgan Park Teen Celebrates ‘The Go’
Violence in Chicago has shaped the city’s reputation around the world. It’s even inspired the title of director Spike Lee’s latest movie: Chi-Raq. [pullquote]Morgan Park…
