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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Anti-Violence Program Connects Police and Teens – Behind Bars
An On the Table discussion at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center in May 2014, where young residents shared their hopes and frustrations, led…
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Changing the Future for 'Anybody Else's Father, Anybody Else's Son'
“They would ask me in school, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ I didn’t say a doctor, a teacher, or a…
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Honoring Greatness Beyond Grants: The James Brown IV Awards
For more three decades, the James Brown IV Award for Outstanding Community Service recognized some of Chicago’s most significant nonprofit organizations. [pullquote]From 1973 to 2005,…
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How Great Events Connect Us with Our Place, Our Past, and Each Other
When I first started to share my concept of a community conversation about our region, friends and colleagues responded, “Don’t we do this every day?”…
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For Chicago's 'Forgotten Kids', Arts Education Builds Skills to Succeed
For youth involved in the criminal justice system, a better future depends on improving their social and emotional learning skills—skills like conflict resolution, career readiness…
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For Families Fighting Cancer, Restaurant Meals Nourish Body and Spirit
Courtney White is proof that devastating moments in our lives can sometimes inspire great ideas. White is the founder of Culinary Care, a nonprofit organization…
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The Man Behind the Bank Behind the Trust
In 1914 officers of the Harris Trust and Savings Bank were given a fascinating new document by Albert W. Harris. The document was a copy of the…
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How the Act of Listening Connects a Divided City
“It’s impossible not to love someone whose story you have heard.” The beloved children’s TV host Mister Rogers carried that quote in his wallet, to…
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In the Arts, SMART Growth Yields Lasting Returns
Increased fundraising. A larger base of donors. Higher ticket sales. These are the trends that small arts and cultural organizations hope to achieve. And, with…
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Real School Choice Requires Strong Neighborhood Schools
It seems that few people believe in neighborhood public high schools these days. And that’s unfortunate, because neighborhood schools are central to building a better…
