Asian Giving Circle Awards $100,000 in its 2025 Grantmaking Cycle
Asian Giving Circle, an initiative of The Chicago Community Trust, is a grassroots philanthropic initiative uniting donor to make a greater collective impact…
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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African American Legacy Awards $615,000 in its 2025 Grantmaking Cycle
African American Legacy (AAL), an initiative of The Chicago Community Trust, unites donors committed to supporting the Black community in the Chicago region.…
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Strengthening Chicago’s Shared Ownership Ecosystem
For generations, Chicago’s neighborhoods have been shaped by the people who call them home. Historically, many communities like Bronzeville, Hyde Park, Little Village,…
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"That Was My Rescuing Point": StoryCorps
When Lawrence Thomas graduated at the top of his class from Ball State University, he was still in prison. [pullquote]Lawrence Thomas tells @StoryCorps about foster…
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At West Side Housing Complex, Inventing a Place to Call Home
Four years ago, the Oakley Square apartments were no place to live. The rundown complex at the corner of Jackson Boulevard and Western Avenue was…
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Thousand Mile Journey Toward a United Chicago Continues
The legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.—his struggle for justice and equity for all—resonates vividly against the backdrop of Chicago’s contemporary challenges. Dr. King’s…
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Chicago Faith and Justice Leaders Confront America's "Original Sin"
“We don’t have racialized communities by accident. We are structured out of relationship to each other.” With these words, Rev. Jim Wallis called on Chicagoans…
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Nonprofits Team Up to Transform Lives in LGBTQ Chicago
When two world-class nonprofit organizations work together, they create new solutions with the power to transform communities. That’s the guiding principle behind three Transformational Grants,…
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To Build a More Unified Community, 'Trust the Tables'
From the beginning, On the Table participants have told us that a key to solving Chicago’s challenges is community engagement and collaboration. Putting the conversation…
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A Neighborhood Bakery Helping Homeless Youth Reach their Dreams
Blue Sky Bakery & Cafe, a charming coffee shop in the North Center neighborhood, has a serious mission tucked in among the tempting scones and…
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8 Lessons for Alternatives to Incarceration through the Arts
From 2010 to 2015, the Arts Infusion Initiative helped build skills for a safer future for Chicago’s at-risk and criminally involved young people. Launched by The Chicago…
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Continuing Her Family Tradition, True to Her Own Voice
Nora “Nancy” Ryerson Ranney grew up with The Chicago Community Trust. Born in 1916, a year after the Trust was founded, she was the daughter…
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A 'Social Toolkit' to Stop Violence and Bridge Generations
Re-connecting with two friends at an On the Table event in 2015 helped community activist Laura Morgan pursue a new strategy in her campaign to…
