Trusted Voices: Reimagining How We Meet Critical Needs
Across the region, households are struggling to make ends meet amid rising costs, changes in federal policies and social service programs, and funding…
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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Giving Insights: Caring for Chicago Over Generations
Narcissa Niblack Thorne is best known as the creator of the beloved Thorne Miniature Rooms—68 of which are housed at the Art Institute…
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Chicago’s Housing Future Is in Its Past: Look to the “Missing Middle"
Like the rest of the country, Chicago is facing an affordable housing crisis. Some neighborhoods boast houses that are too pricey for many…
All Stories
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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…
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Protecting Chicago's Green Spaces and Sandy Shores
The use of public land greatly influences the livability of any region. From recreation to environmental health, concern for green space has grown in importance…
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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…
