Trust Talks, The Podcast – Episode 24: Sustaining Chicago's Cultural Ecosystem
Chicago is one of the most influential cultural cities in the United States, known for its distinctive blend of architecture, visual arts, music,…
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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Claude and Britney, Two Donald Stewart Fellows, Reflect on How Their Commitment to Community Led Them to the African American Legacy Fund
Claude Robinson and Britney Robbins joined African American Legacy (AAL) from different paths—Claude as a staunch advocate for uplifting African American communities; Britney…
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LGBTQ Community Fund Awards $619,000 in its 2025 Grantmaking Cycle
The LGBTQ Community Fund, an initiative of The Chicago Community Trust, unites donors to support nonprofit organizations that serve the Chicago region’s LGBTQ…
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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…
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The Music Mentor Teaching Steel Drums on the South Side
Julian Champion remembers that when he was around age 7, he had one burning desire—to play a musical instrument. The young boy would accompany his…
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Listening to Someone's Story, Hearing Someone's Soul
“When someone is being listened to in a really serious way, it reminds them that their story matters. And how much their lives matter.” Storytelling…
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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…
