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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Young Boxers Gain Leadership, Respect—and the Support of the Chicago Cubs
Professional boxers and players from the Chicago Cubs were in the house on September 2 for “Respect the Main Event,” a charity event hosted by…
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An Army of ‘Angels,’ Making Sure No One Fights Cancer Alone
In 2001, Jonny Imerman was 26, living in Detroit, earning an MBA and working in commercial real estate. He soon found out he had cancer.…
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An Urban Gardener Builds a ‘Plot to Plate’ Movement for Chicago
LaManda Joy grew up in a gardening family. Her parents were of the generation whose legacy included the Great Depression and victory gardens in the…
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A Winter Hat Inspires Help for Chicago’s Homeless
“If you can’t feed a hundred people,” Mother Teresa once said, “then feed just one.” In feeding just one homeless man, 17-year-old Carlos Leon, a…
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Making Chicago Stronger, After ‘Operation Peter Pan’ Made it Her Home
Maria Bechily is keenly aware of how generosity transforms lives. In 1961, she immigrated to Chicago from Cuba as part of Operation Pedro Pan, an…
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Chamber Music in Your Home? It's On the House.
Music connects people in a way that sitting around a table for a dinner party can, but it’s even better when you can bring the…
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Volunteer Runners Help Homeless Chicagoans Take Their Next Steps
It’s just before dawn on a rainy morning on Chicago’s Near West Side where a group of men and women experiencing homelessness have gathered outside…
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For a Brighton Park Soccer Team, Determination Battles Inequality in New Documentary
In green team t-shirts and sweatshirts, the girls of Thomas Kelly High School’s soccer team filed into their school auditorium. But this time, they walked…
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Moms Join Forces to Build “Honeycomb” of Volunteers
On a road trip to visit their children at camp, Catherine Tannen and Kristina Lowenstein began brainstorming the idea that would become the Honeycomb Project.…
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Defying Media Messages About Girls of Color, a Mentor Helps Build Self-Worth
By her own admission, La’Keisha Gray-Sewell was a bit of a handful growing up. “I was the kid who was always fighting, who was always…
