Unity Fund: A Look at Impact in 2025
The Chicago Community Trust’s Unity Fund is a testament to the power of collective giving. Since its founding in 2008 at the height…
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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Financial Health in Cook County: Why it Matters and How Policy Impacts Financial Well-Being
In 2025, The Chicago Community Trust, with support from JPMorganChase, commissioned the Financial Health Network to update the findings of its Financial Health…
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Responding to Chicago’s Urgent Needs in 2025
As the region’s community foundation, The Chicago Community Trust exists to respond to the needs of our region and the people who call…
All Stories
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The Contractor Giving Ex-Offenders a Second Chance
David Figueroa is a businessman who believes that, with the right support, ex-offenders can successfully integrate into society. His organization, Second Chance Renovations, employs and…
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Think Good, It's Friday! 9.4.2015
Yesterday, the Trust hosted a screening of the movie Rosenwald at the Museum of Science and Industry. The film tells the story of philanthropist and…
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"Small Keys Unlock Big Doors" for Rags-to-Riches Railroad Magnate
A self-made man born to Irish immigrants in New York, Charles H. Markham left school at 14. After a series of odd jobs, he started…
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Saving Man’s Best Friend, ‘One Tail at a Time’
Dogs are loyal, loving companions, but some live at risk in shelters. In fact, nearly 6,000 dogs were euthanized in the city of Chicago in…
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Renewing the Commitment: An ADA Compliance Guide for Nonprofits
2015 marks the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA embodies—and makes enforceable—this nation’s promise of full access to nonprofit organizations, businesses…
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5,000 Schools for Black Students Rise Across the South in ‘Rosenwald’
Chicagoans have good reason to recognize the name Julius Rosenwald. As president of Sears, Roebuck and Co., Rosenwald grew the company to become among the…
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A Mom Stands Up to Violence - Through an App Contest
Want to feel safe again in your community? There’s an app for that. [pullquote]To combat neighborhood violence, Washington Park mom learns to build an app.…
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Think Good, It's Friday! 8.28.15
We often talk about the positive impact of doing good. This article in the Chicago Tribune talks about how being generous has another benefit: improving…
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Chicagoans Value the Arts - But Which Neighborhoods Get Access?
All across Chicago, residents value and appreciate the arts. But getting access to them is another story—one that all depends on where you live. A public…
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“The Personality Conversion”: A Financial Advisor’s Insight into the Power of Generosity
The benefits of philanthropy extend beyond tax deductions and other financial gains. As a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch, Denny Cummings has seen how charitable…
