Pride, Progress, and Purpose: A Conversation with Jennie Brier & Ray Crossman
Each June, Pride Month offers a time to celebrate the achievements, contributions, and resilience of LGBTQ communities. An important vehicle for that work…
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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Protecting the Rights & Dignity of All: National Immigrant Justice Center
Founded in 1984, the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) believes that immigrants’ rights are human rights, and that every individual deserves to be…
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Feeding Today, Changing Tomorrow: Greater Chicago Food Depository
Many people know the Greater Chicago Food Depository, founded in 1979, as Chicago’s food bank. Last year alone, it partnered with more than…
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The Block Family: A Legacy of Impactful Leadership
The Block family’s legacy of civic and philanthropic leadership is deeply woven through both Chicago’s history and the Trust’s. In 1893, the family founded the…
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Fifth Third Builds a New Model for Community Development in South Chicago
Fifth Third Bank’s long history of supporting communities goes back to 1948, when it became the first U.S. financial institution to establish a charitable foundation.…
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Kirk Hoopingarner on Helping Advisors Help Their Clients
As a trusts and estates attorney at Quarles & Brady, Kirk Hoopingarner finds deep satisfaction in counseling high-net-worth families on their charitable giving strategies. Outside…
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Larry Saret on Supporting What Matters to You
Larry Saret first met the Trust when he was a senior in high school. His father had passed away five years earlier, and he was…
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Affinity Funds: Creating Impact Through Connection
Affinity funds allow donors with a common identity or interest to pool their giving and make a greater impact together. The Trust proudly hosts six affinity…
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2024 Annual Report: In Memoriam
JUDITH STOFER BLOCK EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER Judy Block dedicated her life to civic service, contributing countless volunteer hours while blazing trails along the way. As…
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From the Archives: 2002 – Asian Giving Circle
May marks Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, a time to celebrate AAPI history, uplift the achievements of AAPI individuals, and raise awareness…
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Chicago is Primed for Creative and Targeted Home Lending Solutions
The beauty of Chicago is that every person, every place, and every home has a story. And while my personal story didn’t begin here, it…
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Amidst Uncertainties, Trust is Helping Nonprofits Continue to Meet Community Needs
As the federal government cuts funding and programs that support essential services, such as closing the Chicago-based Midwest regional office of the Department of Health…
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Trust Talks, The Podcast – Episode 18: Supporting Our Immigrant Communities
The truth about immigration in the United States is that unless you are Native American, we all came from somewhere else. Yet, in 2025, the…
