2025 Illinois General Assembly Recap
I came to The Chicago Community Trust in March after spending years as chief of staff to Illinois State Rep. Kelly Cassidy. I…
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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Trust Talks, The Podcast – Episode 19: Confronting Homeownership Barriers
While homeownership is often viewed as a pathway to building wealth, a range of challenges can hinder its effectiveness, particularly for specific groups.…
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Transforming the College Transfer Experience
In the Spring of 2006, my mother and I walked into a meeting with a public state university admissions counselor to discuss my…
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David Dangler Attacked Administrative Problems with Innovative Changes
David Dangler, administrative officer in the Personal Trust Division of The Northern Trust Company, was a trusted and thoughtful advisor to many people looking to…
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For Children with Disabilities, Early Survey Provided Insight and Understanding
In 1924, Frank Loomis published the final installment in the early Trust’s series of social surveys. A 1924 survey found that disease caused most disabilities…
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Crime and Punishment in Chicago: Survey Focused On Cook County Jail
In 1924, Frank Loomis published the fourth installment in the early Trust’s series of social surveys. The Cook County Jail Survey in 1924 described inadequacies…
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The Heart and Soul of the Early Trust: Clifford Barnes
With the zeal of an enthusiastic leader, Clifford Barnes brought vision and business acumen to the early decades of the Trust. A religious man of…
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Bus Rapid Transit: Why the Trust Got Involved
A mere four years after The Rockefeller Foundation partnered with Chicago’s transit leaders to bring bus rapid transit (BRT) to the Windy City, the city’s first BRT…
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From Donor to Grantmaker with the Young Leaders Fund
Leveraging collective giving, for a bigger impact than any of us can make alone. That’s the principle behind the Young Leaders Fund, which celebrated its…
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The Second Step: Bernard A. Eckhart Donated the Second Gift to the Trust
A founding member of the Executive Committee, Bernard A. Eckhart helped set the stage for community-based philanthropy in Chicago. An Alsatian whose family immigrated to…
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Every Transaction is Positive: Baird & Warner
Baird & Warner makes good on their commitment to healthy community by automatically building it into every real estate transaction. In 2002 President and CEO…
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Norman Wait Harris Provided the Seed Money to Found the Trust
Banker Norman Wait Harris shared a great idea with a group of other similarly minded individuals — and in 1915 the Trust was born. The…
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Environmental Rehab a Key Tool in Bolstering Economic Development
In the late summer of 1959, the western hemisphere’s top rowers filled the waters of Cook County’s Cal-Sag channel. Their mission: take home the gold…
