As 2025 Winds Down...
A Note from Our CEO As 2025 winds down and we gather for holiday celebrations, I’ve been reflecting with friends and colleagues on…
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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Turning Houses into Homes: The Impact of 3C’s First Three Years
Launched in April of 2022 as a three-year program, Connecting Capital and Community (3C) Chicago is a collaborative effort between lenders, developers, and…
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Trusted Voices: Addressing Hunger in Chicago
Families throughout Chicago are struggling to put food on their tables. Rising grocery and housing costs continue to strain household budgets, and pending…
All Stories
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Not Going Hollywood: How Chicago Homeless Advocates are Preserving SRO Housing
A recent story on NPR’s Weekend Edition highlighted how Hollywood, Florida has elected to address the issue of homelessness. The city orchestrated a deal to…
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From Immigrant Workers to Entrepreneurs, Thanks to Ana Guajardo
As executive director and co-founder of Centro de Trabajadores Unidos: Immigrant Workers Project, a nonprofit that fights for immigrant workers’ rights on Chicago’s Southeast Side, Ana…
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Accessibility: Who Needs It? More and More, It’s Arts Patrons
July 2015 marks the 25th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Trust is raising awareness about the importance of accessibility and…
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Rebuilding Chicago’s Neighborhoods: On the Agenda at Impact Chicago
Economic indicators show the nation’s gradual recovery from the depth of the Great Recession. But metropolitan Chicago is still contending with the lingering effects of…
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We Day Packs Allstate Arena With Spirit of Social Activism
On April 30 at Allstate Arena, the newest superstars to take the stage before an adoring audience weren’t chart-topping music sensations. They were everyday young…
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Green Schoolyard Project Earns Center for Active Design Excellence Award
Building safe outdoor places for kids to play—and tackling urban stormwater management problems along the way. That’s the fresh approach that earned Space to Grow an Honorable…
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Bill and Cheryl Lowry Seize the Moment for Change
The shooting of Hadiya Pendleton on Jan. 29, 2013, hit close to home for Bill and Cheryl Lowry. The 15-year-old honor student was caught in the crossfire…
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Game Changer: Isiah Thomas
Basketball legend Isiah Thomas is no stranger to defying the odds. Growing up in Chicago’s impoverished West Side, Thomas, as well as his two sisters…
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Ray and Susan Gillette: A Second Chapter in Philanthropy
Ray and Susan Gillette haven’t slowed down one bit since they grabbed the opportunity to retire early. Instead, the former advertising executives, who each served…
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Man of Steel: Edward L. Ryerson Represented a New Breed of Businessman
One of the most influential individuals in Trust history, Ryerson lived his life as an exercise in philanthropy and civic duty. Named to the Executive…
