Working Together to Care for Our Neighbors
The Chicago region has a long and valued tradition of community organizations working alongside government to deliver essential services and enhance residents’ lives.…
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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Bob Crawford’s Journey from Business Leader to Philanthropic Changemaker
Individual giving remains the driving force behind philanthropy in the United States. Even amid market uncertainty, giving increased by 3.3 percent in 2024…
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Young Leaders Fund Awards $100,000 in Community-Based Grants
Young Leaders Fund (YLF), an initiative of The Chicago Community Trust, provides young professionals with an innovative way to make a difference in Chicago…
All Stories
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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…
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Narcissa Thorne Black Donates Rooms for Inspiration
Miniature examples of 18th, 19th and 20th century interior design have never been as artfully assembled as the Thorne Rooms of Narcissa Niblack Thorne, now housed at…
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Kane County’s Recycling Efforts Serve as Model for the Region
Kane County residents in western Illinois last year recycled 413 truckloads—11.2 million pounds—of electronics. Citizens stuffed truck beds to the brim with boxes of objects banned…
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Chicago Tackles Wage Theft Issue Seen Nationwide
When Liliana Baca clocked out each week from her job at a grocery store, the count would total more than 55 hours. Even though the…
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After School Programs Give Teens a Step Up in Job Market
Chicago high school students have been spending their after-school hours with their hands in the dirt. From building garden beds to designing logos to crafting…
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The Eternal Challenge of Ensuring Your Wishes Live on After You Are Gone
Mortmain (the French word for “dead hand”) represents the danger of unintended consequences in a will or estate plan. A serious dilemma occurs for trustees…
