Trusted Voices: Reimagining How We Meet Critical Needs
Across the region, households are struggling to make ends meet amid rising costs, changes in federal policies and social service programs, and funding…
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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Giving Insights: Caring for Chicago Over Generations
Narcissa Niblack Thorne is best known as the creator of the beloved Thorne Miniature Rooms—68 of which are housed at the Art Institute…
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Chicago’s Housing Future Is in Its Past: Look to the “Missing Middle"
Like the rest of the country, Chicago is facing an affordable housing crisis. Some neighborhoods boast houses that are too pricey for many…
All Stories
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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…
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Maynard J. and Elinor S. Marks Led Support for the Elderly
Maynard J. and Elinor S. Marks were compassionate advocates and supporters for the elderly. Issues such as the shortage of nursing care led them to…
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The Trust Shifts its Focus to Healthcare
Dr. Lowell T. Coggeshall helped the Trust shift its focus to healthcare during the 1960s. Dr. Coggeshall served for three decades as the Trust’s medical…
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The Trust Receives a Saloon
Before he became its first executive director, Frank Loomis gave the Trust a unique gift: a saloon. Trust chair Clifford Barnes first met Loomis while…
