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…
“Partnerships & Initiatives” Stories
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Reflecting on Women’s History Month with the Affinity Funds
March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate achievements and milestones made by women throughout history. To commemorate the month, we reached out to…
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A Nuestro Futuro Grant Enhances Mental Health Support for Former Detainees
Every day, Organized Communities Against Deportations (OCAD) works tirelessly to stop deportation cases across Chicago. Comprised of “undocumented, unapologetic, and unafraid organizers,” OCAD grew out…
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A Nuestro Futuro Grant Helps Latinx Families Prepare Their Children for Kindergarten
The families Mano a Mano Family Resource Center serves in Lake County have big dreams for their children’s futures, and they understand that education is…
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Advancing Equity: What is the Homeownership Gap?
Homeownership is one of the most important vehicles for building household wealth, creating a pathway for families to increase their economic security, and passing down…
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Wealth Building through Worker Cooperatives
As the recognition of the racial and ethnic wealth gap has grown, worker cooperatives have emerged as a promising strategy to close the gap. These…
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Coming Together for National Day of Racial Healing
When people talk about closing the racial and ethnic wealth gap, conversations tend to focus on reforming discriminatory policies and systems, as well as increasing…
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A Nuestro Futuro Grant Helps El Hogar del Niño Provide Mental Health Support for Latinx Families
El Hogar del Niño (“the Home of the Child”) has been serving Latinx families on Chicago’s Southwest Side for 50 years. The organization provides a…
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Helping Immigrants and Refugees Feel Safe, Supported, and Welcomed: Illinois Immigration Funders Collaborative Awards $450,000 in Grants
Over the past year and a half, Illinois has seen an influx in immigration. An estimated 3,000 refugees from Afghanistan and 8,800 refugees from Ukraine…
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Moving Equitable Development to the Front of the Bus: ETOD as Policy in Chicago
I like to call myself a product of the public transportation system. My hometown, a mid-size city in the north of Spain, runs a network…
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Centering Community Experts and Voices are Essential to Violence Prevention Strategies
I want to honor everyday Chicagoans making changes where they call home. The ones who roll up their sleeves in the face of adversity when…
