The Chicago Community Trust

10/28/2026

This month in Bridgeport, The Chicago Community Trust was honored to celebrate 10 years of the Partnership for Safe and Peaceful Communities - PSPC. It was a reminder how residents, organizers and grassroots leaders show what’s possible when people come together to protect their communities from gun violence.

Over the past decade, the PSPC Chicago Fund has distributed nearly $13 million to support more than 1,900 resident-led grassroots projects—from block clubs and community events to youth programming, healing spaces, and neighborhood partnerships. All helping strengthen communities most affected by gun violence.

Cheers to the important work of PSPC: https://safeandpeaceful.org/

10/27/2026

Chicago’s future is full of possibility, but opportunity is not equally accessible.

Last night, Raj Chetty joined the National Public Housing Museum (NPHM) for a conversation exploring how housing policies shape economic mobility and opportunity, drawing on new Opportunity Insights research on HOPE VI. The Trust's President & CEO Andrea Sáenz offered opening remarks while our VP of Community Impact Marisa Novara and SGG Insights' Salin Geevarghese joined Chetty in conversation.

Research helps us understand how neighborhoods shape people's lives, while residents' experiences reveal what those findings mean in practice. We need both. And progress happens when we work together. The Trust's role is to connect people and resources to accelerate progress on what matters most for Chicago to thrive.

Thank you to NPHM for convening this conversation. The Chicago Community Trust was proud to sponsor alongside MacArthur Foundation.

10/26/2026

North Side Housing and Supportive Services, a Trust grant recipient, assists in charting paths to stability and housing for people experiencing homelessness. Learn more about their work in Rogers Park in this WGN Chicago feature:

CHICAGO (WGN) — Behind the smile lies a story of survival. At just 22 years old, Germaine Powell Jr. buried his mother after a battle with cancer, then lost his sister in a car crash. “I…

10/23/2026

Uptown shelter Apna Ghar, Inc. (Our Home), a Trust grant recipient, is launching a cookbook featuring recipes from domestic violence survivors who have used the organization's emergency housing services. All proceeds from the book will be used to fund the center's services.

Learn more:

“Recipes From Our Home" features dishes and notes from Apna Ghar residents who have cooked for themselves and each other in the shared kitchen.

10/22/2026

A new exhibition at the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance, a Trust grant recipient, explores the history of Puerto Rican life in Chicago captured by photographer Carlos Flores. More than 121 of his photographs document not only the challenges Puerto Ricans face, but also their joy, family life, culture, and everyday experiences.

Learn more:

Photographer Carlos Flores has spent decades documenting the people, struggles and everyday moments that shaped Puerto Rican life in Chicago. Now, a new exhibition at the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance brings that history into focus.

10/20/2026

The Irving Park Community Food Pantry, a Trust grant recipient, is in the final stretch of the $1.8 million capital campaign that will help fund its new home on Pulaski Road. With the new location, the pantry will be able to expand its hours and grow its customer base at a time when demand for its services has grown.

Learn more:

The Irving Park Community Food Pantry is looking to raise $255,000 for the project after securing more than $1.5 million so far.

10/19/2026

Dion Dawson, founder of Dion's Chicago Dream, has been named a CNN Hero. His nonprofit employs dozens of community members who deliver more than 80,000 pounds of free, fresh produce to thousands of households on the South Side. Dion's Chicago Dream is a Trust grant recipient.

Learn more:

On Chicago’s South Side, CNN Hero Dion Dawson is fighting food insecurity in his hometown by feeding people in a healthy, dignified way. His nonprofit, Dion’s Chicago Dream, employs dozens of community members who deliver more than 80,000 pounds of free, fresh produce every week to thousands of ...

10/14/2026

Did we see you at ? In partnership with SOCAP - Social Capital Markets this week, The Chicago Community Trust was excited to bring forth a panel moderated by Susan Hammel of Cogent Consulting PBC featuring the Trust's President & CEO Andrea Sáenz, Vice President of Investments Laura Kernaghan, and Vice President of Community Impact Marisa Novara.

Together, we explored how multiple forms of capital can be leveraged to help communities thrive through place-based and impact investing. We shared lessons from Chicago on topics such as grantmaking, neighborhood revitalization, and economic mobility—including what’s worked, what’s been hard, what can be done differently, and how collaboration with community partners is essential in this work.

As Andrea noted, "At the Trust, we take seriously our ability to bring people together. How do we make sure we are having the greatest impact we can have with our influence, resources and capital?"

Thank you to our partners at SOCAP and everyone who joined the conversation.

10/13/2026

Xchange Chicago is creating pathways to economic mobility by connecting residents from historically underinvested Chicago communities to careers in the growing technology sector. Through employer-informed training, paid apprenticeships, career coaching, and wraparound supports, Xchange helps adults gain the skills and experience needed to access family-sustaining jobs in fields such as information technology, cybersecurity, and software development. The organization works closely with employers, training providers, and community partners to build a stronger and more inclusive workforce while expanding opportunity on Chicago’s South Side.

Established in Greater Grand Crossing and shaped by decades of community engagement, Xchange is a collaborative effort between Gary Comer Youth Center, SDI Presence, and P33 Chicago to strengthen neighborhoods through economic investment and workforce development. To date, the organization has trained more than 200 participants, with many advancing into paid apprenticeships and full-time technology careers.

In 2025, The Chicago Community Trust awarded a grant to support Xchange’s Tech Initiative, which expands tech apprenticeships, wraparound career supports, and workforce opportunities for South Side residents.

See this change in the making: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuYLufF7lMk&t=6s

10/12/2026

The Field Foundation is proud to support the 2026 Chicago Media Career Fair, bringing journalism job seekers together with hiring news outlets, while offering career guidance and practical support!

Whether you’re looking for your next newsroom role, considering a career pivot or simply want to strengthen how you present your experience, the fair is designed for media professionals at every stage of their journey.

📅 FRIDAY, OCT. 9 | 10AM–3PM
📍 My Impact House, 200 W. Madison St., Chicago

Attendees can:
• Connect with Chicago media organizations and fellow professionals
• Receive a new professional headshot
• Get one-on-one resume feedback or participate in a mock interview
• Strengthen their resume, LinkedIn profile and professional bio
• Explore career opportunities inside and beyond the newsroom

Sessions include “Sharpening Your Professional Story,” a hands-on workshop examining how your resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile work together — and how to decide what to improve first; and “Where Can Journalism Take You Next,” covering career decisions, transferable skills and the many ways journalists can build careers inside and outside traditional newsrooms.

Presented by Chicago Headline Club, the Chicago Media Career Fair is co-sponsored by the Field Foundation and Press Forward Chicago at The Chicago Community Trust. Registration is now closed. We hope to see you Friday.



Image description:
Graphic for the Chicago Media Career Fair, hosted by the Chicago Headline Club on Friday, October 9, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Impact House, 200 W. Madison St. Sponsored by Press Forward Chicago and Field Foundation.