LISC, COOK COUNTY BUREAU OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND COOK COUNTY ARTS ANNOUNCE RECIPIENTS OF CREATIVE PLACEMAKING GRANTS

LISC, in collaboration with Cook County Bureau of Economic Development and Cook County Arts, announced 14 nonprofit organizations selected to receive Creative Placemaking grants. The grants, ranging from $50,000 to $250,000, will support transformative, community-driven art projects across suburban Cook County, including public murals, community gardens, arts centers, and more.

City of Chicago Hosts the 2025 Chicago House Music Festival and Conference Aug. 21-24

The City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) is proud to announce the lineup for the 2025 Chicago House Music Festival and Conference, celebrating the birthplace of House Music with four days of events that are open and free to the public from Aug. 21–24.

Preserving Black Churches Application Period is Open

The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund at the National Trust for Historic Preservation is pleased to announce that the application period is now open for its Preserving Black Churches grant program, a $60 million national initiative dedicated to uplifting historically Black churches and the communities that preserve them.

Teacher Quality and Retention Program celebrates 16 years of transforming classrooms and building educational leaders

Hundreds of educators who have been shaped by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund‘s (TMCF) Teacher Quality and Retention Program (TQRP), now entering its 16th year as one of TMCF’s signature programs.

Cecilia Cuff Is Chosen For Prestigious Design Fellowship As She Prepares For A New West Pullman Location

Cecilia Cuff, CEO and Founder of the Nascent Group, is known for the Bronzeville Winery and South Side Sanctuary, and her work to revitalize disinvested communities through hospitality and community design and building capacity for entrepreneurs.

Kitchen + Kocktails Opens In Larger Location To Accommodate Growth

Kevin Kelley opened Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley’s Chicago location in September of 2021. Earlier this month, the Chicago location moved into a larger 13,000 square foot space at 339 N. Dearborn Street. The restaurant which boasts elevated Southern classics and curated cocktails wants to continue to bring guests quality food and a great vibe.

School Offers Scholarships To Children Of First Responders

St. Sabina Academy, located at 7801 S. Throop, is offering $2,000 scholarships to students whose parents are first responders. The school’s principal Veriner James said the goal of the scholarship is to make private education affordable and accessible to families. She said oftentimes families shy away from private school education because of the cost.

Leave No Veteran Behind Continues To Support Veterans

A locally based organization with a national reach aims to support veterans through transitional jobs and scholarships that help pay student loans. Leave No Veteran Behind was founded in 2008 as a way to invest in veterans with the goal to build better communities. Leave No Veteran Behind co-founder Eli Williamson returned from deployment and found out he had student loan payments to make, as did his co-founder.

Giannoulias & Local Elected Officials to Conduct South Side Town Hall Meeting to Combat High Car Insurance Rates

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is inviting South Side residents to attend at a Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, August 20, at Bright Star Church in Bronzeville, to discuss the skyrocketing cost of auto insurance.

5 Tips for Sandwich Caregivers on How to Balance Children and a Parent with Dementia

For many families, late summer ushers in the annual ritual known as “back to school.” Dreaded by kids and celebrated by parents, the return to school marks a time of transition to more rigid schedules after a few months of fun and flexibility.

How to Pay When Buying From Someone You Don’t Know: Keep These Tips In Mind to Help Avoid Scams

Credit cards, debit cards, cash, checks, wires or sending money to others using a P2P (person-to-person) payment app are examples of the many ways consumers can pay for everyday transactions. To help protect their money from scammers, it’s important for people to understand that how they pay matters, especially when buying something from someone they don’t know or trust.

Don’t Forget the Least In Our Midst

Over the months that I have been writing this column, there is one area of planning that I have not identified or stressed enough. This week I have been confronted with the sad outcome of a parent who did not plan for the care and upkeep of their dependent adult child. Simply put, when the parent died, the child is now forced to move into housing for the homeless without the skills required for independent living.

Cook County Officials: Protect Children From Measles

Today, during National Immunization Awareness Month, Cook County officials, school and religious leaders made a united call to encourage measles vaccinations as kids head back to school.

Local Sports Agency Supports Its Athlete Clients Holistically

Aaron Garland co-founded the Collective Uplift in November of 2024 with the purpose to provide elite service to athletes. Garland had been a football player at the University of Connecticut and heard stories from former teammates and people in the football world about the transactional nature of sports agencies. He wanted to create a sports agency that was personable and supports the athlete holistically.

UNIA Vice President Joined With Local Ministry Leaders To Celebrate The 138th Anniversary Of Marcus Garvey

Pastor Walter Hicks and First Lady Vicky Hicks of the New Macedonia Missionary Church joined with President Shaka Barak of The Marcus Garvey Institute, and Vice President of a Chicago Division of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA) in holding the 138th Anniversary celebration of the birth of the Jamaican born, Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey on Sunday August 17, 2025 from 2pm -5pm at their Church located at 432 West 103rd Street, Chicago 60628.

Chicago Teachers Union Hosts Third Annual Back-to-School Summer Jam to Serve Hundreds of Families

The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) is proud to announce its third Annual Back to School Summer Jam will take place on Saturday, August 16, 2025 from 10 AM - 3 PM at the CTU Center, 1901 W Carroll!

Giannoulias & Local Elected Officials to Conduct South Side Town Hall Meeting to Combat High Car Insurance Rates

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is inviting South Side residents to attend at a Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, August 20, at Bright Star Church in Bronzeville, to discuss the skyrocketing cost of auto insurance.

NCBCP President & CEO Melanie L. Campbell Statement on the 60th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965

On August 6, 2025 we paused to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), the landmark law that granted and protected long-denied voting rights for Black Americans. Unfortunately, since 2010 over 25 states have enacted restrictive voter suppression laws to create barriers to minority, low-income and young voters. Also, the 2013 U. S. Supreme Court voting rights decision, Shelby v. Holder, further weakened the enforcement powers of the VRA that has left voters vulnerable to more barriers.

TCA HEALTH HOLDS GRAND OPENING FOR NEW HEGEWISCH LOCATION

TCA Health is announcing the grand opening of its newest clinic in Chicago’s Hegewisch community. The former bank building underwent a total gut rehab that transformed the site into a clinic with five exam rooms, a triage space and pharmacy. TCA Health's newest location at 13336 S. Baltimore Ave., will be open for tours Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, from 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. This clinic marks TCA's seventh facility on the city’s South Side, including its Mobile Student Health Clinic. Elected officials expected to be in attendance are 10th Ward Alderperson Peter Chico and state Senator Elgie Sims Jr., who represent Hegewisch.

City of Chicago Announces Record Expansion of Individual Artists Program Grants

The City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) announced a record expansion of its Individual Artists Program (IAP), underscoring the City’s deepening commitment to creative equity and artist support across all neighborhoods. This year’s awards represent a significant increase in support from grantees funded in 2024 with nearly 250 grantees for 2025, reflecting the City’s ongoing investment in its creative community and its belief that artists are essential to civic life, community well-being and economic vitality.