Local News
New Secretary of State DMV+ Opens in Champaign
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ office has transformed its Champaign facility into the first DMV+ facility outside of the Chicago area, offering new services and reduced wait times.
One Hope United Opened New Hope Center Kankakee
One Hope United opened its newest location, Hope Center Kankakee, on Wednesday, July 30, with a primary focus on delivering Intensive Placement Stabilization (IPS) services—specialized, trauma-informed support to help stabilize youth in foster care who are at risk of placement disruption.
CAL RIPKEN, SR. FOUNDATION AND EXELON FOUNDATION HOST RIBBON-CUTTING CELEBRATION AT SUNRISE DAY CAMP-CHICAGO STEM CENTER
Inspiring young minds through science — and a little baseball magic — the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, Exelon, the Exelon Foundation, and ComEd, hosted a special celebration for children undergoing cancer treatment. The day began at Sunrise Day Camp–Chicago’s new STEM center followed by a trip to Wrigley Field to see the hometown Cubs host the Baltimore Orioles.
New Food Truck Festival on South Side features Black-owned restaurants September 13
The nonprofit Far South Community Development Corporation (Far South CDC) — an organization that provides strategic community-building services to residents and businesses across Chicago’s Far South Side neighborhoods and south suburban Cook County — is excited to announce its new Food Truck Festival on Saturday, September 13 from 1 p.m.–5 p.m. This free all-ages event will be held in the parking lot of Maple Park Marketplace (821 W. 115th Street) at the southwest corner of Halsted Street and 115th Street in Chicago’s West Pullman neighborhood, across from the Morgan Park Commons development.
HOPE CENTER FOUNDATION AND COOK COUNTY LAND BANK AUTHORITY BREAK GROUND ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ROSELAND ON CHICAGO’S SOUTH SIDE
The Cook County Land Bank Authority (CCLBA) and the Hope Center Foundation today celebrated the start of construction of 10 new affordable homes in the Roseland neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. The Hope Center Foundation and Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives (CNI) are proud co-developers of this transformative effort and active members of United Power for Action and Justice, a civic coalition leading the Reclaiming Chicago initiative. This bold campaign includes construction of 2,000 affordable homes citywide, including 1,000 on the South Side and 1,000 on the West Side.
City Colleges of Chicago and Amazon-MLU bring enhanced Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to the college’s faculty
City Colleges of Chicago is proud to announce an enhanced collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) in a major expansion of its Machine Learning University Educator Enablement Program (MLU‑EEP) for faculty at City Colleges of Chicago.
Gift of Hope Community Foundation Honors Chicago Ald. Michelle A. Harris with 2025 Award for Compassionate Service
The Gift of Hope Community Foundation recognized Michelle A. Harris, 8th Ward City Council member for the City of Chicago, as the recipient of the 2025 Changer Award for Compassionate Service at the Annual Gift of Hope Community Foundation Charity Golf Outing on July 24 in Woodbridge, Illinois.
South Suburban Community Group Donates School Supply Shopping Trip to Matteson School District 162 to Benefit Families; Surprises two families with back-to-school shopping spree
Shopping carts overflowing with school supplies and backpacks were steered around a south suburban Walmart Monday as Matteson School District 162 school administrators shopped for families in need.
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.
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.
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.
