Stories
Grow Your Own Tree This Summer
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) is giving out free oak saplings to residents of Cook County. All you need to do is go to one of their pickup locations to get them. You can choose between individual pots or bulk bags – it all depends on your level of commitment.
Building Community at the Howard Area Community Center
Strung along a quiet strip of Paulina Street, just north of Howard Street and its eponymous CTA station sits the headquarters--several buildings in all, in addition to another facility on Morse Avenue and Ashland Avenue -- of the Howard Area Community Center....
Chicago Continues to Rise
Late one night, when we were all in bed Old Mother Leary left a lantern in the shed, And when the cow kicked it over, she winked an eye and said, “There’ll be a hot time, on the old town tonight.” Fire, fire, fire! If you grew up in Chicago,...
Protecting Chicago Cats at Harmony House
I visited Harmony House on a rainy Friday afternoon and was pleasantly surprised by the space they have created that is welcoming and comforting to cats and humans alike. Harmony House is unique because most of the 80 to 100 cats at the shelter on any given day are...
Setting an Example Where It’s Needed: The Healing Corner
Within the last several years, the city of Chicago has been widely known as having one of the highest murder rates in the United States. Due to this, the term “Chiraq” has been infamously coined for the lively city because of the constant shootings frequently...
Chicago Celebrates National Poetry Month
On one of the first warm and sunny days of the Chicago spring, while clusters of galloping children and strolling adults soak in the long-awaited rays, a group of poetry aficionados gather in the friendly confines of Sulzer Regional Library. The event they’ve...
Salonathon: An Inclusive Utopia
When one walks into Salonathon, they can automatically sense the mission it is aiming to accomplish: establishing a safe and open community that forms an inclusive and creative platform for “underground emerging genre- defying artists,” as founder Jane Beachy...
Rise From The Ashes
When speaking about Rise from the Ashes, a Plainfield-based 501c3 nonprofit that provides legal and emotional support to low-income women suffering from domestic violence, founder Stephanie Austin is quick to point out some truly staggering numbers. Domestic violence,...
Tambourine Army
Thanks to Danielle Roper speaking at Hoodoise, I was informed about the Tambourine Army movement happening in Jamaica right now. This movement aims to combat sexual violence against women and girls and empower them with their basic rights. The name of the movement was...
Openlands: Connecting People to Nature in Chicago
At the Volunteer Expo in late February, Chicago Rises had a chance to connect with some amazing organizations. One of the them was Openlands. We hope to partner with Openlands to help spread the word on their mission to connect all of us to nature here! ...
1 Million dollars to CPS schools by Chance The Rapper
Chance The Rapper has donated 1 million dollars to CPS schools. After discussing and protesting all the cuts CPS schools have been/are experiencing, this motivating news was much needed. Seeing the divestment of both the students and teachers especially in...
Drinking Water Safety Concerns
Everyone should have access to the knowledge of what is in their water. Many places in Chicago are at risk for hazardous lead, which Chicago should be held responsible to remove. If you are interested in learning more make sure you go see water expert, Michael...