A Faith Story: Aspire Center Breaks Ground

Ten years after Emmet Elementary School closed, community leaders and their partners broke ground on the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation in the school’s parking lot. More than 100 guests gathered in Austin to celebrate the next step in the development of this catalytic investment in their neighborhood.

April Food Day 2023 Collects 90,000+ Pounds of Food for the Southland

The Southland community came together at the Tinley Park Convention Center on April 27 for April Food Day 2023. Thanks to generous donors and 150+ volunteers, more than 90,000 pounds of food was collected and distributed to 10 local food pantries, replenishing shelves in advance of the summer months when donations tend to wane – but the need remains.

UIC Neighborhood Center Brings Hope and Services to Auburn Gresham

The long-awaited opening of Auburn Gresham’s Healthy Lifestyle Hub, a four-story epicenter of resources serving the Far Southwest Side community, brings more than tangible services – it brings hope – to a historically-disinvested neighborhood.

#BuyLatinx: Supporting Latinx-Owned Businesses in Our Neighborhood Networks

This Latinx Heritage Month, United Way of Metro Chicago partnered with our Neighborhood Networks in Brighton Park, Cicero, and Little Village to spotlight Latinx-owned restaurants, cafes, shops, and other small businesses that call these vibrant communities home.

CASL Raises the Volume of AAPI Voices

A little over a year ago, in the height of the pandemic, the Chinese American Service League (CASL) saw a need. Like many direct service nonprofits, CASL responded to families in crisis, providing food, clothing, PPE, housing resources, and financial assistance.

Buy Black, Advance Equity

In celebration of Black History Month in February, we launched the new initiative #UnitedWayBuyBlack with a digital passport of 30 Chicago-based, Black-owned businesses.

Year of the Tiger: A Celebration of Hope and Resilience

Earlier this month, Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood rang in the Lunar New Year—as it has for over 40 years—with its annual celebration and parade. Hundreds gathered along West Argyle Street to celebrate the new lunar year—the year of the tiger—on a chilly, blue-skied day.

Committed to Anti-Racism Through Action

This Black History Month, United Way of Metro Chicago is sharing what we’re doing in the DEI space and how we’re living out our commitment to being an anti-racist organization, while holding ourselves accountable as we continue to learn and grow.

Fortitude through Public Art in Bronzeville

Located on the South Side of Chicago, the Bronzeville neighborhood—one of United Way of Metro Chicago’s Neighborhood Networks—is historically known as the “Black Metropolis,” a hub of Black business and culture.

Uniting for the Holidays Brightens the Season for 3,000+ Families