United Way of Metro Chicago had been working to launch a 211 helpline for the region for more than a decade. Now, eight months into operating it and serving as Executive Director, I see the benefit 211 is having and understand now more than ever the unique nature of the needs facing Chicagoans and Cook County residents.
“I am proud of the impact that 211 Metro Chicago has made on our region and the ways we have integrated this service into the fabric of our community. But there is more to be done to create a fully collaborative web of partners and solve our communities’ greatest challenges.” – Richard LaPratt, Executive Director, 211 Metro Chicago
Our chief development officer, Chris Preston, reflects on what it means to him and our team to mobilize the caring power of communities to make a difference.
In Heather McGhee’s “The Sum of Us,” she studies the American economy to understand that, in all equations, racism is the common denominator stifling our economy and our country at large. We spoke with two United Way of Metro Chicago partners to look at the economic impact of institutional racism in Chicago and how philanthropic organizations can help our neighbors close the wealth gap.
One year ago, our city and state issued a stay–at–home order as COVID-19 began to spike. I don’t know about you, but what I remember most was fear and uncertainty. What would this mean for our two kids, who were in pre-k and second grade at the time? How could we keep our colleagues and families safe? How long would this last – two weeks, a month, until summer? Frankly, the only thing we were certain about was that we needed to act quickly to help our neighbors.