[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 6161-6162]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               CHICAGO COMMUNITY TRUST 100TH ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. DURBIN. For 100 years, the Chicago Community Trust has connected 
the generosity of Chicagoans with the needs of the community.
  In 1915, 6 years after Daniel Burnham unveiled his visionary plan for 
the city of Chicago, Norman Harris and his son Albert recognized how 
much could be achieved by combining the philanthropy of business and 
community leaders who cared deeply about the future of Chicago. They 
founded The Chicago Community Trust. As brilliant as Burnham's plan 
was, Norman and Albert Harris understood that it takes more than steel, 
glass, and concrete to make a great city. A great city needs healthy, 
hopeful people, good schools, culture, and arts--all things that the 
trust has helped nurture for 100 years.
  Whether its economic opportunity, education, housing, conservation, 
or health care--the list of important causes in which the Chicago 
Community Trust is involved is remarkable. Since its founding, the 
trust has granted more than $2 billion to nonprofit organizations 
working to improve the quality of life in the community. The trust has 
helped develop new audiences to sustain arts organizations, protected 
the human services safety net for those hardest hit by economic 
challenges, eased the devastating effects of foreclosures in Chicago 
neighborhoods, and elevated teaching to meet world-class standards.
  In the wake of the worst recession since the Great Depression, the 
trust

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stepped up and distributed $11.4 million in Unity Challenge grants to 
meet the needs of Chicago's most vulnerable citizens. The grants 
supplied food to more than 800 soup kitchens and food pantries. The 
trust helped expand capacity at homeless shelters and bought winter 
coats for children. The trust put money in community health centers and 
helped seniors pay for their prescription medications. The recession 
was hard on Chicago, but the business and community leaders at the 
Chicago Community Trust made sure that the community took care of its 
own.
  This month, the trust is launching its centennial campaign, starting 
with the return of ``On the Table,'' a forum that brings together 
thousands of Chicago residents to share a meal and talk about how they 
can work together to make the community stronger, safer, and more 
dynamic. Last year, nearly 12,000 people participated from every 
Chicago neighborhood and 11 neighboring counties. This year, the trust 
is expecting to at least double the number of people participating.
  I congratulate the Chicago Community Trust on 100 years strengthening 
the community. Thank you for all you have done and continue to do to 
make Chicago a great and caring community.

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