The 2025 Better Guide to Giving

As the holidays get underway, many of us look for ways to make someone else’s season brighter. And there’s science behind why that makes us feel so good. Research shows that acts of generosity — from gift giving to financial support — increase happiness more than spending on ourselves.  At Better, we’re dedicated to simplifying […]

31 Best Things to Do in Chicago and the Suburbs in December 2025

A fresh blanket of snow won’t keep Chicagoans home. December is when the city shines brightest, with seasonal traditions like the Joffrey Ballet’s The Nutcracker and Goodman Theatre’s A Christmas Carol anchoring the holiday calendar alongside new experiences, expanded light installations, and more. All across the city and suburbs, the festive season is here. Let […]

Giving Tuesday 2025: Where to Donate

The holiday season invites us to turn gratitude into meaningful social impact. Giving Tuesday, observed this year on Dec. 2, reflects the growing interest in philanthropy that fuels real outcomes — from venture philanthropy models to impact investing — all aimed at strengthening communities and supporting organizations doing essential work. Established in 2012 by New […]

From Brahms X Radiohead to Beethoven X Beyoncé: How Steve Hackman’s Genre-Bending Mashups Are Reimagining Classical Music

When visionary composer and conductor Steve Hackman woke from a dream pairing history’s greatest symphonist with one of today’s defining pop artists, he had no idea it would lead to a movement redefining the concert experience. That dream becomes reality this fall when Beethoven X Beyoncé debuts at Chicago’s Harris Theater — a one-night-only performance […]

Can Integrated Health Care Fix a Broken U.S. System? 7 Ways an Illinois Model Shows How

The United States spends more on health care than any other developed nation, yet millions still struggle to access timely, effective treatment. One promising reform gaining traction among policymakers and researchers is integrated care, an approach that unites physical, behavioral, and social health services to treat the whole person rather than isolated symptoms. Health policy experts […]

Why Collaboration Is Chicago’s Secret to a Thriving Arts Community

A rare artistic alliance takes center stage in Chicago this fall as Harris Theater for Music and Dance, the Joffrey Ballet, and Chicago Philharmonic come together for Joffrey at the Harris: Matters of the Heart — a five-performance event uniting dance and live orchestral music in Chicago Nov. 6-9. Though the paths of three creative powerhouses have […]