Ebony had a new apartment, five kids counting on her, and nothing to put inside it. No beds, no table, no place to land after a hard day. She had a roof, but what she didn’t have was a home. A caseworker referred her to the Chicago Furniture Bank (CFB). A few weeks later, Ebony […]
Not too long ago, London Booker was driving through Rochester when something made him stop. In an abandoned lot, a group of kids was running lacrosse drills, fully equipped, calling out plays, and moving with confidence. He hit the brakes, put the car in reverse, and asked what they were doing. Their answer surprised him. […]
By the time my daughter Emma was 7, I could see that her “picture-perfect life,” complete with strong grades, extracurricular activities, and an active social world, also made her a prime candidate for the mental health challenges facing an alarming number of “Perfect Girl” teens in affluent communities like ours. My six children grew up […]
Housing and mental health care are often treated as separate challenges. For veterans, they rarely are. As communities across the country look for better ways to support veterans, two Chicago organizations, both Make It Better Foundation 2026 Philanthropy Award winners, are demonstrating what a more integrated approach can look like. The Road Home Program: The […]
Many of the behaviors that show up in adult relationships — defensiveness, emotional shutdown, perfectionism, people-pleasing, fear of conflict — often begin as survival strategies long before adulthood. At a recent conversation hosted by The Family Institute at Northwestern University — a Make It Better 2026 Philanthropy Award winner — licensed marriage and family therapist […]
At 2 a.m., a mother rocks her crying two-month-old, exhausted and unsure what to do next. She tries soothing, then distraction, then silence. Nothing works. By morning, guilt sets in. She wonders, like so many caregivers: Why didn’t anyone teach me how to do this? Most people will one day be responsible for another person, […]
Over the last few months, it feels as if our country has repeatedly experienced the kind of public, unpredictable brutality that collapses time. From bombings to school shootings to federal agents killing civilians, current events are forcing many families to absorb the psychological weight of violence that feels both distant and alarmingly close. For parents and guardians, this comes with […]
Across the United States, researchers are examining the impact of a quiet but consequential shift in adolescence: young people have fewer opportunities to contribute meaningfully to their communities through volunteering — particularly structured youth service. Packed schedules and constant adult oversight can crowd out experiences where youth take on real responsibility and see the tangible social […]
It’s been 14 years since George Eddy died as an infant. Reflecting on his son’s life still brings his father, Sean, to tears. “Our son George was born with a complex medical situation,” he recalls. “We were told he would be with us for maybe a matter of hours or days. Remarkably, he lived for […]
Isn’t every holiday movie a Greater Good movie? That is to say—aren’t they all movies that highlight acts of generosity, empathy, compassion, reconciliation, or gratitude? Alas, no. Or at least, not all of them are very insightful about human goodness or adept at conveying how we become better. We’re sure most readers are familiar with the hits, […]
