Growing the Good: How Local Gardens Can Transform Communities

This post was submitted as part of our “You Said It” program.” Your voice, ideas, and engagement are important to help us accomplish our mission. We encourage you to share your ideas and efforts to make the world a better place by submitting a “You Said It.” What if as individuals we embrace the task of […]

Helping Heroes: Top Military Nonprofits Supporting Veterans and Their Families

Members of the military and their families make tremendous sacrifices on behalf of our country. Yet when they return home, many face challenges like homelessness, unemployment, medical expenses, mental health conditions, and financial difficulties.  According to Statista, as of 2022, there were about 16.2 million veterans in the United States. Of that number, approximately 235,000 […]

Matching Grant Fuels Metropolitan Family Services’ 2024 Mpower the Night Gala, Boosting Support of Chicago Families

Since its founding in 1857 as The Chicago Relief Aid Society, Metropolitan Family Services has become a cornerstone of support for families across Chicago, offering vital resources that empower individuals to overcome life’s greatest challenges. Whether helping a single mother access childcare while she pursues a college degree or guiding a family through the legal […]

How To Help Those Affected By Hurricane Helene

Hurricane Helene carved a path of destruction across nearly 500 miles of the U.S. Southeast. The storm first hit landfall on Sept. 26 as a Category 4 storm. Despite weakening as it moved inland, Helene’s impact reached at least 800 miles into Tennessee and North Carolina. Early estimates show at least 130 people dead, more […]

The Honeycomb Project: Creating Change — and Reaping Lifelong Benefits — Through Youth Civil Service

Nearly every Saturday, 11-year-old Brody wakes up early, not to scroll on his phone and watch YouTube videos, but rather to volunteer alongside his parents and siblings. Brody is one of many children in Chicagoland who steps up to address pressing challenges in our communities, such as poverty, food insecurity, and homelessness.  According to Illinois […]

UNICEF CEO Discusses Launch of New Multimedia Experience 'Heart Strings: Creating Connection to the World's Children'

Michael J. Nyenhuis, president and CEO of UNICEF USA since March 2020, sat down with Make It Better founder Susan B. Noyes to share his insight and excitement about the launch of “Heart Strings: Creating Connection To The World’s Children.” The interactive, multimedia experience, a collaboration between UNICEF USA and award-winning multimedia studio Moment Factory, […]

Celebrate Chicagoland Heroes: Support the Red Cross Now and Double Your Impact With This Donation-Matching Opportunity

July 2023 saw record-breaking floods on Chicago’s Westside, causing severe home and property damage in the city’s Austin neighborhood. As a longtime Austin resident and community advocate, Jacqueline Reed spearheaded relief efforts, mobilizing resources and volunteers to help 75 homes become habitable.  That same month, Firefighter and Paramedic Nicholas DeLeon encountered an active shooter at […]