Backstage at the Bottom Lounge was a flurry of activity on August 2. Performers lingered in the halls and dressing rooms of the West Town concert venue, jittery with excitement and nerves. The DJs were already on the stage, hyping up the crowd. The drummer for the first band rushed by, her pink tutu bouncing […]
After countless days basking in the sunshine, the end of summer is begrudgingly nigh. Kids are back in school, and, as they say, winter is coming. Say sayonara to summer with these Labor Day philanthropic events, and use your extra time off to celebrate and support your peers. 1. Cheer on the Chicago Women’s Half Marathon. […]
By now, you’ve probably heard of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Facebook and Twitter have been full of friends, celebrities and athletes dumping ice-cold water on their heads in hopes of raising money for the ALS Association. And they’ve succeeded. As of August 25, the Ice Bucket Challenge has raised $79.7 million dollars for the […]
Shopping local? With the help of a new mobile app, your everyday purchases can benefit more than just your wardrobe (or stomach). WeeVu, which just launched in Chicago, is teaming up with local businesses and nonprofits to connect consumers with the causes they care about most, merging philanthropy with everyday spending. This free app allows […]
While the nation turns its attention to Ferguson, Mo., Chicago kids understand all too well the effects of violence. As a graduate student, Rachel Switall worked to give students in now-demolished Cabrini-Green a creative outlet in which to express themselves and learn how to solve problems peacefully. Switall had students write or draw their thoughts […]
Bells will be ringing, and big-box stores are running low on No. 2 pencils and One Direction notebooks. That can only mean one thing: It’s nearly time for kids to head back to school. Join Supplies for Dreams in providing a year’s worth of school supplies to the city’s neediest students by participating in their […]
For students at three Chicago Public Schools, learning about the muscular skeletal system is now a welcome experience, thanks to dancers from Giordano Dance Chicago. With its inception eight years ago at Helen C. Peirce School of International Studies, the Giordano Dance Chicago’s Jazz Dance/Science & Health program teaches anatomy, nutrition and health through dance-centric […]
These days, all Lou Dickson is missing is her superhero cape. But if you give her enough time, she can fashion one from the materials she has stored in her Evanston ReBuilding Warehouse. Since May 2011, the Evanston ReBuilding Warehouse (ERW) has diverted tens of thousands of tons of construction material away from landfills by […]
What? No cupcakes? Several local school districts have recently implemented policies that limit, discourage or even ban food from classroom activities. Glencoe’s District 35 policy states, for example, that “no food may be brought into school for classroom activities.” Instead, they request “that parents honor their child’s birthday in ways such as: Donating a book […]
For 93-year-old Mary Evelyn Sundlof, “movie director” wasn’t a title she would have ever assumed for herself. But that’s just how her art therapist, Caroline Edasis, refers to her as the two of them put together animated videos based on figurines that Sundlof has knit over the years. Sundlof, a resident at Mather Pavilion, a […]
