When you hear the term “child abuse,” you may instinctively imagine adults physically hitting their children or maybe even verbally abusing them. It’s a serious issue that comes in many forms and impacts one million children in the U.S. each year. But a crucial connection with another major childhood adversity remains overlooked, helping perpetuate both […]
To understand just how much fun the Les Dames D’Escoffier Chicago fundraiser on May 16 will be, imagine your wittiest girlfriends joining forces with the most talented female chefs to throw a party. To understand the good that your participation in this event can do, imagine empowering young women to receive professional training in the still […]
It’s no secret that Chicago’s inner-city public schools face an ever-increasing list of challenges. Chief among them are low test scores and widespread learning difficulties. In 2014, 43.6 percent of third through eighth graders did not meet the Illinois Standards Achievement Test benchmark for reading proficiency. Luckily, students in 16 different schools are getting help […]
Know a bride who could use a wedding dress? We thought so. It’s no secret wedding planning (usually) takes months of serious shopping and spending, from venues to décor to that very special dress. Julie Mersine Romeli, owner of Mira Couture, is familiar with the entire affair, having been in the bridal business since 2008. […]
THE BASICS On Saturday, April 16, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the coast of Ecuador. The event is said to be the largest disaster that Ecuador has seen in decades, according to BBC, with more than 600 people killed and thousands that are injured or still missing. The destruction is devastating, with hundreds of collapsed buildings and […]
Changing the world — it’s a daunting concept. What can one person do? Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, has found his path as a public interest attorney routinely challenging racial discrimination in the criminal justice system. His organization works to eliminate unfair and excessive sentencing, helps exonerate innocent death […]
Every 20 seconds around the world, a child dies from a vaccine-preventable disease. One in 5 children globally does not have access to the vaccines they need to survive. “Immunization is one of the most successful and cost-effective ways to help kids grow into adults,” says former Ambassador John Lange, who now serves as the […]
From Chicago Botanic Garden to Chicago Urban League, some of the area’s most visible nonprofits have new leaders, and they’re all women. These women have much in common — experience in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, the admiration of the boards that chose them, and fierce dedication to their work. Here’s a look at […]
Concern Worldwide, a charity based in Dublin, Ireland, has dramatically improved the lives of some of the poorest and most vulnerable people on earth. Witnessing and participating in this impactful work has forever altered Dolores Connelly, a board member of Concern USA, the U.S. branch of Concern Worldwide. Some 13 years ago, Dolores’ sister worked […]
Juan Vaglienty remembers very clearly the first time his toddler daughter, Amelia, spotted and grabbed an object. Amelia, now five, was two at the time. Vaglienty had placed a toy, a musical, blinking robot encased in a clear plastic ball, on Amelia’s breakfast tray. As the ball spun, emitting light and music, “we saw her […]
