Every person deserves access to nutritious food in a way that honors their dignity, respects their choices, and meets them where they are. From childhood through adulthood and older age, food can mean much more than a meal — and can even strengthen entire communities. Nourishing Hope — a 2026 Make It Better Philanthropy Award […]
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 […]
“She called me ‘string bean‘ because I was skinny and awkward growing up,” says Ashley, reflecting on her grandmother. “She was one of the few people who understood me. She told me to pursue writing, to become a journalist.” Today, that formidable woman who spoke multiple languages and shaped Ashley’s career path sometimes forgets that […]
For many fathers, the coronavirus pandemic tightly wove work with family life. Because remote work and remote school were a fact of life for a lot of families, some fathers have spent much more time with their children this past year compared to previous years. What impact might that have on the children, down the […]
In 2021, more than 107,000 individuals died of a drug overdose, 67% of which involved fentanyl, a drug that’s 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). What’s even more alarming about fentanyl is that many users are unaware they’re taking it. Most deaths occur […]
Stephanie Esterland BSN, RN, OCN of Sandwich, Illinois, is an oncology nurse at RUSH Cancer Center who was driving her son to work on a dark July 2021 morning. On the side of the road, she came upon what she thought might be a yard fire, but instead realized it was a blazing car fire […]
Dr. Michael A. McGee, M.D., M.P.H. of Crown Point, Indiana is not only an emergency room physician and CEO of Chicago’s first Black-owned urgent care clinic, Premier Urgent Care — he is also the 2022 Red Cross Blood Services Hero Award recipient. During the fall of 2021, Dr. McGee partnered with the Red Cross and […]
Adrenaline and après-ski — that perfect mix of thrill and chill — finds an ideal home in Park City, Utah. This harmony between adventure and serenity is what earns snowy Park City its bucket-list status as a place where everyone from Olympic athletes, families and leisure enthusiasts, to film buffs who flock in for the […]
Whether you’re looking to wander the streets of a new city exploring buzzy restaurants, bars and shops, or if you’re looking for an island getaway to escape from your daily routine, here are Better’s top picks for destinations both near and far to visit this year. Wherever you travel, consider how you can give back […]
Editor’s Note: This interview was conducted before the most recent Hurricanes Fiona and Ian in September, which devastated areas in and south of North America, including Florida and parts of the Caribbean Islands. Read our most recent How To Help article about how The Red Cross and others are working to bring aid to those […]
