Warming Hearts and Hands: How a Holiday Tradition Evolved from Seasonal Generosity to Lasting Impact

“That felt really good!” tween-aged son James proclaimed after our spur-of-the-moment, late afternoon, Christmas Eve delivery to Good News Partners a few decades ago. Volunteers gleefully helped unload our unexpected carload of treats, sweets and presents that our family had received, but would never use. After a few minutes of silence, James continued, “Let’s please do […]

Kenilworth Union Church Awards Grants to 3 Chicagoland Nonprofits

Kenilworth Union Church (KUC), a non-denominational Christian church on Chicago’s North Shore, has announced recent grants they have awarded to three deserving local nonprofit organizations: Breakthrough Urban Ministries, Josselyn, and RefugeeOne. Selected due to their transformative work, these one-time, high-impact grants will allow the three nonprofits to launch and elevate programs to serve the community in […]

The 2022 Chicago and North Shore Private School Guide

If you have school-age children, you’ve probably begun to grow comfortable with the routine of a new school year — and gotten into the swing of facing its many challenges, from helping to juggle homework and busy activity schedules to supporting your kids as they navigate the social and emotional struggles that come with each […]

Author Paola Gianturco Brings Female Environmental Leaders to the Forefront in her New Book — Written With her Granddaughter

It has been shown that women are especially effective leaders when it comes to combating global warming. Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac, architects of the 2015 Paris Agreement, report that “Nations with greater female representation in positions of power have smaller climate footprints. Companies with women on their executive boards are more likely to invest […]

Hundreds of Private Gardens Are Open to the Public This Summer — Including Many in the Bay Area

Artist John Priola has a passion for succulents. His garden in San Francisco’s Glen Park neighborhood includes roughly 50 varieties, all of which he planted himself: Euphorbia Lambii, Agave Applanata “Cream Spike,” Aloe Vanbalenii, Agave Vilmoriniana “Stained Glass,” and Dymondia, to name a few. Most of Priola’s succulents have been rescued from families that no […]

What’s New In Town in May 2022: Mill Valley’s Bootjack Wood Fired Welcomes Waldscraft Bakery; the Luxurious Stanley Hotel Opens in Napa and More

Featured: Waldscraft Bakery Plus, new restaurants from brandname chefs arrive in San Francisco and Oakland. Native East Coaster Stacey Waldspurger has been looking forward to introducing a bialy to her robust menu of naturally leavened breads, such as olive oil and rosemary, and her popular Wünderbread, a seed- and nut-packed, wheat-free bread. After a pop-up […]