News across Cook County
Gun Violence Prevention Advocates Speak About Importance of Community-Based Solutions
Representatives from Chicago Create Real Economic Destiny, a community-oriented nonprofit, advocated for mental health services and life coaching as an alternative to police intervention.
Evanston Community Foundation honors Ralph Segall at 40th anniversary party
The Evanston Community Foundation presented its inaugural Ralph Segall Evanston Forever Award on Tuesday at an event celebrating the organization’s 40th anniversary. The first edition went to the award’s namesake, Ralph Segall, for 40 years of service to the foundation as…
The Evanston and North Shore NAACP to host ‘Building Collective Impact Through Community Organizing’ on Oct. 10
From 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, the NAACP Evanston/North Shore Branch is hosting “Building Collective Impact Through Community Organizing,” part of its Evanston environmental justice conversation series. The free event will take place at the Gibbs-Morrison Cultural Center, 1823…
Evanston Grows to supply kale, salad mix, romaine, parsley to ETHS
Starting this year, the nonprofit Evanston Grows will kick off a pilot program to grow kale, salad mix, romaine and parsley for Evanston Township High School’s from-scratch kitchen to be used in student meals at the high school and the District 65 schools that receive meals from…
‘It’s a sacred service’: Volunteer Jewish group offers end-of-life ritual support
A human body lay motionless on a raised platform, surrounded by about 20 volunteers. All were gathered in a specially equipped downstairs room at Chicago Jewish Funerals, in Skokie, to learn about taharah: the practice of preparing a body for burial. The training was sponsored by…
Residents pitch in for 25th annual Wheelchair Wash
Dozens of volunteers came out to lend a hand on Thursday at the Over the Rainbow Association, 2040 Brown Ave., for this year’s Wheelchair Wash. They gloved up and spent the evening hand-washing wheelchairs for residents of the independent living facility for people with…
How local groups cleaning up Evanston beaches can raise awareness
International Coastal Cleanup Day is held annually on the third Saturday of September, spurring volunteers globally to organize and contribute to beach cleanups. Lake Michigan beaches have been part of this global effort since the Alliance for the Great Lakes launched its…
Good Neighbors: Kandi Corbbins practices and teaches hair-apy
Good Neighbors is an ongoing series introducing readers to local caregivers doing cool things in the community. For fall 2026, the hot back-to-school hair looks, as Kandi Corbbins has observed, include “a heavy emphasis [on] urban ethnic culture.” Boho braids, with hair loose at…
Melrose Park National Night Out
🎉Join Melrose Community Outreach for National Night Out 2026 on Tuesday, October 6 from 5:30 – 7:00 PM! Celebrate community spirit, enjoy free food and games, and honor the legacy […]
Latino community celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month at Levy Center
People of all ages filled the gym at the Levy Senior Center on Sunday afternoon for a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration hosted by Latinos en Evanston Northshore, a nonprofit that aims to create a thriving local Latino community where all families and older adults are connected.…
McGaw YMCA offering free learn-to-swim lessons for children ages 3 to 10 in October
The McGaw YMCA in Evanston is offering a free, five-day learn-to-swim program for children ages 3 to 10. It will run Monday, Oct. 26, through Friday, Oct. 30. This program is designed specifically for beginner swimmers and for families who may not otherwise have access to swim…
Evanston, Ill.’s Black history archive takes on a new fight over reparations
The Shorefront Legacy Center, a small archive in a church basement in Evanston, Ill., collects papers and objects that tell the history of the city's Black community.