On the Scene: The McCormick Foundation Blog

by Brad Lash, Web Content Strategist Land of the Free. Home of the Brave. Melting Pot. Land of Opportunity. With slogans like these, it comes as no surprise that people across the world are attracted to move to the United States. Our national rhetoric promises inclusion and equitable access to “The American Dream”, however the hardship and prejudice that today’s immigrants face when they arrive tell a different story. I recently had the opportunity to visit Pui Tak , a grantee of the McCormick Foundation’s Communities Program . Pui Tak hosts English classes for adult students from East and Southeast Asia. I listened as immigrants from countries such as China, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia shared their stories. A strong common theme was their desire to create a better life for themselves and their families, whether they were in their twenties or seventies. Many of them work hard in low-paying laborious jobs. People make fun of their accents or tell them to go back where they came fr...

by Francisco Martinez, Communications Associate  On July 26, 1990, our nation committed itself to eliminating discrimination against people with disabilities. The American Disabilities Act (ADA) celebrates 25 years since the passage of this historic mandate. To honor the ADA and raise awareness of barriers still faced by individuals with disabilities, the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, in partnership with WTTW/Channel 11, is hosting a McCormick Community Screening at the Chicago History Museum (CHM) featuring the film My Way to Olympia on November 16. This award-wining documentary, directed and produced by Niko von Glasow’s, a disabled filmmaker, follows a group of disabled athletes preparing for London's Paralympics competition. Born with severely shortened arms, von Glasow serves as an endearing guide to London’s Paralympics competition. As he meets a one-handed Norwegian table tennis player, the Rwandan sitting volleyball team, an American archer without arms and a Gre...

by Phil Zepeda, Director of Communications Thanks to a grant from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, visitors to the Chicago History Museum (CHM) will now get a chance to step into the newly renovated, state-of-the-art Robert R. McCormick Theater, which was designed in keeping of the historical style of the original auditorium. The theater features a dynamic new film presentation entitled “The Great Chicago Adventure” that transports visitors through major events in Chicago’s history. Feel the intensity of the Great Chicago Fire and splendor of the World’s Columbian Exposition. Explore the sights of bustling Maxwell Street in the 1950s and peer down from an I-beam of the Sears Tower in the 1970s. Relive Chicago sports victories and cheer on President Obama during his Grant Park victory speech. New audio, lighting, and video equipment bring the theater’s technology to the cutting edge of the 21st Century, led by the installation of a 4K digital projector and supporting playb...

by Jeff Reiter, Senior Communications Manager The Robert R. McCormick Foundation is marking 60 years by inviting visitors for a special day at Cantigny Park on Thursday, July 30. Annually celebrated as the birthday of Col. Robert R. McCormick, the day will offer guests extra special experiences including behind-the-scenes tours, and a free evening concert by the renowned Chicago Sinfonietta. As McCormick’s former home located in west suburban Wheaton, Cantigny enriches our community every day and is enjoyed by more than 350,000 visitors each year. On July 30, visitors will get a special glimpse of everything Cantigny has to offer: including the formal gardens, the walking trails, the McCormick Museum and the First Division Museum, dedicated to the history of the Big Red One, the famed 1st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army. “This is our birthday celebration with the community,” said David Hiller, President and CEO of the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. “Sixty years ago, Col. M...

by Phil Zepeda, Director of Communications  Growing up and spending most of my adult life in Chicago, I was very familiar with the McCormick Foundation, probably due to my interest in local philanthropy at a young age. But now that I have the great fortune of working for this legendary organization, I’ve been able to hear about the rich life of our benefactor, Robert R. McCormick, and gain a better understanding of his contributions to our area – some monumental and others cultural. For instance, it was McCormick who coined the term “Chicagoland,” with historians tracing its first use back to 1926. McCormick led the effort to expand Chicago north of the Chicago River along Michigan Avenue. In 1918, the Chicago Tribune created an editorial platform raising attention about important civic improvement issues. His “Extend the Chicago Plan” was built off of Daniel Burnham’s city plan and promoted completing Michigan Avenue and building the Michigan Avenue Bridge. Naming Chicago...