Once Upon Our Time Capsule

04/22/2026

Capsule Spotlight 🎉✨
Meet Roddy 👋🏼

One of our Chicago students that thanks to our program he has more tools to reflect on his identity and emotions.

Want to build strong classroom community and connections? Visit our website or DM us to learn more. “

04/13/2026

On May 19, we’ll begin reopening the time capsules created by Chicago youth in 2021. These capsules captured their perspective on life at the time: what they were experiencing and what they hoped might come next.

Five years later, we’re coming back to those stories.

Our annual Time Capsule Benefit will mark the start of this reopening, including a live opening of one of the original capsules. It’s the beginning of a broader effort to bring these voices back into the public conversation and place them alongside the perspectives of communities today.

The evening will bring together artists, educators, civic leaders, and community members to mark this moment and to kick off the next chapter of our work.

We’d love to have you join us. Ticket link in bio

04/09/2026

After weeks of reflection, writing, and conversation, .cred participants created pieces that capture where they’ve been and where they’re going.This is one voice, in his own words.

03/25/2026

✨CAPSULE SPOTLIGHT✨
Meet Denisse as she shares with us that a safe place is more than a geographical space.

At Once Upon a Time Capsule, we aim to provide a brave space where students can reflect on their identities and the environments they inhabit.

Want to learn more?
Visit our website or DM us ✍️

03/17/2026

Stories are one of the most powerful ways we learn language and one of the most powerful ways we connect.

Through our partnership with Chicago Public Schools’ Office of Multilingual/Multicultural Education, students across the city are using our Time Capsule program to build literacy skills while sharing who they are, where they come from, and what they imagine for the future.

We’re honored to help create spaces where every voice is valued and heard.

02/27/2026

🎉 Save the Date for our annual benefit: May 19, 2026! 🎉

01/28/2026

So excited to welcome Bridget Carney to our Board of Directors. She brings years of working on corporate partnerships at Feeding America and a passion for creative expression and storytelling to Once Upon Our Time Capsule 🌟

10/14/2025

08/25/2025

We're honored to collaborate with , helping kids develop confidence and connections. The Time Capsule stories shared last week were truly unforgettable!

07/11/2025

Why “Connections”?

Because more than ever, kids need to feel seen, supported, and part of something. 💬🤝

Research tells us that strong, caring relationships are one of the most powerful protective factors in a young person’s life. But right now, loneliness and disconnection are on the rise.

That’s why our 2025 curriculum is all about Connections — helping young people build real relationships:
✨ With each other
✨ With trusted adults
✨ With their communities
✨ With themselves
✨ And with the futures they’re growing into

This isn’t just a theme — it’s a foundation for belonging. 🧡 Partner with us at ourtimecapsule.org!

07/07/2025

Thanks to the generous support of Wintrust Bank, our work is now literally shining bright across Chicago!

We’re thrilled to be featured on a digital billboard along one of the city’s busiest highways—the Kennedy Expressway—as part of Wintrust’s campaign to highlight the incredible work of community partners across Chicagoland.

📍 Location:
1528 N. Noble Street, on the east side of the 90/94 expressway, just before the North Avenue exit—about 2 miles north of the Loop.

🕒 Schedule:
We are featured daily:
• 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
• 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
(Each featured image rotates every 5 seconds!)

We’re honored to appear alongside two other inspiring community organizations.

💬 See it? Snap it!
If you catch our billboard while driving (or better yet—safely riding shotgun!), snap a photo and tag us on instagram . We’d love to see and share your view!

📣 Thank you, Wintrust, for helping us share our message in such a bold and beautiful way. Your continued belief in our mission means the world.

06/23/2025