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Chicago Lights Chicago Lights partners with youth and adults to build brighter futures. Chicago Lights is the nonprofit at Fourth Presbyterian Church.

We believe every person deserves access to the resources they need to overcome systemic barriers so they can achieve their ambitions. Our programs grew from the church’s commitment to social justice and compassionate service, beginning with the founding of the Tutoring program in 1964. The commitment to education and literacy expanded and in 1991 gave rise to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which in 2004 was renamed Chicago Lights. Since the inception of Tutoring, we have served more than 60,000 people.

Save the date! The 2027 Chicago Lights Gala of Hope is coming, five months from now on March 6, 2027.Join us for an insp...
10/06/2026

Save the date! The 2027 Chicago Lights Gala of Hope is coming, five months from now on March 6, 2027.

Join us for an inspiring evening of celebration, connection, and hope in support of Chicago Lights and the people whose lives are transformed through our work. Enjoy dinner and cocktails at The Geraghty (), live music from the Ken Arlen Evolution Orchestra (), live and silent auctions, inspiring stories, and time to connect with friends—old and new.

Together, we’ll celebrate the impact of Chicago Lights programs—Tutoring, Summer Day, the Urban Farm, and the Social Service Center—and help build brighter futures for children, adults, and families across Chicago. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Visit the Gala of Hope section of our website (chicagolights.org/gala-of-hope) for details and early-bird tickets.

Striving always to be a resource and point of connection for the Cabrini Green community, the Urban Farm recently hosted...
10/05/2026

Striving always to be a resource and point of connection for the Cabrini Green community, the Urban Farm recently hosted a cooking demo for 14 neighbors, with support from Whole Foods Market. (Thank you, !) Ingredients needed for the recipes were provided (some directly from the Urban Farm!), as well as the necessary cooking utensils. And on this particular evening, led by guest chef and neighbor Saundra (), participants not only practiced making mini quiche with kale and collard green egg rolls, but each of them left with the ingredients to try these recipes at home, as well as some tools for their own kitchen.

We are grateful for these opportunities when food, fun, creativity, and nutrition combine to bring people together for everyone’s benefit. Thank you and happy cooking to all of our participants! We hope to see you again soon at the Urban Farm.

Meet the Social Service Center’s newest interns!As a new school year begins, we’re excited to welcome a talented group o...
10/03/2026

Meet the Social Service Center’s newest interns!

As a new school year begins, we’re excited to welcome a talented group of social work students who will gain hands-on experience while supporting our participants and community.

Meet Macy, Evan, Leah, Jackie, and Kira — students from Loyola University Chicago and UIC’s Jane Addams College of Social Work, pursuing careers in areas including reentry services, addiction treatment, school social work, health care, and child welfare.

“The interns are an integral part of our team,” says SSC Associate Director RaShonn Roberts. “We are so grateful for all the ways they support our program and participants each day.”

Welcome to Chicago Lights! We’re grateful to be part of your journey. 💙

The Urban Farm’s Farm Stand will be brimming with colorful produce once again this Saturday, Oct. 3, and we’d like to gi...
10/02/2026

The Urban Farm’s Farm Stand will be brimming with colorful produce once again this Saturday, Oct. 3, and we’d like to give a shoutout to a couple of the people who make that happen: Lorenze and Patrick. These two Urban Farm growers give it their all each week to make sure the Farm is running smoothly and generating a supply of fresh and healthy produce. These veggies not only supply the Farm Stand, but they help feed the local community as well. Thank you, Lorenze and Patrick, for all you do!

For your meal-planning purposes, the following fruits of their labor will be available this week at the Farm Stand:
🫑🌶️ Bell, Italian, banana, jalapeno, lunchbox, shish*to, and poblano peppers
🧅Red and yellow onions and scallions
🍅Tomatoes and cherry tomatoes
🍆 Bok choy, eggplant, and okra
🥬Collards, kale, and lettuce
🥕🫜Beets and carrots
🌿Herbs - basil, cilantro, dill, lavender, sage, and rosemary

10/01/2026

The latest session of Harvesting Futures (in partnership with After School Matters) starts TODAY at the Urban Farm! We are so happy to welcome our newest Urban Farm Crew. 🪴 Can't wait to see how you grow! And big thanks to Donte Fain for producing this video.

✨Volunteer Spotlight: Lorenzo✨Whether he’s unloading a food delivery, stocking shelves, or making sure items are organiz...
09/30/2026

✨Volunteer Spotlight: Lorenzo✨

Whether he’s unloading a food delivery, stocking shelves, or making sure items are organized and ready for our community, Lorenzo consistently shows up ready to lend a hand at the Social Service Center’s Food Pantry. His willingness to jump in wherever help is needed makes a real difference—not just in keeping the pantry running smoothly, but in helping to create a welcoming space for everyone who visits.

We’re grateful for Lorenzo’s time, consistency, and commitment to serving his community. Thank you, Lorenzo, for all that you do!

If you are interested in volunteering with the Social Service Center, visit the Chicago Lights website to sign up.

Welcome, Tutoring students and mentors! Today is the first in-person session of our Tutoring year (some pairs met virtua...
09/29/2026

Welcome, Tutoring students and mentors! Today is the first in-person session of our Tutoring year (some pairs met virtually yesterday evening), and we could not be more excited. Here's to a year filled with homework help, new friends, listening ears, and the chance to learn and grow.

A big thank you to everyone who has set aside time in their weekly schedule to improve a student's skills and outlook—and we mean that whether you're the student or the tutor in this situation. Everyone involved has dedicated themselves to this process, and that's what makes it work. Best of all, that's also what makes it fun along the way!

So enjoy, work hard, stick with it, and we can’t wait to see what you’re going to accomplish! 🥰

If you’d like to get in on this action as a tutor-mentor, there’s still time. Visit the Chicago Lights website and choose the volunteering drop-down menu for details on how you can apply to make a difference in the life of a child.

We’re especially grateful at Chicago Lights when our programs are able to work together to meet the needs in our communi...
09/28/2026

We’re especially grateful at Chicago Lights when our programs are able to work together to meet the needs in our community. Every Tuesday, Chicago Lights Urban Farm staffers Patrick and Ryan bring recently harvested produce from the Farm to the Chicago Lights Social Service Center Food Pantry, offering shoppers something especially fresh and tasty for their tables. 🥬🍅🫑

We’re thankful for the Urban Farm's dedication and for the opportunity to share fresh, nutritious food with our Social Service Center community. From the Farm to the pantry, it’s all about growing, giving, and connecting!

The Social Service Center always looking for volunteers to support our Food Pantry. To learn more and sign up, visit our website and choose "volunteer" from the drop-down menu at the top of the home page.

09/25/2026

Top 3️⃣ Reasons to volunteer to be a tutor & mentor for Chicago Lights Tutoring program this year! For more info and to sign up email [email protected]

Fall is officially here, but you can still bring the bounty of summer to your table with a little help from the Urban Fa...
09/25/2026

Fall is officially here, but you can still bring the bounty of summer to your table with a little help from the Urban Farm's Farm Stand! Infuse sunshine into every bite with fresh, local produce while you support the Chicago Lights Urban Farm. Located at 444 W. Chicago Ave., the Farm Stand will be open 11 am to 3 pm on Saturday, Sept. 26.

This week’s harvest includes:
🫑🌶️ Bell, Italian, banana, jalapeno, lunchbox, shish*to, and poblano peppers
🧅Red and yellow onions and scallions
🍅Tomatoes and cherry tomatoes
🍆 Bok choy, eggplant, and okra
🥬Collards, kale, and lettuce
🥕🫜Radishes, beets, and carrots
🌿Herbs - basil, cilantro, dill, lavender, sage, and rosemary

Address

126 E Chestnut Street
Chicago, IL
60611

Telephone

+13127874570

Website

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