The leading causes of death in the Chicago and Cook County region are heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, breast and colon cancer, followed by injuries and homicide ( Source: Community Health Status Indicators Report, DHHS, 2008). These conditions exact high psychosocial and economic costs, both of which threaten to overwhelm the health care system. A significant relationship exists between these conditions and behavioral factors. Many diseases and injuries are related to behaviors that put an individual at risk of developing more serious disease. Lack of physical activity, eating too few fruits and vegetables, obesity, high blood pressure, smoking and diabetes all have strong associations with premature death. Low-income populations and people of color are particularly at risk.

The Trust supports projects that:

• Encourage cross-sector collaborations among health care institutions and other organizations (e.g. schools, youth development and sports programs, recreational and social support agencies) that build programs to encourage and support healthy lifestyle choices
• Employ evidence-based models to address lifestyle and behavior and provide measures and outcomes
• Employ validated metrics to assess outcomes
• Utilize culturally-competent program design and messaging
• Have program or intervention teams that reflect the communities they are intending to serve

Several challenges to healthcare access in the region create the imperative for funding projects that improve the health care system. Rising number of individuals and families who are uninsured has created increased pressures on those institutions that provide health care to them. Lack of insurance disproportionately impacts the working poor and immigrant populations, who are more likely to hold low-wage jobs that do not offer health insurance. Linguistic and cultural barriers may further discourage people from seeking necessary health care. Recent investment in the expansion of primary care facilities and services has not been supported by adequate secondary care referral systems, giving rise to a crisis in the management of specialty care for low-income populations. The Trust seeks to work with organizations who provide innovative solutions that protect the safety net for those most vulnerable.

The Trust support projects that:

• Support the design, testing and evaluation of innovative demonstration projects that alleviate specific challenges within the health care system
• Advocate on behalf of or plan for the inclusion of populations that lack access to needed primary and specialty care
• Expand and support the capacity of institutions that provide medical care and health services to the medically indigent
• Offer technical assistance to agencies, institutions and service sectors to improve their cultural and linguistic competence

Known environmental contaminants contribute substantially to the disease burden affecting metropolitan Chicago. For example, failure to achieve federal air quality standards annually contributes to an estimated 200,000 asthma attacks, 4,500 emergency room visits, and 1,500 respiratory hospital admissions.  New and potentially toxic contaminants are continually introduced into the environment, often released into the air and water supply, or transported through the region with inconsistent safeguards for human health. Protecting the environment today will afford quality of life for today and generations to come.

The Chicago Community Trust is committed to supporting solutions for communities who lack access to fresh and wholesome food. Through its work with Fresh Taste, a funder collaborative dedicated to encouraging diverse local agriculture and access to food that is healthy, fair, affordable, and green, the Trust seeks to support the evolution of a regional food system that improves the availability of fresh, healthy food in these communities.

The Trust supports projects that:

• Improve policies and practices that reduce air and water pollution and support conservation
• Reduce environmental threats to vulnerable populations, especially children and low-income groups
• Support the development of local food systems that can provide improved access to fresh food for underserved communities