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The Disabilities Fund of The Chicago Community Trust promotes the development of programs, policy and public action that expands the empowerment, equal opportunity, inclusion and participation of diverse persons with disabilities in the Chicago region.

Inform and Act Series

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Disability in the Chicago Region

Throughout the Chicago region’s 7 counties, over 800,000 residents – approximately 10% of the population – report having a disability. As our population ages, the numbers will continue to grow.
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Youth and Disability

In the Chicago region, 41,000 people aged 16-24 report having a disability. 13,000 of these are neither in school nor at work. Less than 30% of youth with disabilities graduate from high school.
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Disability and the Racial Wealth Gap

In the Chicago region, there are over 400,000 people of color with disabilities. Segregation, discrimination, and long-term disinvestment in communities of color have created a growing racial wealth gap.
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The Business Case for Disability Employment

For people with disabilities, employment rates are stagnant at 20% compared to 53% for those without disabilities. Despite this gap, many people with disabilities are ready and want to work.
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Video Journeys

Dive deeper into the topic of disability inclusion through our video series featuring disability inclusion leaders and advocates of Chicago.
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Explore Further Resources

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Building Resilience, Innovation and Commitment: How to Cultivate a Disability Inclusive Workplace

People with disabilities account for almost 10 percent of the Chicago region’s population (that’s 800,000 residents), yet prior to the pandemic, disability employment rates remained at 20 percent.
Read More about Building Resilience, Innovation and Commitment: How to Cultivate a Disability Inclusive Workplace
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4 Reasons You Know More People with Disabilities than You Think

In the Chicago area, more than 800,000 residents report having a disability. That means you could fill Wrigley Field over 19 times with people with disabilities.
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Nothing About Us Without All of Us: Part 1

The Racial Wealth Gap and People with Disabilities
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Nothing About Us Without All of Us: Part 2

The Racial Wealth Gap and People with Disabilities
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ADA Compliance Guide, PDF Format (17MB)
Quest for Equality White Paper (PDF)
ADA 25 Advancing Leadership Website
ADA 25 Archived Website

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