Making A Difference

On a cold December night, the inside of the St. Marks Lutheran Church in Aurora was filled with warmth thanks to Santa Claus and a group of excited youngsters, as Courtney Sisk reports.

NBC 5, Telemundo Chicago and the Salvation Army are partnering once again for the 2024 Angel Tree gift donation program.

While many will be enjoying a Thanksgiving feast Thursday in the Chicago area, Christian Amezola knows there are many who won’t have that privilege.

A local nonprofit organization is delivering Thanksgiving meals to migrants and families in need in Cicero. NBC Chicago’s Vi Nguyen reports.

The Tails of Redemption animal rescue program in Cook County has helped a dog with a rough start to life find a new home. NBC Chicago’s Christian Farr reports.

When he was born, he weighed just over one pound, but six years later, Bryce Harshfield is a thriving kindergartner who loves soccer, hockey, monster trucks and most importantly, reading books.

A suburban boy who was in the neonatal intensive care unit for 157 days after birth is spreading holiday joy with his family with a giving tree. NBC Chicago’s Regina Waldroup reports.

There is a shiny statue outside the Jesse White Park and Fieldhouse commemorating the 65th anniversary of the Jesse White Tumblers.

A young Chicago girl is spreading love through her art on World Kindness Day, using her creativity to convey kindness to friends, neighbors and strangers alike.

A young Chicago student is on a mission to spread love with her art on World Kindness Day. NBC Chicago’s Vi Nguyen reports.

Deeply Rooted Dance Theater unites styles of dance to help celebrate storytelling, and their fall season kicks off with a special performance this week, as LeeAnn Trotter reports.

The National Kidney Foundation of Illinois is offering free screenings in a measure of preventative health for local residents. NBC Chicago’s LeeAnn Trotter reports.

A group of local women is working to aid Chicago-area families experiencing homelessness. NBC Chicago’s LeeAnn Trotter reports.

You’ve heard of therapy dogs, but have you heard about miniature therapy horses? Mane in Heaven, a nonprofit in Barrington, is on a mission to help as many people as they can, and the staff at a North Side hospital experienced the benefits first hand.  LeeAnn Trotter has our Making a Difference report.

A store in suburban Chicago offers a unique set of services, catering to cancer patients and survivors in a way that many say is hard to find. NBC 5’s Kate Chappell reports.

“I have seen domestic violence as a firefighter. I have experienced domestic violence, and I also lost my mother to domestic violence.”

The second-annual “Growing Hope Concert” took place outside of Wrigley Field on Sept. 25, with inspiring performances and a showcase of a movement to “create a kinder, more inclusive world,” according to the program’s website.

Kelly McBride, a volunteer with the American Cancer Society, joined NBC Chicago and shared her personal story along with the organization’s mission moving forward.

Twist Out Cancer is a nonprofit that connects cancer survivors and caregivers with artists to tell their stories through creative expression. Their programs, including Brushes with Cancer and Runway of Resilience, offer healing through art and fashion.

In her spare time, 12-year-old Zola Orlov likes to do karate, play her tuba and now volunteer.