Citizen Grit is building Cook County's first online and printable food pantry directory — organized by suburb, free to access and designed to reach people who need it most. If you operate a food pantry, kitchen, mobile distribution, micro-pantry, mutual aid food program or clothes closet in Cook
You know things the headlines miss. Tell us what's happening in your world — your costs, your community, your concerns. We want to know your story and the ones of people you care about. Have a question? A problem? A tip? Let us know. We're listening. Tell
Food
More than 1.4 million county residents struggle to put food on the table, figures from the Greater Chicago Food Depository show. That's more than a quarter of the population. But help is available from agencies and neighborhood groups. Here are ways to find assistance if you need it.
Budget
Do you know exactly how much you're paying for essentials across Cook County? Put your cost knowledge to the test with our new quiz.
News
Citizen Grit covers what's close to home in Cook County — your costs, your health, your housing, your neighborhood, your life. We tell the stories that make hardworking people smarter, healthier and heard. No spin. No agenda. Nothing to prove and no one to please.