Nolan Wells should be starting school this year. He should be thinking about what comes next, discovering more about himself, making plans, changing plans, laughing, learning, dreaming, and becoming. He is not. And that is a great tragedy and a loss for us all.

The August 11 storm that struck Northwest Indiana was severe. Winds approached 100 miles per hour. More than half of Gary lost power. Some residents and businesses waited nearly two weeks for electricity to be restored. The damage was real. But so too were the questions it exposed about infrastructure, preparedness, response, and accountability.

Labor Day calls us to honor the history of workers whose labor and organizing helped shape the protections and possibilities we know today. It also asks us to look at the conditions people are being asked to live and work under now and at the systems responsible for protecting communities when crisis comes. That brings our attention to Gary, Indiana.

In Gary, Indiana, Black families have spent nearly two weeks waiting for the lights to come back on. With the call to pay attention, CRS has joined forces with Trinity United Church of Christ in Gary and their Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. John E. Jackson Sr. We invite you to join our Eyes on Gary Taskforce.

Looking ahead to the 250th Independence Day (July 4), CRS further recognizes the sacrifices and resilience of our ancestors who carried the promise of liberty forward, even when it was unjustly denied to them. Yet much work remains until freedom truly flies.

To support Chicagoans impacted by high temperatures, flooding, and tornadoes, CRS released a list of extreme weather resources from local, state and federal agencies. Read this blog article to access the resources.

CRS holds Karmelo Anthony and his family in love and compassion. Their lives, too, have been forever altered. Whatever happens next, the circle of their family has also been broken. They are carrying fear, uncertainty, and pain that few of us can fully understand. 

CRS laments the death of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton and holds his family, loved ones, and community in prayer following the recent verdict in South Carolina.

CRS grieves with the Islamic Center of San Diego and communities across our nation and world, bereaved due to the unrest of war, genocide, Islamophobia, state-sanctioned violence, and a culture of racism and violence we must decry.

In case you missed it, we gathered in Grant Park on March 28 to join the No Kings Rally hosted by faith and social justice organizations throughout Chicago. CRS Policy and Organizing Associate Ikechukwu Ozuzu Jr. reflects in this blog article.

This March 2026, CRS celebrates Women’s History Month, an occasion to recognize well-known trailblazers and also uplift unsung heroes. Beyond the spotlight are courageous women who strategized in churches, led mass campaigns, and risked their lives to obtain the rights we have now. Their history is no longer in the headlines, but their resistance resides in modern-day mobilizers.

For months now, folks all over this country have been protesting the expanded use and increased militarization of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the National Guard. These protests and complaints have been rooted in a meaningful question about our democracy and our ability to move freely and protest. So what is next, and what is our call as people of faith and goodwill in this moment?

In this statement, CRS Executive Director Rev. Dr. Waltrina Middleton speaks on the urgency of now. She calls on the community to protect the sanctity of life beyond neatly phrased condolences following a tragedy on September 28 in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, which resulted in at least four fatalities and eight injuries.

Minnesota has experienced tragic and traumatic public acts of violence these past few months. In August, school children and other worshippers were gathered at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis to start the school year when their prayers were interrupted by shooting.

The work of building a righteous budget and a righteous city belongs to all of us. As people of faith, we are called to partner in that work, to hold leaders accountable, and to embody righteousness in our public life. Join us in the struggle for economic justice.

News out of Washington is that Chicago is next on the President’s list of cities where he wants to deploy federal troops to “crack down on crime,” which actually continues to decrease. In this moment, CRS believes we must be coordinated in strategy, called in purpose, and sound in our approach. 

Following busy weeks of mission-driven action, CRS reflects on what justice and liberation mean to us and those across the globe. We remember that we are our ancestors’ wildest dreams and that even in the present, we are the future.

CRS highlights our member congregation, University Church Chicago (UChurch), and Senior Pastor Rev. Julian DeShazier for actively protesting anti-DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) efforts during the 2025 Lenten season. Learn about UChurch’s stewardship of material resources and access a list of companies to both boycott and support in this blog article.   

This blog article tracks executive orders issued by the current administration that limit affordable healthcare for low-income individuals, target refugees, roll back environmental protections, deepen disparities among marginalized communities, reinforce inequality, and more.

Today is Election Day. That means today, Tuesday, November 5, is the last day to cast our votes for a host of political offices that have the power to determine the course of the future for our individual and communal lives. CRS encourages all who read this to make that choice.