Chicago Community Tools

The Chicago Tool Library Inventory Is Tripling — And Needs The Community's Help Finding A Bigger Space The organization is growing thanks to a merger with Chicago Community Tools. Library leaders say their ideal space is on the South Side and more accessible to public transit.

This pandemic has been hard on everyone. Chicago Community Tools lending was not what we hoped as everyone sheltered in place. We were still able to lend 1720 tools worth $81,000 across Chicagoland. Saving our members nearly $75,000 over the retail cost of the tools. The savings were even greater when you consider the cost of securely storing and maintaining these tools to have them ready for our members' projects.

We are most proud of how we used our tools, with donations from Lowe's Home Improvement, The Home Depot, Fortune Brands and Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago volunteers to build 250 desks for remote or hybrid learning across Chicagoland.

Life Quilt Foundation

Grandkids activity center

Getting the last 50 desks ready by adjusting each one to make sure the legs fit, sanding each top and finally sealing with clear polyurethane. These desks used mostly scrap lumber for the tops with the rest of the costly lumber supplied by Lowe's Home Improvement and The Home Depot Foundation. Special thanks to David Gemperline, Gene Kocian and the rest of the team from Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago for the many hours they spent creating the desks.

We know there are smiles under those masks. One mother reported back to us that since her 13-year-old son got his desk, he only leaves his room to go to the bathroom and eat.