Friends of the Chicago River
# Friends of the Chicago River

Friends of the Chicago River is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1979 with the purpose of improving and maintaining the ecological vitality of the 156-mile long Chicago River system, including its water, plant, and animal quality. The Friends of the Chicago River organizes cleanup initiatives and volunteer activities designed to improve the quality of the Chicago River system. The Friends of the Chicago River has created education and outreach programs, as well as partnering with establishments at the local and national level. The organization continuously publishes reports, findings, and updates about the Chicago River's condition.

## Overview

Friends of the Chicago River's has a staff of fifteen and the Board of Directors has twenty members, including Aditi Chakravorty of JP Morgan Chase and Kate Chappell of NorthShore University. Since 2005, executive member Margaret Frisbie has served the Friends of the Chicago River.

## Projects

In 2021, Friends received the Dr. George B. Rabb Force of Nature Award for successfully reconnecting the Mill Creek to the Cal-Sag Channel. This project resulted in the discovery of 13 new species of fish and began to restore the damaged ecosystem. The partners of this plan were the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC), the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD).

Friends of the Chicago River contributed its findings on the ecosystem’s state to the 2020 Natural Areas Assessment Survey, mainly that native plants occupy 70% of the land.

Friends of the Chicago River and the Forest Preserves of Cook County have worked together to support turtle, fish eagle, and bat reproduction. At Watersmeet Woods, Chipilly Woods, Skokie Lagoons, and Wampum Lake, rehabilitation activities for turtle habitats began in 2014.

## Programs

### Chicago River Museum

The McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum is a program of Friends of the Chicago River that aims to educate visitors about the history and ecology of the Chicago River. The museum is located in the southwest tower of the Michigan Avenue Bridge, which is one of the most iconic bridges in Chicago. Visitors to the museum can learn about the engineering and architecture of the bridge, as well as the history of the Chicago River and its impact on the city. The museum features exhibits on the ecology of the river, including the wildlife that inhabits it, and the efforts being made to restore its health.

### My Chicago River Summer Day Challenge

Friends of the Chicago River organizes an annual clean up day where volunteers are gathered to remove trash littered along and throughout the Chicago River. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, in May, 2020, the organization transformed the day long event into a month long initiative, the My Chicago River Summer Day Challenge, where Chicago residents were challenged to pick up trash around their own neighborhoods. In 2022, 2000 volunteers gathered around to pick up tons of trash.

### Chicago River Day

An annual celebration known as Chicago River Day is put on by Friends of the Chicago River, a nonprofit group whose mission is to safeguard and improve the Chicago River's condition. For the purpose of cleaning up the river and its surroundings, the event brings together volunteers of all ages. In order to clean up the river's water and shorelines during Chicago River Day, volunteers are assigned to different locations around the river.

The Friends of the Chicago River organization hosted a cleanup event for Chicago River Day at two sites in Glenview, Illinois. The cleanup event took place on May 14, 2022, and volunteers were encouraged to participate to help remove trash and debris from the river. The two sites in Glenview where the cleanup took place were the Glenview Park District and the Grove. The event is part of an annual effort by Friends of the Chicago river, and Friends of the Chicago River has been organizing these cleanup events for over 25 years.

An event listing for Chicago River Day 2023, which is hosted by Friends of the Chicago River and will take place at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The event is described as a day of volunteer service, where participants will work on various projects to improve the health and vitality of the Chicago River ecosystem. Activities will include removing litter, planting native vegetation, and removing invasive species.

