Did you know Lincoln Park Zoo is the oldest public zoo in the nation? Chicago’s free zoo got its start after New York’s Central Park gifted two pairs of swans to the zoo in 1868.

Today, the zoo is home to nearly 200 unique species from around the world. The variety of animals is endless, from critically endangered eastern black rhinoceroses to Jamaican iguanas – which were previously thought to be extinct.

Lincoln Park has more than 2,000 individual plants representing more than 1,200 species on their 49-acre landscape that creates an urban oasis home to native birds, frogs, fish, turtles, insects and more.

In Decatur, agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) is doubling down in the fight against COVID-19. Not only has the company ramped up production of industrial ethyl alcohol—a critical component of hand sanitizer—but they’ve also donated nearly 10,000 bottles of sanitizer to local health and long-term care facilities.

“We’ve seen a huge demand for hand sanitizer on an industrial scale, and we’re appreciative we’ve been able to rely on our longstanding partner ADM to assist by producing a critical component of hand sanitizer - ethyl alcohol,” said Brett Schleder, director of procurement for Sazerac Company, a New Orleans-based beverage company that has begun producing hand sanitizer during the COVID-19 outbreak. “Together, our efforts combined have helped in the battle against the spread of COVID-19 for team members in various industries across the country.”

In the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, widespread face mask shortages are putting front line workers across Illinois at risk. Novias Davila bridal shop in Little Village has joined the fight against the spread of the virus by using their sewing expertise to produce cloth masks for jails, hospitals and many other frontline service providers.

Novias Davila, located at 3535 W. 26th St., has been making bridal dresses for over two decades. The business has always been active in the Little Village community, so when the governor’s Stay at Home Order went into effect, manager Patty Navarro said simply closing up shop wasn’t an option.

“We heard on the news that there was a shortage of masks and we really wanted to help our community the only way we know how,” said Navarro. “So we started making masks in a way to help our community overcome this.”

The small team of eight has been hard at work. According to their Facebook page, from March 20, to April 17 they produced and donated over 17,000 masks.

Dynamic, innovative, revolutionary – just a few words to describe the incomparable woman known to us as Michelle Obama. Michelle Obama is not only the first African American First Lady of the United States, but an accomplished mother, author, attorney and inspirational figure around the world.

Our former First Lady was born on January 17, 1964 in Chicago, Illinois. From an early age, she was raised to speak her mind and reach for the stars.

She’s always hated the question, “What will you be when you grow up?” because it encourages the idea that you can only be one thing, or that you can’t evolve (hence her memoir’s title, Becoming). She loves the fact that you never stop growing, never stop learning for your entire life.

And as refreshing as her philosophy is, she’s already achieved so much. Here’s a few interesting facts from her extraordinary resume: