Jennifer Speaker

Sep 24, 2024 | better.net | Jennifer Speaker |Jeanne Cooper

Charity may begin at home, but it doesn’t have to stay there. Galas for good causes across the nation can give you an even better reason to pack your bags than wanderlust. Besides helping others, you’re likely to experience the efforts of elite entertainers, caterers and florists while rubbing elbows with local luminaries — and sometimes international celebrities.

Sep 9, 2024 | better.net | Jennifer Speaker |Margaret Smith

This year, from Oct. 2 to 8, we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week—a national, week-long observance that discusses, examines, and advocates for mental health conditions. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, which founded the tradition in 1990, the series also aims to “raise awareness of mental illness, fight discrimination, and provide support.

Sep 9, 2024 | better.net | Jennifer Speaker |Margaret Smith

DISCLAIMER: This article discusses suicide prevention and mental health efforts; readers sensitive to either topic, please note. Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States. In 2022, America lost 49,476 people, and an estimated 1.6 million people attempted suicide. But, there are many working to turn this tide. Every September, we observe Suicide Prevention Awareness Month — a time to raise awareness around suicide risks, prevalence, and prevention.

Sep 5, 2024 | better.net | Jennifer Speaker

On Sept. 4, the United States experienced another deadly school shooting, this time at Apalachee High School in Georgia. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families, but we’ve learned by now that thoughts and prayers are not enough to prevent tragedies like this one, the devastating mass shooting at Highland Park, or the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Since 1999, there have been 416 school shootings affecting more than 382,000 students, according to The Washington Post.

Jun 27, 2024 | better.net | Jennifer Speaker |Glen Turk

Chicago, nicknamed “The Second City,” is the Midwest’s undisputed number-one metropolitan golf mecca. It began in 1892 with the nation’s first 18-hole course, Chicago Golf Club, and continues 130 years later as over 200 courses grace the Chicagoland area. Over two-thirds of those layouts are public, giving players a bevy of brilliant options no matter what part of Chicago you call home.