The Early Days of Rose Foundation
Rose Foundation was founded by Jill Ratner and Tim Little in 1992. The Foundation is dedicated to the memory of Rose Ratner, whose wit, wisdom and commitment were forged in the neighborhoods of Chicago over the course of 50 years of community activism.
Inspired by Rose, we believe that environmental stewardship, community regeneration, consumer protection, robust civic participation and a healthy economy are all inextricably linked. As a society, we cannot expect to achieve lasting economic progress at the expense of the environment, worker, or community rights. Similarly, lasting environmental, consumer, and community protections must also be grounded in economic reality. Civic participation, especially by traditionally disempowered communities, often serves as the necessary catalyst. Alliances between traditionally diverse interests provides a fundamental and lasting glue that binds long-term sustainable solutions.