AustinTalks - News and information covering Chicago's Austin neighborhood on the West Side

AustinTalks (http://austintalks.org/author/johnwf3/page/6/)

  • Home
  • About
  • Community
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Global Navigation
Subscribe

John W. Fountain III

John W. Fountain, III is a licensed social worker with a graduate degree from Loyola University Chicago’s School of Social Work and an undergraduate degree in journalism from Columbia College Chicago. With the ability to investigate the implications of policy on human behavior, Fountain’s writings explore poverty, mental illness and the long lasting effects of trauma and race. Fountain received the prestigious Peter Lisagor Award in 2012 and also honored for best column by the Illinois Press Association in the same year. Fountain has experience in an inpatient psychiatric institution, psychiatric units of hospitals and served as a Dementia Unit Coordinator at a nursing home. It is Fountain’s belief that policy reform is the root solution of current social issues.

Opinion

I am tired of the blame game

By John W. Fountain III | August 9, 2011

At some point we have to stop pointing fingers and find alternate ways to intervene, writes Austin resident John W. Fountain III.

Opinion

Where are Austin’s street festivals, outdoor events?

By John W. Fountain III | June 1, 2011

One local resident urges local elected officials to make sure the city’s most-populated neighborhood benefits from summer celebrations. What do you think?

Opinion

Being a mother only partially defines you

By John W. Fountain III | May 8, 2011

Our AustinTalks commentator urges moms to develop their other talents, too.

Opinion

Half of the battle is won by just showing up

By John W. Fountain III | April 12, 2011

Commentator John W. Fountain III wants all fathers to step up and do their job, no matter what’s happened in the past.

Opinion

Still not convinced about staying

By John W. Fountain III | March 23, 2011

Readers respond to John W. Fountain’s last column with hope. Tell us what you think.

Opinion

Should I leave or should I stay?

By John W. Fountain III | March 14, 2011

Read about one man’s struggle over where he should live.

Opinion

Tax season spurs debate about fiscal responsibility

By John W. Fountain III | February 28, 2011

Commentator John W. Fountain III wants West Side residents to think carefully about how to spend those tax refunds. What do you think?

Opinion

Where is the love?

By John W. Fountain III | February 8, 2011

Commentator John W. Fountain III remembers the enduring bond between his grandparents and wishes for more of the same.

Opinion

The problem with the 21st Century is still the color line

By John W. Fountain III | January 31, 2011

Commentator John W. Fountain III shares his thoughts on Black History Month.

Opinion

Sometimes parents just don’t understand, sometimes they do

By John W. Fountain III | January 18, 2011

Commentator John W. Fountain III returns to share his thoughts about illness that has struck his family – and drudged up some strong feelings.

Load more posts

News

  • Expungement, record sealing event helps West Siders get jobs after leaving prison

    Austin resident Anthony Jefferson has been working over the past six years to expunge his criminal record. With help from the Monroe Foundation, he's moving toward the clean slate he wants to achieve to secure employment.

  • Get free groceries, other help from these Austin groups

    On a recent Thursday, volunteers from What About Us Charitable Enterprises spent the morning filling dozens of grocery bags with fresh food and staples that soon filled the arms of West Side residents in need. Dorin “Pastor Mac” McIntyre, executive director and co-founder of What About Us Charitable Enterprises and pastor of Mount Olivet Missionary Baptist Church, is one of many helping Austin residents struggling with food insecurity.

  • 29th Ward residents invited to holiday events on Tuesday

  • 29th Ward residents invited to propose how to spend $450,000

    Austin residents are invited to participate in this year's participatory budgeting cycle. The annual process lets ward residents ages 14 and up decide how to spend a portion of the aldermanic menu money.

  • Forty Acres Fresh Market marks important moment this week in bringing store to Austin

    Austin moves one step closer this week to getting a new grocery store with the groundbreaking of Forty Acres Fresh Market in the heart of the Soul City Corridor. Another effort to expand food offerings on the West Side continues with the Austin Community Food Co-op, which held a virtual info session last week on its efforts to bring a grocery store to the area.

  • Healing in nature workshop set for Saturday

    The Westside Cultural Alliance continues its "See, Feel and Heal" nature series Saturday at Garfield Park Nature Area, 100 N. Central Park with a workshop on making memory boxes. The workshop sessions focus on art and nature as vehicles of healing through art therapy, which provides wholistic healing for the body, mind and spirit.

  • Illinois residents can apply for help with paying gas, electric bills

    Applications are now open for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for qualified residential customers who are over the age of 60, have a disability or have children under the age of 6 to receive financial assistance to pay their energy bills. LIHEAP is a federally funded bill payment assistance program that helps low- and fixed-income families pay their utility during the winter heating season.

  • West Siders turn out for chili cook off in Austin’s Soul City

    Over a dozen local chefs competed in the second annual "It’s Getting Chili in Soul City" event on Saturday. A team of five who make up the Austin African American Business Networking Association board – Malcolm Crawford, Shirley Fields, Sharmine Rickett, Ronald Smith and Marshawn Felton – created the chili contest last year.

  • Chicago Marathon runner raises money for West Side girls

    Over the last 20 years, Ashley Graham has run 56 marathons - including the Chicago Marathon five times. Several of those marathons she raised money for charity - and this year was no different.

  • Stop by Austin farmers market this week

Like Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterSubscribe via RSS

Search This Site

Browse Archives

© Copyright 2025, AustinTalks

Built with the Largo WordPress Theme from the Institute for Nonprofit News.

Back to top ↑