Nourish for Knowledge - Greater Chicago Food Depository

Letter from the Executive Director.2 Food Depository honored for dedication to food bank national
network.3 Agency Spotlight: Food and fellowship in Steger.3 Program prepares adults for jobs while providing children with hot
meals.4 Director Snapshots.6 Teen, Food Depository distribute more than 300 turkeys to people in need.8 Support Hunger
Knows No Season.8
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
.8
foodforthought
A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY ■ VOLUME 10.3
WINTER 2006
PHOTO: BOB DOLGAN
Sisters Kayla and Kierra Wooden
and cousin Tytiana Holliman take
home bags of food distributed
through the Nourish for Knowledge
program at Burnham/Anthony Math
and Science Academy in the South
Deering neighborhood.
Nourish for Knowledge provides food for children during weekends
M
ichelle Wilson didn’t eat fruit at home very often before she
began receiving food distributed by the Food Depository. But
now the nutrient-rich fruit bars she takes home from school along
with other items each Friday are enhancing the fourth-grader’s diet. Many
students and parents at Burnham/Anthony Math and Science Academy agree
that the food distributed through the Nourish for Knowledge program is tasty
and nutritious.
Sixty similar take-home food programs have been implemented in various
ways nationwide by members of America’s Second Harvest, the nation’s food
bank network. Children experiencing food insufficiency may frequently be
absent from school because of health problems caused by hunger. Hunger
also can impact a child’s behavior and cause hyperactivity, aggression and
irritability. Thirty-three percent of people receiving food from the Food
Depository are children, according to a recently released hunger study.
“I don’t have to worry about it being junk food,” said Penny Williams, whose
twin kindergarteners attend Burnham/Anthony. “It’s good, healthy food.”
“Hungry children are distracted children,’’ said Arne Duncan, the chief
executive officer of Chicago Public Schools. “We want to make sure
nothing gets in the way of our children performing well academically,
including hunger.”
Nourish for Knowledge is an innovative partnership between the Food
Depository and Chicago Public Schools. The new program distributes a free
take-home bag of food each Friday afternoon to students at 16 community
schools, which serve low-income neighborhoods and offer after-school
programming for children and families. Nourish for Knowledge works
to ensure that children who typically receive free or reduced price school
meals have some food during the weekend. Each take-home bag includes
approximately 15 nutritious foods such as granola bars, fruit bars, mixed
nuts and shelf-stable milk. The assortment of items is balanced nutritionally
and presented in child-friendly packaging. More than 2,400 children across
Chicago are currently in the program, which has the potential to expand into
additional school locations.
“All children should have access to food every day and have the opportunity to
thrive,” said Mike Mulqueen, Food Depository executive director. “Hunger can
impede learning by affecting a child’s ability to concentrate.”
Nourish for Knowledge aids families as well as individual students. Michelle
said she shares her bag of food with her toddler sister. The program also
encourages awareness among parents and guardians about positive nutrition
and fitness practices by including multilingual information flyers in each bag.
“Students ask if we’re going to get our treats today,” said Dr. Linda J. Moore,
principal of Burnham/Anthony. “They look forward to it.” ■
For more information about Food Depository children’s programs, contact
Lesley Marcus, children’s programs manager, at 773.843.2741 or [email protected].
Lead funding for Nourish for Knowledge is provided by three of the McCormick
Tribune Foundation’s Communities Program Funds—Chicago Tribune Charities,
Bears Care, and Cubs Care.
Food Depository honored
for dedication to food
bank national network
Letter from the Executive Director
The cover of this newsletter features one such program: Nourish for
Knowledge. An innovative collaboration between the Food Depository
and the Chicago Public Schools, Nourish for Knowledge distributes
take-home bags of shelf-stable food to schoolchildren who are at risk for
hunger or malnutrition. The inconspicuous plastic bags are distributed in
schools before the weekend, when students do not have access to free or
reduced-price school lunches. The Food Depository selected bag contents
because of their overall nutritious balance, their potential appeal to youths
and the ability of even small children to open the simple packaging and
enjoy. Each bag is lightweight and brimming with more than a dozen small
packages of items like fruit bars, protein-packed nuts and even boxes of
shelf-stable milk.
With such vision and dedication surrounding our mission, the best work of
the Food Depository is yet to come. With your continued support, together
we can break the bonds of poverty that people face and replace hunger
with hope—one partnership, one program, one person at a time.
N
PHOTO: BOB DOLGA
■ FOOD FOR THOUGHT 2 >3
Food Depository Executive
Director Mike Mulqueen, left
,
accepted the first President
’s Award from America’s
Second Harvest President and
CEO Robert Forney.
The Food Depository’s recent involve
ment with the network included hosting
member food banks at the America’s Sec
ond Harvest Operations Conference
in 2005. As part of its response to Hu
rricane Katrina in coordination with the
network, the Food Depository continu
es to serve as the Midwest processing
center for tons of outside donations tha
t are being shipped south. With its
state-of-the-art facility, the Food Dep
ository shipped more than 150 tons of
food to the Gulf Coast last September
and October. ■
Agency Spotlight: Food and fe
T
rter
Employee of the Qua rricane Katrina struck last fall, the Food Depository
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and other food banks natio
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and other supplies that could
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rector Mike Mulqueen said.
“Karen provided accurate an
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e,” Food
demands of her everyday rol
.” ■
r service and responsiveness
splendid example of custome
“Whether it was to host a tour of you
r facility for national donors, joining
network planning committees or allowin
g us to publicly showcase a strong
network member, staff at the Food Dep
ository has always welcomed us with
open arms—very often while they hav
e full workloads themselves,” America’s
Second Harvest President and CEO Rob
ert Forney said.
New Employees
RY
TH E FO OD DE PO SI TO
PL OY EE S
WE LC OM ES NE W EM
Daniel Alpe
Controller
Jacquelyn Faber
alist
Human Resources Gener
Gina Focareta
Director of Corporate and
Foundation Relations
Zoran Markovic
Groundskeeper
Marzet Tucker
Freezer Stocker/Picker
he St. Liborius Community Outreach
Program in far south
suburban Steger has been a haven for
people in need of a hot
meal and a sense of community since
1988. Older adults,
low-income families and the homeless
receive food from the Community
Outreach Program.
“I couldn’t wait for the day to be over
to get here,” said Richard Moser,
who dines at the Community Outrea
ch Program’s soup kitchen each week.
“There’s always a nice hot meal here.”
Richard works odd jobs to make ends
meet. On a recent wintry day, he cam
e
to the soup kitchen after toiling at a loca
l gas station. At St. Liborius, he was
greeted by familiar faces and neatly arra
nged tables laden with small bags of
homemade cookies.
“The people here are good people,” Ric
hard said.
At more than 36 miles south of the Foo
d Depository, the Community
Outreach Program is one of the most
distant member agencies in the food
bank’s Cook County service area. Res
idents from Steger, which straddles the
Cook County-Will County border, and
nearby communities such as South
Chicago Heights and Crete come to the
program for assistance. More than
100 people each week visit the soup kitc
hen, and hungry families receive
food through a pantry every other wee
k. The Community Outreach
Program picks up more than 6,000 pou
nds of food from the Food
Depository each month.
Said William Andolina, a soup kitchen
regular: “The food’s good here.”
The majority of the people gathering
for the weekly soup kitchen are older
adults. Studies have shown that provid
ing safe, appropriate, and highly
nutritious food helps older adults pro
long independence, enhance quality
Rose Angell, left, and
Donna Lukasik are
regular visitors at the
St. Liborius Community
Outreach Program.
llowship in Steger
of life, decrease chronic disease risks,
hospital stays, and medical and
prescription bills and slow disease pro
gression. The Community Outreach
Program also lessens the isolation man
y older adults face in a community
surrounded by farmland and suburban
subdivisions.
“Everybody gets along nicely together,”
Steger resident Joanne Parks said.
“This is one less meal to prepare and
think about.” ■
Target’s food donations hit the
mark
Target Store Team Leader Dave Craig
has made a significant contribution to
the
fight against hunger since his introdu
ction to the Food Depository last sum
mer.
“I was blown away by what the Food
Depository does,” said Dave after a visi
t
to the 268,000 square-foot food bank
and training center on the Southwest
Side.
Rather than disposing of food items wit
h cosmetic imperfections, Dave and his
staff began collecting products at the
South Loop Target and donating them
to
the Food Depository. Dave also organiz
ed a team-building volunteer session at
the Food Depository and held a district
meeting at the food bank. The Broadv
iew
SuperTarget began donating items to
the Food Depository, and the partnershi
p
continues to expand throughout the area
. Dave’s local efforts gathered momen
tum
just as Target directed stores nationally
to donate slightly imperfect products
to
local food banks that are members of
America’s Second Harvest, the nation’s
network of food banks.
“This is an example of one person mak
ing a difference in his workplace,” Foo
d
Depository Director of Food Resources
Keith Rosenthal said. “Dave has gone
above and beyond in his support of the
Food Depository.” ■
For more information on making corporat
e food donations to the Food Depository,
please contact Director of Food Resource
s Keith Rosenthal at 773.843.5418 or
[email protected].
Dave Craig collects cosmetica
lly
imperfect food products at his
Target
store and donates them to the
Food Depository.
PHOTO: BOB DOLGAN
For such generosity, and so much more, we cannot thank you enough.
The Food Depository has been fortunate that, even as significant
challenges arise, our donors and supporters continue to give what they
can. It’s because of such support that the Food Depository has been able
to sustain research into our community’s needs, devise strategies about
how to effectively combat hunger and then establish the partnerships
and programs to help deliver food—and hope—to those who need it most.
As many of you know, I’ve been planning to retire at the end of this fiscal
year, in June. The Food Depository’s board of directors has undertaken a
nationwide search for the next executive director, which will be announced
this spring. Nourish for Knowledge is only one example of the types of
innovative programs that the Food Depository’s next chief executive
will have the privilege of leading into the future. Throughout my 15-year
tenure here, with the help of our talented board of directors and executive
leadership, the Food Depository has consistently applied the best practices
of business to our operations, instilled an organizational culture that
demands we manage our resources efficiently and forged programs that
work effectively to attack hunger in our community.
America’s Second Harvest, the nation’s
food bank network, presented Food
Depository Executive Director Mike Mu
lqueen with the inaugural President’s
Award during the food bank’s employe
e holiday party Dec. 22. The award
recognizes the Food Depository’s “dedica
ted assistance to the national office
and, in turn, the entire network.” Am
erica’s Second Harvest included a gift
of
$5,000 to the Food Depository as par
t of the award.
PHOTO: BOB DOLGAN
The outpouring of support the Food Depository received during the
last year was critical to helping us fulfill our mission of helping hungry
men, women and children in our community. You may have given your time
as a volunteer, contributed to one of the holiday season food drives or even
sent in a donation.
So far, 16 Chicago Public Schools are serving more than 2,400 children
through Nourish for Knowledge, which has the potential to expand to more
schools. The program has received an enthusiastic response from many
students and parents. School administrators and teachers, meanwhile,
know that children who arrive to school with full stomachs and adequate
nutrition are better able to learn and develop into successful adults.
PHOTO: BOB DOLGAN
As we begin a new year, it’s hard to forget the natural disasters that had
the world watching during 2005. But while horrific and devastating events
from tsunamis to hurricanes captured much attention, people throughout
Cook County continued to remember the challenges of the less fortunate
here at home.
GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY
■
Chicago’s Community Kitchens stud
ent Jessica Jocewicz helped
prepare beef stroganoff for delivery
to Kids Cafes®. “I’ve been through
ups and downs,” Jessica said, “but
everything is looking up.”
“I’ve learned to work as a team and wor
k
with other people here,” Jessica said.
Although she has job experience as a chil
d care provider, Jessica was unemploye
d
and struggling to pay her rent when she
was referred to Chicago’s Community
Kitchens. Jessica said the skills she hon
ed while preparing Kids Cafe meals hav
e
equipped her for entry into the job mar
ket.
“I’ve been through ups and downs,” said
Jessica, “but everything is looking up.
”
The beef stroganoff Jessica helped pre
pare is divided into smaller portions for
each of the Food Depository’s Kids Caf
es. Chicago’s Community Kitchens,
located at the Food Depository’s wareho
use and training center, uses a state-ofthe-art cook-chill system to freeze the
food for Kids Cafes. The beef strogan
off is
delivered to Kids Cafes the next day.
Christopher Mitchell, 15, and Quinti
ne Brown, 16, are walking through the
halls of the Miguel Barretto Union Lea
gue Boys and Girls Club in Humbold
t
Park. They catch the aroma of beef stro
ganoff emanating from the Kids Cafe
in the club.
“When’s the food going to be ready?”
Christopher asks the club director.
Kids Cafes served 188,000 meals to som
e 1,800 children during the last fiscal
year. The Food Depository delivers foo
d to Kids Cafes each weekday program
s
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Internship at Tru pro
■ FOOD FOR THOUGHT 4>5
Partnerships
Chicago’s Community
Kitchens student Nicole
Futrell, right, was introduced
to Gale Gand, left, and Lisa
Mortimer at the Bag Hunger
Auction in September.
ena and Rick Bayless,
of Bag Hunger chefs Geno Bah
at Chilpancingo and
students also recently interned
Frontera Fresco.
hips based on interest, skills,
“We match students to interns
i, who collaborates with
hours and location,” said LoriLe
the Drake Hotel to Sodexho
other internship providers from
r Nicole to be able to tell
at Shedd Aquarium to Blu 47. “Fo
rnship at Tru is fantastic.”
another employer about her inte
e something to offer.
Added Lisa, “It feels good to hav
steppingstone in her career.”
Hopefully this will help her as a
Community Kitchens in
Nicole graduated from Chicago’s
has boosted her confidence
December. The experience at Tru
market.
as she prepares to enter the job
there,” Nicole said, “I know I
“If they thought I had the skills
can go anywhere.” ■
ship sites and student
For more information about intern
mmunity Kitchens,
opportunities through Chicago’s Co
14.
call LoriLei Kramer at 773.843.54
PHOTO: ED KRAMER
ger Auction in September
The Food Depository’s Bag Hun
opportunity for a Chicago’s
turned into a once-in-a-lifetime
Nicole Futrell was volunteering
Community Kitchens student.
ide many of Chicago’s
at the fundraising event alongs
ment and placement
top chefs. LoriLei Kramer, recruit
nity Kitchens, suggested to
coordinator at Chicago’s Commu
e Gand, author, television
Nicole to introduce herself to Gal
at Tru restaurant.
host and executive pastry chef
age of opportunities,” said
“I tell our students to take advant
t cover interviewing and job
LoriLei, who leads classes tha
search techniques.
Chef de Cuisine Lisa
Nicole told Gale and Tru Pastry
munity Kitchens. The
Mortimer about Chicago’s Com
rnship at Tru.
encounter led to a two-week inte
rwhelming considering
“At first, I thought it would be ove
everyone was nice
where I was,” Nicole said, “but
and helpful.”
s is the Food Depository’s
Chicago’s Community Kitchen
underemployed and
foodservice training program for
t spends two weeks of the
unemployed adults. Each studen
hip. Because of the generosity
12-week program in an interns
are in session. At Miguel Barretto, Ch
ristopher, a freshman at Roberto
Clemente High School, plays basketb
all with his brother Deandre, 14.
The club also offers tutoring and other
educational activities.
“This is good right here,” said Deandr
e as he dug into the stroganoff, which
was served with rice pilaf and corn.
The nutritious meals served at the Kid
s Cafe are the primary nourishment
for some children after school, and man
y school lunches are served as early as
10:30 a.m. On most days, Christopher
is hungry after school, but he often
does not have the money for a snack.
He also said he eats more vegetables at
the Kids Cafe than he does at home.
“When I get home, my mom asks me
if I’ve eaten,” Christopher said.
“She won’t have to fix me anything tod
ay.” ■
®
Kids Cafe is a national program of Am
erica’s
Second Harvest, the nation’s food bank
network.
Children get a kick
out of Chicago Storm,
fitness at Kids Cafes®
PHOTO: BOB DOLGAN
J
essica Jocewicz stands beside a massive
skillet filled with 350 pounds
of cubed meat, 50 pounds of chopped
onions and eight gallons of
canned mushrooms. She and other stud
ents in the Chicago’s
Community Kitchens foodservice trai
ning program are preparing a Paul
Bunyan-sized portion of beef stroganoff
for children served through the Food
Depository’s more than 30 Kids Cafes®
.
“To know that kids get at least one mea
l a day, it’s a great feeling,” said Jessica,
a
mother of five. “I know my kids have
been hungry.”
The beef stroganoff represents the imp
ortant connection between two Food
Depository programs that fight hunger
in Cook County. Students in Chicago’s
Community Kitchens, a 12-week pro
gram for unemployed and underemplo
yed
adults, learn their trade by making tho
usands of meals for Kids Cafes. Both
programs strive to end hunger in the
community: Chicago’s Community
Kitchens helps individuals gain the job
skills they need to break cycles of
poverty and Kids Cafes offer hot mea
ls and educational experiences in
established after-school programs for
children in low-income neighborhoods
.
At a Kids Cafe® in
Humboldt Park, Deandre
Mitchell, 14, enjoyed the
beef stroganoff prepared
by Chicago’s Community
Kitchens students.
PHOTO: BOB DOLGAN
PHOTO: BOB DOLGAN
Program prepares adults
for jobs while providing
children with hot meals
Jessica said her experience at Chicago’s
Community Kitchens has changed
her attitude about work.
Chicago Storm goalkeeper Dan
ny
Waltman shared soccer tips wit
h
Damaris Posadas and dozens
of other children at the Union
League Boys and Girls Club On
e.
Damaris Posadas dribbled toward the goal, sized up her
shot and booted the ball off the
goalpost. Unfazed by the miss, the 8-year-old retreated
to the back of a line of fledgling
soccer players in the Union League Boys and Girls Club
One gymnasium.
“It’s mostly about having fun,” she said.
Damaris and more than 50 other children learned socce
r skills from three members of
the Chicago Storm during a Kids Cafe® visit on Nov.
30. Kids Cafes address the Food
Depository’s goal of striving to end hunger in the comm
unity by providing hot, nutritious
meals to children in after-school programs. Tutoring,
nutrition education and healthful
meals in a nurturing environment can help break the
cycles of poverty many children face.
“Fitness is a great complement to hot meals and nutri
tion education,” said Lesley Marcus,
Food Depository children’s programs manager. “The
soccer clinics are a way to have fun
and encourage children to stay active.”
The Food Depository operates more than 30 Kids Cafe
s. At Club One in Pilsen, Damaris
receives a hot meal and the opportunity for education
and physical activity in a safe
environment. Damaris, who said soccer is her favorite
sport, gained a new skill after
practicing with Storm midfielder Matthew Stewart.
“I already knew how to dribble,” the third-grader says,
“but the hard part was learning to
use both feet.”
The Food Depository and the Storm, a Major Indoor
Soccer League team in its second
season, are teaming up for monthly clinics at Kids Cafe
s through April.
“This is what being a professional athlete is all about,”
Storm goalkeeper Danny Waltman
said. “Our job has a lot of pressure, and we forget all
about that when we are out in the
community. It’s a lot of fun.” ■
GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY
■
profiled several staff directors
n recent years, Food for Thought has
its mission. With 2006
who help the Food Depository further
s who lead the more than 100
upon us, here is a look at the director
for hungry people every day.
employees who together provide food
I
Katherine R. Maehr
Director of Developmen
t
Kate has served as dir
ector of
development since 19
99. She oversaw
the recent $30 million
capital campaign
launched in support of
the Food
Depository’s new food
bank and training
center. In addition to ov
erseeing
fundraising, Kate is in
charge of public
affairs initiatives at the
Food Depository.
Chief Financial Officer
nce
Joan possesses a wealth of experie
. Joan,
in corporate and nonprofit arenas
s the
a certified public accountant, lead
ages the
Accounting department and man
ertise
Food Depository’s budget. Her exp
nonprofit
includes fiscal responsibility in a
setting, best business practices and
Sox
White
bag championship, potatoes
White Sox players Paul Konerko, Cliff Politte and Neal Cotts visited the Food
Keith M. Rosenthal
internal controls.
Depository for a volunteer session on Jan. 25. The trio bagged potatoes for
Director of Food Reso
urces
Keith directs all activitie
s related to acquiring
food. His duties includ
e the solicitation and
procurement of food do
nations and the
development of strate
gic alliances with food
manufacturers. Prior to
leading the Food
Resources departmen
t, Keith was the Food
Depository’s director of
individual giving for
four years.
Caroline C. Howe
Director of Internal Resources
the Food
Caroline manages all aspects of
ensure
Depository’s internal activities to
proper human
ugh
organizational efficiency thro
cesses. She has
capital and risk management pro
trative Services,
direct responsibilities for Adminis
Technology.
Human Resources and Information
ory after a
Caroline joined the Food Deposit
orate and
successful 25-year career in corp
commercial banking.
Caroline C. Sexton
Director of Volunteer Se
rvices
Caroline oversees the
Food Depository’s
volunteer program, wh
ich last year
included more than 8,0
00 volunteers and
approximately 80,000
hours of service.
Caroline’s background
includes 15 years
of management experie
nce in nonprofit
organizations, including
10 years at a
Food Depository memb
er agency.
Eric T. Knepper
Director of Operations
operations of
Eric Knepper manages the daily
distribution
the Food Depository including the
food each
of more than 40 million pounds of
agement,
year. He supervises warehouse man
maintenance.
distribution logistics and facilities
nce includes
Eric’s academic and work experie
community
overseas and domestic projects in
ics and
development, agricultural econom
statistical analysis.
Ilana J. Shaffer
Director of Marketing
Ilana leads efforts to rai
se public awareness
about the issue of hung
er in our community.
She manages cause-r
elated marketing
alliances with compan
ies, partnerships
which raise awareness
and funds for the
organization. Ilana pre
viously supervised
marketing and sales ac
tivities at a workforce
development corporat
ion.
Angel L. La Luz Jr.
Director of Agency Relations
the
Angel is the chief liaison between
ber food
Food Depository and its 600 mem
.A
pantries, soup kitchens and shelters
in
former Army corporal specializing
n with
bee
has
he
t,
personnel managemen
decade
a
the Food Depository for more than
practices
and possesses expertise in best
ribution
for hunger-relief agencies, food dist
t.
logistics and program developmen
Communications
Call 773-247-FOOD to
co
Planned gifts help fi
ntact Food Deposito
ry staff.
ght hunger for years
to come
Leaving a legacy in the fig
ht against hunger helps en
sure that the Food Depo
be able to distribute food
sitory will continue to
to Chicagoans in need. A
pla
nned gift of any size will
for hungry people and su
help provide meals
pport the Food Depositor
y’s programs that help br
If you already have named
ea
k the cycle of poverty.
the Food Depository as a
beneficiary of a will or an
please let us know so we
insurance policy,
can thank you. For more
information, please cons
then contact Leah Ray, dir
ult
your attorney, and
ector of individual giving
, at 773.843.5424 or laray
@gcfd.org. ■
people in need, answered questions from the media and presented a donation
of $5,000 to the Food Depository. The World Series trophy also was on hand for
a photograph session that was open to the public. Last year, White Sox players
and their wives kicked off their annual food drive by attending a volunteer
session at the Food Depository.
Donors and supporters pitched in to help
the less fortunate this holiday season
Because of the thousands of Chicagoans who participated in food
drives this past holiday season, the Food Depository will be able to
provide an additional 1.9 million meals to people in need—enough
meals for every man, woman and child in a city the size of Houston.
Individuals, companies, schools and churches organized nearly 500
food drives, amassing more than 400,000 pounds of food and more than
$400,000. More than three-quarters of the Food Depository’s total
annual food drives took place in the last quarter of 2005.
James Martin Jr., a senior at Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park,
mustered one of the mighty individual efforts of the season. As part of
his Eagle Scout service project, James collected 771 pounds of food and
$830. Other student-led contributions included New Trier High School
(more than 23,000 pounds) and the Chicago High School for Agricultural
Sciences (more than 4,700 pounds).
The Dominick’s & ABC 7 Holiday Food Drive led all drives, totaling the
equivalent of more than 741,000 pounds of food. Other totals of note
included the impressive one-day Potbelly Sandwich Works Food Drive
(nearly 27,000 pounds) and the Carson Pirie Scott & Jewel-Osco Fall
PHOTO: BOB DOLGAN
Joan E. Bondi
■ FOOD FOR THOUGHT 6 >7
PHOTO: BOB DOLGAN
Director Snapshots
Students from the Chicago
High School for Agricultural
Sciences dropped off more
than 4,700 pounds of food
at the Food Depository
in December.
Food Drive (more than 27,000 pounds). Hundreds of supporters logged
on to Virtual Food Drives, contributing nearly $28,000 to the Food
Depository’s food purchasing initiatives.
Top fund drives benefiting Food Depository programs included the
20th Annual Exchanges Holiday Fund Drive (more than $62,000) and the
Mayor’s Office of Special Events “Sharing It” Holiday Food Drive (more
than $120,000). Included in the donations was a portion of the proceeds
from the “Sharing It” Banner Auction, which featured an official City of
Chicago banner saluting the world champion Chicago White Sox.
Thank you to all of the people around Cook County who participated in
food and fund drives and helped fight hunger this holiday season. ■
For more information about food drives or Virtual Food Drives, contact
Marketing Coordinator Lauren Biedron at 773.843.2844 or [email protected].
p
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Illinois gets good food
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d Depository’s Producemobiles on
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and bags of produce from one of the Foo
Church in Harvey.
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serving its annual holiday meal. The gov
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gathered for the Pro
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his daughters also helped serve dessert
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S
GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY
■
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
FEBRUARY
9
TEEN RAISES $10,000 FOR TURKEYS
APRIL
8
Hunger Knows No Season,
through April 1.
Participating retailers.
Soldier Field Spring
Egg-stravaganza.
Soldier Field.
15
14
23
30
27
MAY
Good Friday Holiday.
Food Depository closed.
Valentine’s Volunteer Repack.
Food Depository.
Starbucks Coffee & Eli’s Cheesecake
Sampling Event.
Select Starbucks locations.
Curves Food Drive, through March 31.
Chicagoland locations.
MARCH
5
10th Annual Girl Food Dinner.
West Town Tavern.
9
Food Marketing Institute
Show food rescue.
McCormick Place.
Bobby Harvey
handed out
turkeys to
low-income
Pilsen residents
on Nov. 14.
High school student Bobby Harvey of Long Grove and the Food
Depository joined forces to distribute more than 300 frozen turkeys to
people in need in the Pilsen neighborhood Nov. 14. Bobby, who has
distributed turkeys the past three years, raised a record of more than
$10,000 in donations from friends, neighbors and classmates in 2005.
Families arriving at St. Adalbert’s Church were surprised by the addition
of turkeys to the Producemobile’s monthly distribution. Pilsen resident
Laura Bustamante, 40, a mother of five who received a turkey, was laid
off from her job two months earlier. She expressed gratitude to Bobby
and the Food Depository.
“My 5-year-old was just asking about whether we’d have a turkey for
Thanksgiving this year,” said Laura, who wasn’t sure how she would
afford the feast. “This will make her very happy.” ■
18
Jewel-Osco and Unilever
Fight Hunger promotion,
through May 31.
Jewel-Osco stores.
Spring Family Repack.
Food Depository.
16
18th Annual Chicago Commercial
Real Estate Awards Dinner.
Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers.
18
Chicago Bulls Food and Fund Drive.
United Center.
24
Chicago’s Community Kitchens Class
#33 graduation.
Food Depository.
23
National Restaurant
Association Show
food rescue.
McCormick Place.
29
Memorial Day Holiday.
Food Depository closed.
JUNE
ALL MONTH
Hunger Awareness Month.
24
EDITOR: RUTH IGOE, [email protected],
WRITER: BOB DOLGAN, [email protected].
21st Annual Hunger Walk.
Montrose Harbor.
SUPPORT HUNGER KNOWS NO SEASON
The Food Depository’s Hunger Knows No Season promotion transforms
a typical shopping trip into a creative and fun way to help provide food
for people in need. From now until April 1, shoppers at area retailers can
support the year-round fight against hunger by buying products identified
with Hunger Knows No Season signs in the aisles. In addition to purchasing
specific products, shoppers also have the opportunity to “round up” their
bills at Cub Foods stores to support the Food Depository. The program has
raised more than $2.07 million during the past six years.
Participating retailers include Centrella, Cub Foods, Food 4 Less, Jewel-Osco
and Meijer. Promotion is generously provided by Tribune Company media
partners: Chicago Magazine, Chicago Tribune, chicagotribune.com, CLTV,
Hoy, metromix.com, RedEye, WGN Radio and WGN TV. Shoppers can
find a complete list of participating products and more information at
www.chicagosfoodbank.org. ■
PHOTO: ROBERT P. PILSUDSKI
Chicago Commercial Real Estate Awards benefit Food Depository
Real estate industry standouts will receive accolades on March 16, but perhaps their most noteworthy achievement that evening will be
the funds raised for thousands of hungry men, women and children in our community. Approximately 2,000 of the Chicago area’s
top brokers, developers, property managers, interior contractors and design professionals will gather for the 18th Annual Chicago
Commercial Real Estate Awards Dinner, co-sponsored by LaSalle Bank and Crain’s Chicago Business, at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel
& Towers. In 2005, the event raised more than $690,000, equivalent to more than 2.7 million meals for hungry people in Cook County.
Ron Magers of ABC 7 will be master of ceremonies, and the cocktail hour will be sponsored by Kayhan International and Haworth.
Ron Magers
Visit www.chicagosfoodbank.org for more information or contact Susan Enright at 773.843.5410 or [email protected].
Providing food for hungry people while striving to end hunger in our community
A charter member of America’s Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network
Greater Chicago Food Depository
4100 W. Ann Lurie Place
Chicago, Illinois 60632
773-247-FOOD
www.chicagosfoodbank.org
Non-Profit Organ.
U.S. Postage
PA I D
Chicago, IL
Permit No. 1011