Richard Kaczmarek does not hand over spare change or leftovers when prompted by the homeless.  Instead, he offers what appears to be a small square ticket, good for food or personal care items at local stores and restaurants.  To some, he is known as the Chicago Shares man, but in fact he is president of the not-for-profit corporation based in Holy Name Cathedral.

Chicago Shares voucher

Kaczmarek, 73, is responsible for all phases of the operation, from recruiting volunteers, appointing board members, right down to purchasing and distributing vouchers.  The concept behind the voucher: feed those in need while preventing monetary access to drugs or alcohol.

Partnered with other churches, synagogues, merchants and a volunteer staff, Chicago Shares has become a self-sufficient operation.

“Chicago Shares was the entity that developed the shares, produced the shares and sold them to the participating churches.  The churches then in turn sell them to their congregations,” Kaczmarek explained.

Often a combination of cash and vouchers are redeemed at the merchants.

“At the end of each month, the merchant contacts us.  One of our volunteers goes to the merchant and delivers a check for the full value of the vouchers,” he said.

The participating stores and restaurants receive more business as the result.

“Most of all, they are helping people who are in need.  But financially, they aren’t hurt.  We don’t expect them to give them or us a discount,” Kaczmarek said.

With an average 80 percent redemption rate used at over a dozen locations stretching from the Loop to Lincoln Park, it appears the system is working.

“Not all the vouchers we sell are used,” Kaczmarek said.

About 20 percent of the funds from the voucher sales remain in Chicago Shares accounts.  Only a small fraction of this goes into administrative expenses such as printing the vouchers and maintaining a website.  With no office or paid staff, the remaining funds reach those in need

“We have donated $74,000 in cash to organizations that serve the homeless,” Kaczmarek said.

Since its beginning in 1992, Chicago Shares has provided thousands of vouchers which the disadvantaged can exchange for food or other items.  Ann Klocke, 76, pastoral assistant at Holy Name, set to work modeling this organization that addressed the concerns of the donors while meeting the needs of the homeless after reading about a similar project in Berkeley, Calif.

“I was on my way over here for an evening meeting, and four different times people asked me for money. You wish you could do something for these folks, and everyone should have dinner,” Klocke said.

For Ron Polaniecki, 61, volunteer and board member of Chicago Shares, the simplicity of the organization is most appealing.

“I thought it was a very innovative and simple solution to something that always bothered me– how to give something to a person on the street without fumbling for cash or pulling out my wallet, and how to be sure that the recipient would use my money for food, and not alcohol or drugs,” Polaniecki said.

It was in 2000 that Kaczmarek joined the Chicago Shares team as a co-executive director, but a passion for serving those in need stems from his upbringing in the Catholic faith.

“My work with Chicago Shares offers me the opportunity to serve God’s people in a small way by helping to feed some of the hungry poor,” Kaczmarek said.

His work at Holy Name extends to the Right of Christian Initiation for Adults, helping adults become members of the Catholic Church.

Kaczmarek also devotes some time to Learning Ally, a Chicago organization that records text books for blind and dyslexic students.  He is a supporter of a number of organizations and charities such as UNICEF, and is a freedom writer for Amnesty International.

Richard Kaczmarek

In May 2010, Kaczmarek became president of Chicago Shares, replacing its founder, Klocke.

“He has brought very good order to us.  He also has a really big heart and loves very much to help the needy,” Klocke said.

Kaczmarek notes that the needs of disadvantaged and homeless Chicagoans extends beyond spare change.

“Addiction control, education, finding a home, finding a job—those are long term,” Kaczmarek said.  “But they have got to have something to eat today, and that’s where Chicago Shares comes in.”

If you would like more information on Chicago Shares or how to purchase vouchers, visit www.chicagoshares.org or call 312-573-4494.

We recommend the Chicago Shares program to other convenience outlets, and vendors. It is very easy to participate.

It makes good sense to accept Chicago Shares.

Bryan McNamara
General Manager
Mac Kelly’s
123 West Madison
Chicago,IL 60601

Chicago Shares President Rich Kaczmarek presents a grant to Trish Kholodenko, Director of the Chicago Dream Center.

On June, 2011 Chicago Shares President Rich Kaczmarek presented a grant of $3,500 to Trish Kholodenko, Director of the Chicago Dream Center. She was very grateful for the contribution and presented Rich with a letter of gratitude:

Funds for such grants are available because approximately 20% of the vouchers we sell are never redeemed. Since Chicago Shares does not have any paid staff and few administrative expenses, we accumulate funds that are not needed to reimburse participating merchants or for other expenses. Our board of directors has mandated that such funds be donated to organizations whose mission, like ours, includes the feeding of hungry people.

Therefore, buyers of Chicago Shares vouchers can always be assured that their money will help hungry people, primarily through redemption of the vouchers, and secondarily through grants to organizations that also serve the hungry poor.

Chicago Shares' co-executive director, Mike Kraynak

Mike has been a Chicago Shares volunteer since 2002. He has served as merchant- liaison to several merchants, new merchant recruiter, and coordinator of voucher sales at Holy Name Cathedral.
Mike is employed by the U.S. Government’s General Services Administration(GSA) and recently served a seven month volunteer assignment for GSA in Afghanistan.

Chicago Shares vouchers

Chicago Shares is pleased to announce that voucher sales and redemptions in 2010 increased by 23% and 28% respectively over 2009. Sales amounted to $30,865 and redemptions amounted to $23,078.

As a lead supply specialist for GSA, Mike will represent his agency by working closely with the Department of Defense in support of the supply chain needs of Operation Enduring Freedom. Being in Kabul will afford him the opportunity to work hand in hand with colleagues in their mission to supply the American soldiers.

When asked for his thoughts about this opportunity, Mike replied, “It’s a small way in which I can contribute to the efforts of the U.S. to protect our freedoms and help other nations realize their own freedoms. It will require long hours and the most basic of living conditions, but that is nothing compared to the sacrifices that thousands of combat soldiers and their families have made.”

According to Mike, what he will miss the most during the six months, are “the things you take for granted until you actually stop to think about them. The familiarity of a neighborhood, a friendly face you know walking down the street, and some basic comforts of home.”

Mike started volunteering with Chicago Shares in 2003 by selling Shares to parishioners at Holy Name Cathedral. Since that time Mike has recruited new merchants and served as liaison with three merchants downtown that accept Chicago Shares vouchers.. Mike says the best thing about Chicago Shares is “that we’re able to provide immediate assistance to those in need. The vouchers that Chicagoans like myself purchase can be used within minutes of being handed  to a needy person.   Chicago Shares is a safe, easy way to help those who are hungry and need our help.”

Mike looks forward to continuing his volunteer work with Chicago Shares when he returns in the spring. “The volunteers at Chicago Shares are second to none. They work hard for zero compensation, step up when needed, and truly believe in what they are doing.”

Date: Tuesday September 28, 2010
Time: 6 pm – 8 pm
Location: Cooper’s Bar & Grill 1232 W Belmont Ave Chicago, IL 60657 US (map)
Parking: Free! Located behind the building
Entry: $20 (includes $10 of Chicago Shares vouchers, appetizers, drink specials, goody bag, and more)
Official hash tag: #ChicagoShares We encourage all attendees to tweet and check in on Foursquare at the event to spread the word about Chicago Shares
More information: http://sipandgive.wordpress.com/
RSVP (optional) http://twtvite.com/sipgivechicagoshares

Each attendee to the September event will receive $10 of Chicago Shares vouchers to give to the hungry, which they give away themselves or pass the vouchers along to friends so that they find out what Chicago Shares is all about. Unlike many charities, Chicago Shares will not be asking for financial donations as we do not need any funding at all. However, we really need to get the word out about the program so that it may grow and thus feed more of Chicago’s hungry.

Each guest at September’s Sip & Give networking event will receive a goody bag, appetizers and drink specials. There will also be a raffle.

On June 24^th Catholic Charities was honored to accept a $5,000 donation from Chicago Shares to assist in the many services Catholic Charities provides to the poor.                                                                                          

Chicago Shares is a unique, nonprofit, nondenominational organization that is helping to feed the hungry with the assistance of merchants, churches, synagogues and a team of volunteers.  Chicago Shares provides voucher coupons that can be given to persons in need. The coupons can be used at participating stores and restaurants throughout Chicago’s Loop, Near North and Lincoln Park communities to purchase food and other basic necessities, but never alcohol or tobacco.

Each year a certain percentage of the vouchers purchased by generous people are never redeemed, thus providing a reservoir of funds that the Chicago Shares board has mandated be given to organizations providing food and /or other direct services to the poor.   This year, Chicago Shares chose Catholic Charities as a recipient of one of these grants in recognition of the agency’s comprehensive service to the poor.

For more information about Chicago Shares, visit www.chicagoshares.org; or call (312) 573-4469.

Helping people in need for over 90 years, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago is one of  the largest private, not-for-profit social service agencies in the Midwest, annually assisting more than one  million persons in Cook and Lake counties without regard to religious, ethnic or economic background.  Catholic Charities fulfills the Church’s role in the mission of charity by providing compassionate, competent, professional services that strengthen and support individuals, families and communities.

Rich Kaczmarek, President and Co-Executive Director of Chicago Shares, presents check to Duncan Moore, President of Central City Housing Ventures (CCHV), at a recent fund raiser for CCHV held at Fourth Presbyterian Church. The check represented one of six grants totaling $20,000 made by Chicago Shares to other charitable organizations. For a complete list of grant recipients go to Public Outreach page.