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2025 Grant Award Recipients6/27/2025 Chicago Shares was pleased to recently award grants for 2025 to organizations that share its mission of feeding and serving the hungry poor. The awards consisted of cash in some instances or gifts of Chicago Shares vouchers to others. Congratulations to all of our grant recipients! 1. St. James Cathedral: 65 E. Huron, Chicago IL 60611 Twice a month the Cathedral provides a home-cooked meal and other amenities for guests. Chicago Shares board member Susan Gold is an active organizer of these meals. Photo: Kate Pickford, a summer volunteer; Susan Gold, Chicago Shares Board Member; Rev. Canon Steven Balke; and Julie Stagliano, Chicago Shares Board Member.  2. Care for Real: 5838 N. Broadway St., Chicago, IL 60640 Care for Real, recently relocated to new quarters, provides groceries, fresh produce and other food items a few times per week to clients (who also volunteer their help to sort and distribute the food). They provide counseling and health services for adults and children, serving about 15,000 individuals in 2024. Photo: Gregory Gross, Executive Director, and Julie Stagliano, Chicago Shares Board Member. 3. Breakthrough Urban Ministries: 3334 W. Carroll Ave., Chicago, IL 60647 Breakthrough, located in West Garfield Park, offers a myriad of services in addition to its Fresh Market, including preschool, Women's Center, Violence Prevention Center, etc. They have experienced a 25% increase of new clients needing the food bank while a decrease in federal assistance impacts their program. Photo: Alex Cesario, Chief Development Officer; Julie Stagliano, Chicago Shares Board Member; Wendy Daniels, Director of Food Services; and Kate Pickford, volunteer.  4. Chicago Help Initiative: 440 N. Wells St., Suite 440, Chicago, IL 60654 CHI is a key part of the network of organizations that provide food and services to the homeless and migrant communities. They sponsor meals and consultations to people in need several times a week. Photo: Karen Hickey, Development Officer; Susan Gold, Chicago Shares Board Member; Jacqueline Hayes, founder of CHI; and Julie Stagliano, Chicago Shares Board Member. 5. Young Men's Educational Network: 1241 S. Pulaski Ave., Chicago, IL 60623 YMEN prepares young men and women in North Lawndale for leadership by helping them grow in their faith and character, develop a love for learning, and use their talents to serve the community and strengthen families through Saturday breakfasts, mentoring, sports, urban garden projects and a bicycle lending and repair program (the Bike Box). Chicago Shares' grant helps support a summer grill project for neighborhood youth. Photos: Kimberly George, Executive Assistant and Community Asset Manager accepts award, with guest at breakfast; leader of local ministry group providing the Saturday breakfasts, Marcell Pickett, Facility Assistant/Bike Box Manager; scenes from the Bike Box.  6. Holy Name Cathedral: 735 N. State St., Chicago, IL 60611 The Cabrini Ministry at HNC provides outreach services to immigrant families. They "adopt" specific families and provide wraparound services, housing and help in obtaining documents necessary for employment. Photo: Julie Stagliano, Chicago Shares Board Member; Sister Katie Mitchell and Fr. Joe Tito accept Shares. 7. St. Chrysostom's Episcopal Church: 1424 N. Dearborn Pkwy., Chicago, IL 60610 St. Chrysostom's operates the St. Chrys Closet, now located in Ascension Church at 1433 N. LaSalle Street, where those in need can "shop" for clothing, housewares, shoes and furniture every Wednesday from 10am-1pm. Chicago Shares board member Elizabeth Kohlbeck manages the closet which serves migrants, the Chicago homeless and residents of low income housing who are on Medicaid. Also, once a month hot meals are prepared at St. Chrysostom's Church on Tuesday evening and a once a month Wednesday delivery to Deborah's Place. Photo: Julie Stagliano, Chicago Shares Board Member, and Elizabeth Kohlbeck; volunteers sorting the clothing and household items in preparation for weekly shopping day.  8. St Peter's in the Loop Church: 110 W. Madison St., Chicago, IL 60602 St. Peter's in the Loop is a busy downtown parish and a longtime supporter of selling and distributing Chicago Shares. They were recently presented with a Proclamation of appreciation to honor their commitment to the mission of Chicago Shares, in addition to a gift of Shares. They faithfully answer the call for help from whoever comes to their doors, and often Chicago Shares is part of that support. Photo: Ron Polaniecki, Chicago Shares Board Secretary; Fr. Michael Fowler, Pastor; Julie Stagliano, Chicago Shares Board Member; Fr. Edward Tverdek, OFM; King Poor, Chicago Shares Board Chair  9. St. Vincent de Paul Conference of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity: 6020 W. Ardmore Ave., Chicago, IL 60646
Ron Polaniecki, Chicago Shares Board Secretary, presented a $3,000 grant check and $1,000 vouchers to the St. Vincent DePaul Conference at St. Elizabeth of the Trinity. Photo: Ron Polaniecki, Chicago Shares Board Secretary, with members of St. Vincent DePaul Conference at St. Elizabeth of the Trinity parish.
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Recently Chicago Shares representatives (Julie Stagliano, Executive Director, board Vice
President Elizabeth Kohlbeck and board member Susan Gold) attended a meeting convened by the Social Action Ministries of Old St. Pat's Church. The goal was to inform and connect with representatives from numerous Chicago area organizations delivering basic services to the disadvantaged, be they the homeless, recently arrived immigrants or others in need. Many of those at the meeting were unfamiliar with Chicago Shares and we were pleased to share our mission and goals, as well as point out how we had partnered with several of the organizations present through our grants program. We found many examples of intersections of services and collaborations among these diverse organizations. Meeting representatives included Chicago Help Initiative, St. Sabina’s Church, St. Chrysostom Church, Assumption Church, Catholic Charities, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Young Men’s Educational Network, Franciscan Outreach, to name but a few of the 20 or so in attendance. Follow up to this meeting will include completing a Survey of Basic Needs Services that will facilitate making referrals, as well as finding opportunities for collaboration and partnering in various outreach activities. Chicago Shares will be following up with several people whose organizations may be willing to promote/purchase/distribute Chicago Shares in the future.
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A Visit From Our Founder12/19/2024  On December 15, 2024, while selling Shares at HNC our program founder, Ann Klocke, stopped by to say hello. She was thrilled that the organization she introduced to Chicago was still helping the hungry poor 30 years later. We are so grateful to all Ann gave to Chicago Shares. We feel blessed to continue her legacy.
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In May 2024, Chicago Shares presented Assumption Parish with a resolution of thanks from its board of directors recognizing the church's outstanding support for our mission. Photo: Left to right, Chicago Shares president King Poor, board member Susan Gold, Fr. Joseph Chamblain, pastor of Assumption Parish, executive director Julie Stagliano, and board secretary Ron Polanecki.
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Gratitude for Assumption and Moody5/14/2024 Last year, Chicago Shares celebrated 30 years of service. In gratitude for this milestone and some of our most stalwart supporters who've made our mission possible, on May 10, Chicago Shares executive director, Julie Stagliano, board secretary, Ron Polaniecki, and board president, King Poor, presented resolutions of appreciation to Assumption Church and The Moody Church. Assumption Church Left to right: King Poor, Susan Gold (Chicago Shares board member and head of shares distribution at Assumption), Fr. Joseph Chamblain, Julie Stagliano, and Ron Polaniecki) The Moody Church Left to right: Ron Polaniecki, King Poor, Pastor Larry McCarthy, Kaitlyn Wisniewski |
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