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Check Out Chicago Shares' New Ad in Streetwise

11/3/2022

 
The newest Chicago Shares' ad is now on display in the October 31-November 6 issue of StreetWise. You can purchase a copy of the newspaper or visit it online here.
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2022 Grant Recipient Check Presentations and Features

5/25/2022

 
Chicago Shares has completed its 2022 Grant Awards Program. Of the many organizations carrying out initiatives to address food insecurity and hunger in the City of Chicago, several that applied had programs and approaches that were especially impactful. Please see below for a review of the grant check presentations.

The Chicago Help Initiative

The Chicago Help Initiative team prepares the Wednesday meal for takeout and dining in at the Catholic Charities facility on LaSalle Street. Doug Fraser, Director of CHI receives the Chicago Shares grant check and Shares from new CS board member Susan Gold and Julie Stagliano, Chicago Shares Executive Director.

Stone Temple MB Church

At Stone Temple MB Church, Pastor Reshorna Fitzpatrick graciously shows Julie Stagliano, Chicago Shares Executive Director, some of the church-sponsored activities:  fresh produce is distributed to local residents, community vegetable gardens are cultivated in raised beds, church members grill up donated chicken and ribs for area residents.  Across the street, a coffee shop is coming to life and soon a cut flower stand as well!   

Young Men's Educational Network

Kimberly George, Young Men's Educational Network staff member, accepts a grant check from Julie Stagliano, Chicago Shares Executive Director, as Marcell Pickett looks on. This grant will help support their important work with youth and support their new "good grills" project, enabling them to loan out professional size smoker/grillers to area organizations for summer barbecue parties. 

Care for Real

Care for Real, a Rogers Park-based food pantry and services organization, utilizes dozens of volunteers to assist with food distribution and logistics for their growing program (increased by 76% since the pandemic). Monique Fouant, a board member and Julie Stagliano, Executive Director of Chicago Shares, present a grant check to Jen Touba, Director of Development and Communications and Gregory Gross, Executive Director, to help support their programs.   

Dion's Chicago Dream

Elizabeth Kohlbeck, a Chicago Shares board member, and Julie Stagliano, Chicago Shares Executive Director, observe Dion Dawson stocking the "Love Fridge," a source of fresh produce for anyone in need. Dion is a social entrepreneur and founder of Dion's Chicago Dream. He is working to combat food insecurity and the "food desert" scourge by delivering fresh produce boxes to potentially 700 clients every week.

St. Vincent DePaul Conference of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity

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Ron Polaniecki, President of Chicago Shares, visits the Jefferson Park Blue Line Station to present a 2022 Chicago Shares Grant to the St. Vincent DePaul Conference of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity. This group of St. Vincent DePaul volunteers was at the Station providing help for needy folks.

Mission of Our Lady of the Angels

Sister Laura of the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels receives a grant from Julie Stagliano. The Mission of Our Lady of the Angels serves thousands of needy clients in the West Humboldt Park neighborhood with healthy and fresh foods.

Congratulations to all of the
​2022 Chicago Shares Grant recipients!

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Pencil sketches posted on CS website featured in recent publications

3/17/2022

 
The stories behind the pencil sketches of needy folks on the landing page of the Chicago Shares website have been featured in the January 24, 2022, issue of StreetWise Magazine as well as the March 2022 issue of The Connection--News and Events for Mature Catholics. Both articles include notes on how this art project came about, plus a few personal stories of the needy folks Ellen Rontal drew.


The Connection publication is accessible at this link. Please see page 8.
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Chicago Shares leaders featured in radio interview

8/13/2021

 
“Gamechanger” that’s how King Poor, Chicago Shares Board member, described the addition of 14 Jewel-Osco Stores to the Chicago Shares program during a recent WNDZ radio interview.  The new Jewel-Osco locations expands the program providing more options for needy people to use Chicago Shares vouchers.  Elizabeth Kohlbeck, also a Chicago Shares Board member, explained how Chicago Shares is a unique way for generous Chicagoans to give one-to-one, immediate help to people encountered on the street. While handing out Shares, Kohlbeck talked about learning the names of the people she’s helping. The radio show, Catholic Chicago, is co-hosted by Father Greg Sakowicz, rector, Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago, and a member of the Chicago Shares Board of directors. To hear the 30-minute radio interview, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TQ-LHTpIHI

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​Chicago Shares now accepted at 20 Jewel Osco Store Locations

5/26/2021

 
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COVID-19 caused a few of our long-time Chicago Shares’ participating Loop area “sandwich shop” eateries to close.

So, our board contacted Jewel Osco's corporate office and asked for assistance in signing up more stores as accepting merchants. 

Jewel's response was to enroll 14 additional stores -- bringing our total up to 20 that now accept Chicago Shares vouchers.

However, our work is not done!

For example, we’re looking forward to adding Jewel Osco Stores on the South side of Chicago.

Further, as we return to more normal times, we’ll want to sell Shares at various churches in the neighborhoods that have participating Jewel stores.

What’s more, we’ll plan to sign up small eateries (“sandwich shops”) as program participants when COVID restrictions are lifted and life returns to normal in all parts of the city.

Finally, we’ll need a team of volunteer ambassadors to occasionally check-in with our network of Jewel Osco Stores and to suggest other stores that might participate – and churches that would be willing to sell vouchers.

For now:
  • Check out the new list of accepting merchants, including all the new Jewel Osco locations.   
  • Continue to purchase Chicago Shares online. 
  • Consider volunteering to help us by sending a note via our “contact us” page.
  • Share the news about the new Jewel Osco merchants in your social media arenas.

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