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Dear Volunteers,
If you’ve ever wondered who writes the monthly bulletin, it’s me, Alyssa, the Hub-based volunteer engagement coordinator. This will be my last bulletin as I will be starting law school in the fall at Chicago-Kent College of Law and will be taking the summer to rest and prepare for what promises to be an intense three years!
I wanted to thank you all for your commitment to Nourishing Hope’s mission. It’s been an absolute pleasure to meet so many of you! Your hard work and diverse life experiences have made this job so rewarding.
I know whoever has the honor of writing the bulletin next will do a wonderful job. I just wanted to express my thanks for a wonderful two years and officially sign off.
With gratitude,
Alyssa
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VOLUNTEER ANNOUNCEMENTS & UPDATES | | | |
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April is Volunteer Appreciation Month, though it’s really a year-round appreciation for us here at Nourishing Hope.
Seriously, we cannot emphasize this enough: We would not be able to do what we do at Nourishing Hope without YOU! In fiscal year 2024, which ended March 31, we had more than 6,750 volunteers provide more than 87,750 hours of service. That’s the equivalent of 42 full-time employees!
Everyday, you show up to pack food, serve people at our pantries, drive food to our home delivery clients and so much more. Your compassion and hard work represents the very best of Chicago. Thank you!
Many thanks to everyone who submitted photos for volunteer appreciation month and congratulations to those who won Nourishing Hope sweatshirts.
Check out some of the photos submitted by volunteers above!
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SPANISH 101 FOR VOLUNTEERS | |
We are very excited to announce that we will be offering two real-time online Spanish classes for our volunteers during the month of May!
Join us via Zoom and learn common phrases and words used in the food pantry, as well as phrases used during client intake.
We will review the same content in both sessions so choose the time slot that works best for your schedule!
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Want to support our work and have an absolute blast doing so?
Join us at the End Hunger Social! This annual fundraising event, hosted by our Young Leaders Board, will take place on Thursday, May 9, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Joy District, a venue located at 112 W. Hubbard Street.
There will be food, music, cocktails, dancing and a silent auction!
We hope to raise more than $65,000 at the event, all toward our mission of providing free food, mental health counseling and social services to our Chicago neighbors. Anyone 21 and over is invited to attend!
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HOME NORTH DELIVERY WAGONS | |
The Home Delivery North team is currently seeking a volunteer to assist with transporting wagons! Use your own vehicle to pick up seven, portable, folding wagons from the Hub, 5151 N. Ravenswood, then take the wagons to the delivery building.
Delivery building will either be 1032 W. Montrose, 4225 N. Sheridan, or 920 W. Lawrence depending on the week. (Ana Petersohn will confirm the location with you upon wagon pick-up.)
You will assist with the delivery distribution shift, then bring the wagons back to the Hub when deliveries are completed.
Please email volunteers@nourishinghopechi.org if you are interested in helping with this shift!
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EL MERCADITO DISTRIBUTION | |
Do you enjoy Sheridan distribution shifts? Consider a change of scenery by signing up for an El Mercadito distribution shift — Monday through Wednesday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 12 p.m. – 4 pm.
Help is always appreciated at this site!
Interested in learning how to do intake for our neighbors at El Mercadito?
We are looking for volunteers who are interested in being trained to check in clients on their monthly or weekly distribution visits at El Mercadito (3533 W North Ave).
The intake is currently being conducted on an iPad so it is important that you are comfortable working with this technology.
If you want to learn more, you can send email Julia at: julia.mendoza@nourishinghopechi.org
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¿Te interesa aprender intake en El Mercadito?
Estamos buscando voluntarios que les interese entrenarse para registrar a los clientes en sus visitas de distribución mensuales o semanales en El Mercadito (3533 W North Ave).
El intake se lleva a cabo actualmente en un iPad así que es importante que te sientas cómodo trabajando con esa tecnología.
Si quieres saber más, puedes mandarme un mail a: julia.mendoza@nourishinghopechi.org
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The Hub needs your help! Help us load and unload vans, build and wrap pallets, shelve boxes, move pallets around using pallet jacks, and otherwise help us keep the warehouse running. Most of the boxes are no more than 50 lbs.
Experience using a pallet jack is great but not required. Sturdy closed-toed shoes are required. Grab some comfortable clothing that you don't mind getting messy in, and come break a sweat!
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NEW SOUTH LOOP HOME DELIVERY DISTRIBUTION SHIFT | |
We are looking for volunteers interested in distributing groceries at a senior building in the South Loop every 4th Wednesday of each month from 2 – 4 p.m. This shift will require some heavy lifting and delivering door to door.
Please reach out to Julia Mendoza at julia.mendoza@nourishinghopechi.org if you are interested.
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Launched in 1989, our home delivery service on Chicago’s North Side serves about 950 older adults and people with disabilities each month. The program provides food and connection to people who have few other options.
Check out our recent blog story featuring the powerful stories and photos of some of our neighbors receiving food through home delivery.
“It makes me very happy that we’re taking care of them somehow because they deserve it,” said Ana Petersohn, home delivery north manager. “They shouldn’t be forgotten.”
And you know what? We could serve even more people with more volunteer drivers! Check out what the shift is like in this cute/funny/informative video below from our marketing & communications manager Jen Allman.
Shifts take place on Saturday mornings out of both our headquarters and the Hub and only take an hour or so. Please email volunteers@nourishinghopechi.org to sign up!
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STAFF SPOTLIGHT — ALEX FIGUEROA | | |
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Alex Figueroa was born and raised in Chicago, currently living on the Northwest Side. She attended Adler University for her master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, during which she interned at a substance use addiction recovery center where she provided individual and group counseling to the community.
Since joining Nourishing Hope as a mental health therapist in March 2024, she has enjoyed the supportive nature of the team. She finds pleasure in going to local coffee shops, taking film photos of people, walking by the lake, and being with her pug, Halo.
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VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT — MAUREEN P. | | |
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This month’s volunteer spotlight is Sheridan regular, Maureen P. Check out Maureen’s reflection on her time volunteering below:
Volunteering at Nourishing Hope has been a great source of satisfaction and pride for me. I’m not sure exactly when I began volunteering, probably sometime around 2007. My oldest daughter was in college, and it seemed I had more time to devote to volunteer work. Lakeview Pantry (at the time) was about a mile from home, and I liked the idea of helping folks in the neighborhood. Hunger is a need so basic to human survival, and food can bring such a sense of joy and community. I was pleased with how easy it was to become directly involved in serving people’s needs.
When I started volunteering , I was still working as a nurse at St Joseph’s Hospital in Lakeview, though I’ve since retired. Volunteering at NH brings the same kind of satisfaction I found when working. I love the busy pace, solving challenges that come up, helping new clients navigate the system, and working together with the other volunteers. I’m so proud of the way Nourishing Hope has grown to meet the needs of Chicago’s newest residents. I’m proud to be a part of it.
We are so grateful for your continued service, Maureen!
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- Thank you to Arvinder D. and Lisa O. (pictured) for helping with the North Center Chamber of Commerce’s Hop’ N’ Stop event!
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Huge shoutout to Nourishing Hope marathon team member Andrea S. for going above and beyond by stepping up to make an unexpected home delivery after her packing shift!
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Shoutout to Brian K. and his two kids Kenny and Anna for cleaning up our volunteer take shelves at the Hub!
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Christina A.
Lindsey A.
Daniel B.
Molly B.
Annie B.
Kelly B.
Lydia B.
Meital C.
Carolina C.
Philip C.
Cashel C.
Marika D.
Nicholas D.
Loraine E.
Sharon E.
Emily E.
Jamie E.
Keenan E.
Hannah F.
Steven G.
Marisol G.
Eddie G.
Brandon G.
Maya G.
Maxine H.
Sharmin H.
Katie H.
Nayeli H.
Molly H.
Mike H.
Janice J.
Arul J.
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Margaret K.
Chris K.
Daniel K.
Elizabeth K.
Joel K.
Angus K.
Rachel K.
Anna K.
Megan K.
Daniel L.
Sarah L.
Esmeralda L.
Nancy L.
Benicio M.
Lauren M.
Alessandra M.
Chris M.
Linda M.
Brian M.
Susan M.
Shane M.
Mathew M.
Liz M.
Don M.
Elizabeth M.
Jasna M.
John M.
SJ M.
Sam N.
Jodi N.
Lisa O.
Erica O.
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Alexander P.
Vinay P.
Amy P.
Connor P.
Susan R.
Suzanne R.
Astri R.
Rita R.
Leah R.
Katheen R.
James R.
Marlene R.
Steven S.
Christine S.
Susan S.
Richard S.
Tim S.
Nell S.
Erica S.
Mary S.
Madelyn S.
Margaret T.
Alex U.
Christian V.
Elle V.
Rachel W.
Erin W.
Nathane W.
Robert W.
Amelia W.
Meg W.
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