Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Successful ART @ Dignity Diner Opening!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
CareTeam & CPS
- Northside College Prep for hosting a Day of Service and including both our (g)love program and Dignity Diner programs in your day. Students were able to support the programs at their school site.
- Students & Leaders of the Mather High School Debate Team for joining us each week at Dignity Diner Art.
- DuSable Campus Community School for bringing (g)love to their afterschool fashion design program.
We are thankful for the opportunities to invite your student's voices into our programs and provide them with real-life experiences that round-out their classroom study.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Preparing for ART @ Dignity Diner
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Dignity Diner Art Opening - November 6th
Every Tuesday evening at 6pm, Chicago’s homeless and hungry are invited to be our guests for a sit-down vegetarian dinner at Holy Covenant UMC’s Dignity Diner. Following the meal at 7pm, Dignity Diner patrons and volunteers connect weekly with a variety of art activities.
Join us Friday, November 6th for our 3rd Art Opening entitled “At 7 O’Clock We ART.” View the work of our Dignity Diner artists as they reveal their unique perspectives on identity and Chicago life.
dignity diner art opening
friday, november 6th
6-9pm at 925 w. diversey
FREE to attend! Light refreshments will be served.
Donations of paper products, bottled salad dressing or powdered drink mixes appreciated.
Additional showing Tuesdays 6-7 through November
Presented by the MGR Foundation and Dignity Diner
questions? contact cassie@mgrf.org or call 773.313.0075
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Julian HS Student Recognized by Obama for Service - Featured in Essence Magazine
See the Essence article here! http://bit.ly/KKGDe
The MGR Foundation implemented the Service Experiences for Summer of Service & Leadership for Julian HS and seven other CPS high schools.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Getting Ready for a Little (g)love
Preparations have well and begun and we're happy to report several bits of exciting news!
The Headwear Association, celebrating over 100 years of promoting hats and headwear awareness worldwide has pledged to donate hats to (g)love as part of their third annual Headwear for the Homeless holiday campaign. We are very excited to have their support and donation of headwear for the homeless of Chicago.
Additionally, CVS also has supported (g)love as they have pledged in-kind product through a gift card donation. We utilize CVS products such as hand sanitizer in every CarePack.
Our third bit of (g)love news for 2009/2010 season is that we have our first Handmade with (g)love hat. We have a goal this season of 200 handmade hats, and if you would like more information about handmade with (g)love, please click here.
While we hate to see summer go - we look forward to the start of (g)love and are thankful for the support and community engagement we've already seen preceding (g)love 2009/2010.
Monday, August 24, 2009
(Not) Squishy Bananas
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Dignity Diner ART - Week 2
Monday, July 13, 2009
Make 'n' Take Crafts@ DuSable Museum
Travelling Food Circus
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Kelvyn Park HS & Prosser HS @ Norwood Crossing
Because we had twenty kids, we were able to do a lot of impactful events in a combination of both direct and indirect service. Some students helped to organize the center's library sytem while others helped sort donations at the thirft store. A third group painted a chair for the regional network.
We were able to all come together for the second half of the morning to spend time with several seniors at a cook out! Not only were students able to prepare and serve food, but they were also able to spend some time with seniors from all over the Chicagoland area. It was great to see students and senior connecting through sports and holidays. The clowns that were also in the center and were quite entertaining!
Thanks to Bryan Manasse and Ryan Gauthier from Norwood Crossing for the wonderful morning!
Beyond the Job Description
Not only have I painted banners for Peace Concerts (where I also served as event management security) and chairs at a Senior Network for the CareTeam. I have also become a veritable font of Chicago, Olympic and geographical trivia for our Dignity Diner. Much time was spent in the hunt for a portable bingo system, with great success! Other CareTeam events have included expertise in crafting coffee filter flowers at the DuSable Museum of African-American History' Family Day.
For another program, Team M3, I have colored arrows to guide runners on the Lake Front Running Path. Along with over 150 high schools students from nine CPS high schools and nearly 100 mentors, I have begun training for the Chicago Marathon. There really is nothing quite like seeing 150 students up, excited and motivated to run at 7AM on a Saturday morning.
Random shopping trips to the craft store have resulted in awesome activities for campers at Austin Town Hall through our partnership with Summer of Service and Leadership. Other SOSL activities include sorting shoes, sorting out bad bananas and playing dominos with some of the homeless community of northern Chicago. I taught the Virgina Reel to some Hope students so they could use it at a youth carnival. Two trips to the Community Food pantry at CCIL in Lawndale with two different high school groups. However, la pièce de résistance would have to be shovelling cornflakes into 2,688 eight ounce bags.
Sarah H. serves the MGR Foundation through an internship program with the DePaul University - Steans Center for Service Learning. She is currently serving the MGR Foundation full-time and we are incredibly thankful for her exceptional service and committment to our organization and the patrons we serve.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Foreman HS @ Chopin Park
After explaining and introducing the craft to students each Foreman HS youth was paired with a table of campers to engage and encourage them as they craft.
Foreman students did a great job of supporting campers with many smiles, 4th of July stories and artistry tips crossing the tables. Over two hours, Foreman students worked with eighty campers to make over 100 beautiful butterflies!
Thank you to Nicole Viverito and Chopin Park for inviting us to craft and serve at your day camp!
Prosser HS @ Travelling Food Circus
Our students spent the morning organizing the donation, providing coffee and treats to patrons and passing out bags of food. It was a super activity for students to engage in direct service. The students could see the effect of a bag of healthful food for a person and their family.
Thanks to Police Station 18 for the space, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods for the food, and Vensa & Martin from MGRF for all the help to make this event possible!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Hope HS @ Greater Chicago Food Depository
There were still plenty of cornflakes to be packaged and we were able to with other youth volunteers to get several additional pallets out the door and on their way to families in need.
Nearly 500,000 people each year rely on emergency and supplemental food provided by the Greater Chicago Food Depository and its member network of 600 food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters.
Serving at the GCFD prompted some great dialogue about hunger and resources in Chicago, the need for community-based non-profits, nutrition and certainly, what everyone had for breakfast and what makes you a 'breakfast person.'
Thank you to Maya Garcia-Warner & Greater Chicago Food Depository and also to Tony Escobar & Breakthrough Urban Ministries for providing us this great opportunity.
Prosser HS & Kelvyn Park HS @ Hines VA Center
As some of our students are involved with JROTC at their high school, it was really valuable for them to spend time with others who have served in various branches of the military. It was great to see students become engaged in conversations with servicemen who had worked in fields they were also interested in, such as research in aerodynamics or becoming a helicopter pilot.
Some students were interested in which branches they served in and where and others were more interested in discussing sports. The veterans at Hines are not all necessarily from the greater Chicagoland area and there were some hearty baseball discussions. It was especially valuable to spend time with veterans right before the Fourth of July!
One of the most important changes I was able to observe was a change in the students from nervous and unsure to confident and curious. At first, they were uncertain what questions to ask and why these veterans might want someone to sit and talk to them for a few minutes. However, once they became to realize that not everyone had family close they became more interested in providing companionship and company.
One big thank you to all of our veterans for their service to us and to Kim at the Volunteer Services department for making this day a success!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Kelvyn Park HS @ Ronald McDonald House
Students from Kelvyn Park HS put their culinary skills to the test chopping, dicing and mixing to put together a three course lunch for the families of children receiving treatment at Comer Children's Hospital.
While our casserole was cooking, Assistant House Manager, Cathy Berk, took us on a tour of the amazing house that accomidates 22 families with all the comforts of home. With 4 RM Homes here in Chicago and over 200 total around the world, she explained that many families need only to stay a couple of days but families could stay the course of treatment required with one family staying at their location for a full year.
Students were struck by the homes beauty but also the thoughtfulness of the designers, house managers and volunteers to create such a supportive environment with customized storage pantries, game rooms, business center, every kind of support to make families feel comfortable.
Thank you to Cathy Berk and Ronald McDonald House Comer Children's Hospital for allowing us the opportunity to serve!
Kennedy HS & DuSable Campus @ Greater Chicago Food Depository
Our students spent the afternoon working in the ‘clean room.’ This is an area of the warehouse were bulk items can be safely sorted into smaller sized bags. Our students sorted corn flakes into eight ounce bags. Different students were responsible for putting the cornflakes into bags, weighting the bags, then sealing them, next some students labeled the bags and finally a last group of student packed the bags into boxes.
Together our students made 2,688 bags of 8 oz cornflakes or 1446 pounds of food! Not only was this activity fun for the students, but we were able to see a massive volume of work completed!
Michelle Clark @ CCIL
Because there was less of a rush, students were able to spend more time talking to each patron and helping to provide them with healthful food. Two girls set aside a whole turkey and waited to give to a grandmother with two small granddaughters with her. It was powerful to see these students thinking about getting food to suit each patron’s needs.
Meanwhile, the other group of students went into the kitchen to help serve lunch to those who live at CCIL. The transitional housing facility is home to families, single men and single women. This particular batch of students as also involved in direct service as they were able to provide a healthy and tasty meal to residents.
Another round of thanks to Chris at CCIL for making this a wonderful event for another group of our students!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Hope HS @ Bronzeville Nursing Center
Mr. Grigsby and his super group from Hope High School headed straight into their first service event on Friday.
Bronzeville Nursing Center features over four floors of senior care and Hope students split up to cover each floor with activities support.
Interacting with residents through Bingo games and simple companionship Hope students were naturals making fast friendships with many residents who greatly appreciated another pair of eyes on their Bingo cards so they could win cookies and cupcakes.
Thank you to Angie Byrd and Bronzeville Nursing Center for allowing us to spend time and support your wonderful residents.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Kelvyn Park @ Cob Connection & Foreman @ Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse
On Thursday, students from Foreman and Kelvyn Park literally headed 'into the field' to serve with two incredible organizations transforming their local communities.
Foreman High School students went to Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse, an amazing center for organic gardening, classes, events and education that makes us think a bit more about where our food comes from, how its grown and what we eat. Students helped prepare the steamy greenhouse for youth programs begining next week.
Kelvyn Park High School students went to McCormick YMCA which has provided the Cob Connection with a city-lots for urban agriculture development. Cob Connection in addition to transforming vacant lots into urban farms and gardens also uses the experience as job training for youth and their families and then donates the food grown to local food pantries - creating a sustainable, locally-grown system for food development.
Cob Connection is also preparing for youth programs next week and Kelvyn Park students were able to get a great deal done building out an entire row to be ready for planting.
Thank you to Kirsten Akre, Gardener from Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse and Chad Bliss, Executive Director from Cob Connection for allowing us the opportunity to serve in your green gardens!
Michele Clark @ Austin Town Hall
Taft @ Two Lil Fishes
Some discussed favorite basketball players or current events from a shared Red Eye. Jokes were passed between patrons and students. Students were not needed to support the food service part of the day (Isaac and his team have it down) so they were able to meaningfully connect with the patrons that so many others ignore daily.
Two Lil Fishes is an organization that focuses on feeding the needs of the homeless, not just filling them with healthy meals but also providing emotional support. Our students helped that mission by spending some valuable time with patrons before the Thursday lunch service.
Over the course of the morning, we were able to spend time with between 20 and 30 patrons. It was hard to leave the patrons, and they seemed like it was hard for us to leave as well, when the bus came to pick us up.
Thank you Isaac for letting Taft High School and the MGR Foundation spend the day at Two Lil Fishes!
Julian HS @ Share Your Soles
Its incredible to see the generousity of donors with thousands of pairs of shoes filling the warehouse, and also how easy it is to help - just a pair of shoes you don't wear anymore can make a huge difference in the health and wellness of a child, mother, father or brother. Students were touched by the kindness and simplicity of service and discussed how they could lead a collection effort at their school.
Thank you to Mona and the Share Your Soles team for having us twice to your distribution center and allowing us the opportunity to share in your mission!
Simultaneous Service
At 10:30AM, on Thursday June 25th, there were 5 school groups serving at the exact same time
- Sorting and washing shoes at Share Your Soles
- Working in the Greenhouse at Kilbourn Park
- Crafting with campers at Austin Town Hall Center
- Sharing a game and a smile at Two Lil Fishes
- Preparing the garden with Cob Connection at McCormick YMCA
And this is literally only the half of it! As Chicago Cares has just as many high schools serving around Chicago with us too!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Foreman @ CCIL
While they provide social services to their residents they also provide bags of food the local needy. Each Wednesday volunteers help put together sacks of dry goods, fresh vegetables and meat that are then distributed to those who need them.
The twelve students representing Foreman High School spent the morning packing some of those bags and distributing them, providing water to waiting patrons and passing out popsicles to children also waiting in line.
After a quick lunch break, students heard the story of one former patron who had been homeless and is now a counselor at CCIL. By hearing one man’s story, the students were able to see how their work today could affect the life of another.
Over the course of the day, our students helped distribute bags to over 150 patrons; delivered water and cleaned up the community pantry.
Thanks to Chris and CCIL for letting us spend the day in the Community Pantry!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Kelvyn Park @ Share Your Soles
The work that our students did today ensures that recipients get shoes that serve them well and that they can accept with dignity. Even though sorting shoes might not feel like it makes a huge difference as each pair is inspected before it reaches it destination. It was great to see students discussing the need to serve others with respect. We discussed the role that volunteers should take as one that recognizes and values the worth of those they serve.
The students from Kelvyn Park look forward to their other service events over the five week course. Those other opportunities include a trip to the McCormick YMCA to work in a community garden with COB Connection and a day serving lunch at the Ronald McDonald House at the University of Chicago.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Post-its & Preparations
Each one is a confirmed service opportunity for a group of Chicago Public High School incoming freshmen. From a blank board a month ago over the board is now nearly full. Passing co-workers and interns stop and read the board each day and comment on the changes, "I've never been there!" and "They're going here?! That's AWESOME!"