Ministering to the Under Served
Due to ongoing Covid 19 restrictions, DuPagePads, The Night Ministry, and The Greater Chicago Food Depository volunteers are no longer working with the public, but there are other opportunities to help. Check each ministry listed below for details.
Both GCFD and DuPagePads Emergency Response Fund are asking the community for monetary donations, Hope's Front Door is collecting school supply donations and other toiletry type supplies, and Night Ministry needs volunteers.
An independent 501(C)3 walk-in ministry located in our building. Volunteers from our church and the greater community serve residents with emergency needs and referral services.
Hope's Front Door is open with curbside, walk-up assistance.
Hours: 10 a.m. - noon on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
To volunteer, please email Hope's Front Door. To donate items, see this list.
To donate to the annual school supply drive, ending August 10, see this list.
CONTACT: Kathy Nazzarini - kathy.nazzarini@hopesfrontdoor.com
This Chicago organization provides housing, healthcare, and human connection to those struggling with poverty and homelessness. On the third Sunday of every month, volunteers make sandwiches from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. and deliver them to Humboldt Park to connect with those in need from 5:30 - 8 p.m.
We continue to provide the Night Ministry Health Outreach bus in Humboldt Park 70 sack suppers for their clients on the 3rd Sunday of each month. We are currently looking for 2 volunteers for each month starting in March. Please note there are separate sign ups for assembling the meals and driving downtown. Currently, the Night Ministry is still requesting we drop off the meals as they are equipped to serve the guests with proper PPE to prevent the spread of Covid. Here is the link to sign up for 2021.
We can always use donations of Aldi and GFS gift cards to assist with the sack supper expense. The meals consist of a sandwich, fresh fruit, soft granola bar, dessert and bottled water. Please contact Nadine Bahaveolos at nbahav@att.net if you would like to volunteer or donate to this worthy cause.
Volunteers are always needed on the third Sunday of the month from 4:30 - 7 p.m. to make sandwiches and deliver them to the Night Ministry bus.
CONTACT: Nadine Bahaveolos - nbahav@att.net
Our church hosts homeless families on Monday nights from October - April providing dinner, a bed, showers, laundry facilities, breakfast, and a bag lunch.
CONTACT: Tom Williams - dontomas23@aol.com
Our church partners with this DuPage County organization providing mentors and an aprtment to a family in need as they work through a two-year program of self-sufficiency.
CONTACT: Char Wild - charwild@comcast.net
Cook County's local food bank strives to fight hunger. Every Wednesday night, volunteers travel to this food warehouse and repack bulk food into smaller packages that are distributed to 700 partner agencies including food pantries, soup kitchen, and shelters.
CONTACT: Dave Hersemann - dah5@comcast.net
Laurel Carlson - lacduke@comcast.net
Mission Trips
There are opportunities offered each year for youth and adults to get outside of their comfort zones, meet those in need, and grow in faith.
CONTACT: Pastor Scott Oberle - pastorscott@uccdg.org
Downers Grove Community Kitchen
Since March 2020, every Monday our congregation has been preparing sandwiches and distributing sack lunches, toiletries, clothing, and gift cards to our homeless and food insecure neighbors. Many of these guests reside in the DG parking garage. These meals were distributed from a card table outside our west entrance. Alex’s Mission, a grass-roots response comprised of local individuals, churches, and community organizations, was also providing meals twice a day every other day of the week. They were serving from the trunks of their cars.
With the advent of winter, we have combined our efforts in a true community response to serve those who are food insecure. We are now all serving from the former reading room at our newly acquired property at 1101 Curtiss. This new coalition has been named Community Kitchen.
Our church will serve sack lunches and soup every Monday between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. Volunteers will meet at the church at 4:45 to prepare. Signup Genius has been set up to allow for easy sign up if you want to serve. Go here if you would like to sign up. Other churches, individuals, and community organizations will serve the rest of the week.
If you can’t volunteer but would still like to support this mission, a monetary contribution can be made to the church with a notation that it is to be used for Community Kitchen. And we can always use donations of water and individually packages snacks. Gift cards in denominations up to $25 are also appreciated by the guests. Stores where they can get some basic necessities include Jewel, Walmart, Walgreens, Aldi, and fast food restaurants like McDonald's. Cards can be purchased through Manna. A big thank you to all the church members who have been involved in this ministry. A huge thank you goes out to Angelo’s Foods at Maple and Belmont for providing all the meat, cheese, and bread for the meals. We also want to thank Jam n’ Jelly Café at 7511 Lemont Road in Darien for providing the soup.
Signup Genius link to volunteer here.
CONTACT: Mary Dove - marykdove@gmail.com
The Little Free Pantry
The homeless and other people in our community who are not homeless but are experiencing food insecurity have been using this pantry in front of our church for the last nine months. With the advent of freezing temperatures, people are wondering what items will withstand a hard freeze. While this list is not exhaustive, here are some suggestions: peanut butter and jelly in plastic, boxed/bagged grains/beans (rice, couscous, red beans, white beans), pasta (dry pasta, bagged pasta, mac n’cheese), pasta sauce in plastic, hot and cold cereal, snack crackers, applesauce in plastic, dried fruits, and granola bars. No canned food or food in jars! Toiletries and paper products will also withstand freezing.
Follow this link for a full list of acceptable items. Thank you to everyone who has been supporting this pantry!
CONTACT: Mary Dove - marykdove@gmail.com
