logo


April 2012

There is no Lakeview Pantry if there are no VOLUNTEERS!

 

 

Greetings!

    

This may seem a bit alarming to some, but it is entirely true.  April 15-21 is National Volunteer Week, and it is a great opportunity for us to praise the invaluable work our volunteers provide for Lakeview Pantry and those we serve.  Last year over 700 volunteers provided an amazing 22,000 hours--the equivalent of 11 full-time staffers!  To further put that into perspective, in 2003 Lakeview Pantry used only 60 volunteers.  It is estimated that every hour a volunteer gives is worth $22.77, which means our volunteers gave time worth $500,950!   Volunteers have allowed us to serve a growing demand both efficiently and effectively.

 

Six days a week, volunteers provide a wide variety of tasks to help us to carry out our mission--everything from delivering food to the home-bound to mopping floors.  Our volunteers live out the attitude, "whatever it takes!"

 

There is so much good our volunteers provide to the Pantry; it is comforting to think that volunteering may actually provide benefits to them!  Numerous studies provide strong evidence that volunteering offers both mental and physical health benefits up to and including, a longer life!  Volunteers at Lakeview Pantry also break down social barriers.  Our volunteers come from a wide variety of socioeconomic backgrounds and work side by side for a common goal: to help make a better life for their neighbor.   

 

Have I piqued your interest?  Learn more about volunteering, and join our team at Lakeview Pantry.

 

As we move into National Volunteer Week, I proudly thank all who have selflessly made time to help another only because they care.  It is a proud tradition in America and here at Lakeview Pantry!

 

 

Regards,

  

Gary

Executive Director

Lakeview Pantry 

 

 
In This Issue
Shopping carts and gas cards are tops on our list
Neighborhood bag drives yield GREAT return
Food pantries and soup kitchens are essential to those who have nowhere else to turn
Lakeview pantry goes international
Mission Statement
Upcoming Events
Client Newsletter
Social Media
Shopping carts and gas cards are tops on our list
Click to learn more about making an in-kind gift.
Of course we appreciate all gifts from our supporters in any form-cash or in-kind; however, we would prefer to apply as much of our cash donations to our intended purpose of eradicating hunger in our neighborhood.  There are indeed many incidentals that are very important in helping us to complete our mission.  We try to facilitate the distribution process as much as possible, and in doing so, we provide loaner 4-wheel utility carts to our clients for easy transporting of their allotments.  Please consider donating a new or gently used cart for our clients' use.
 
Like many motorists, we are challenged by the rising cost of gasoline.  Our two cargo vans are used six days a week to obtain donations of food from local grocery stores and food drives.  Read more >>

Neighborhood bag drives yield GREAT return

Our latest bag drive was concentrated around the West Lakeview area between Irving Park and Addison  

and between Ashland and Ravenswood. Community Outreach Coordinator, Lothar Greski is very pleased with the return on the food drive and estimates the total amount of food collected from individual households exceeded 1100lbs. Not only did the effort produce a generous amount of food for our clients; in lieu of food, several of the neighborhood residents contributed over $1500 to the effort.

 

And the winners are...Read more >>

Food pantries and soup kitchens are essential to those who have nowhere else to turn 

by Sreya Sarkar

The Illinois Commission to End Hunger, created by state legislation in 2010 to roll out a statewide action plan to measurably reduce hunger in Illinois, last month released its report.

In the report, the Commission defines food security as, "limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways".  Read more >> 

 

Young Leaders Board elects officers logo blue
Congratulations to our newly elected officers for the 2012-13 fiscal year.  Ron Eng is the board's newest president!  Susan Westendorf will serve as vice president, and Dani Florczak will assume the position of secretary.

The Young Leaders Board has begun planning its Eliminate Hunger Social, which is scheduled for the fall.  Check back for a save the date! 
 
Lakeview pantry goes international 
We are happy to be a host organization for Heartland International's Legislative Fellows Exchange Program for Egypt and Morocco.  Mohamed Rahmo has been an eager member of the Lakeview Pantry volunteer team with Erin Stephens, Director of Volunteers.  He comes to us for a three week exchange from Morocco and works as a marketing and research manager at Alamajdid. He is also involved with several Non-Governmental Organizations where he focuses on development and fundraising. Mohamed earned his Bachelor's in Economics and Management at FSJESM in Morocco and a Masters in Communications and Logistics Management at ENCGS, also in Morocco.

Mohamed is excited about the opportunity to gain international experience and further study the effects of social media on society through his fellowship. In the future, Mohammed would like to build a network to facilitate fundraising for NGO's and non-profit organizations. 

T
he program is funded by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs and implemented by Heartland International.
 
 

  

Mission

Our mission is to eliminate hunger in our community by: providing food to fill the basic need of hungry people, increasing the independence of our clients through self-help initiatives
and other innovative programs, and raising awareness of hunger and poverty and working towards solutions to eliminate them.
 

 



 
     Upcoming Events




Watch

Airs
Saturday, April 14
8/7c 
The Food Network


Artrageous



Jewel food drive
3630 N. Southport
Chicago, IL
April 24.

 







Client Newsletter






 
Lakeview Pantry


logo blue
Food for today... Hope for tomorrow!
 


3831 N Broadway
Chicago, IL 60613 
(773) 525-1777

www.lakeviewpantry.org  
 


 
Social Media

Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter View our videos on YouTube