Suburban times march 14 2018

Week of March 14 | Vol 1 • No 31 • www.cstweekly.com

weekly

ST

SuburbanTimes

Chicago Bar Association Helps Inform Voters About Judicial Candidates More Inside Community > PAGE 3

w Wedding Travel Agent vs.

Wedding Planner: What's the difference? TRAVEL > P2 advertising@cstweekly.com

w DuSable Museum Founder Wanted Black

People To Understand Africaa NEWS >P 7

stweekly@citizen6news

CitizenNewspaper6/

www.cstweekly.com

Wedding Travel Agent vs. Wedding Planner: What's the difference?

2

March 14 2018

ST

SuburbanTimes

ARTSCENE

Cast of Cornerstone Announced The Cornerstone Lecture Series encourages participants to become “the architects of their own lives” through individual motivational approaches and large group awareness training.

ST

CHICAGO- Chicago non-profit theatre company Nothing Without a Company recently announced the location and cast of their next show Cornerstone. The production will take place at ArtSpace 8 in the 900 N. Michigan and will feature an ensemble cast of eleven. Cornerstone was originally conceived by Company Ensemble Member Jake Fruend, is written by Literary Manager Kevin Sparrow, and directed

by Company Ensemble Member Rose Freeman. The Cornerstone production team includes Production Manager Ray Goldberg, Stage Manager Shelby Krarup, Assistant

Director Julia Skeggs, Projection Designer Sarah Collonge, Properties Designer Jimmy Jagos, Cinematographer & Video Editor Brittany Alsot, and Fight Choreographer Will Bennett.* The Cornerstone cast features: Kenya Ann Hall, Raymond Jacquet, Wanda Jin, Kyle Lovett, Jonathan Mayo, Stella Mensah, Kyle Mundil, Samantha Michelle Nava*, Caroline Shaul, Derek Rienzi Van Tassel*, and Dr. Phranque Wright.

The Cornerstone Lecture Series encourages participants to become “the architects of their own lives” through individual motivational

approaches and large group awareness training. Cornerstone promises "to harness your passion and unleash your unbridled potential" through wildly misappropriated design and architectural terms.

Previews are Tuesday, April 3rd and Wednesday the 4th at 7pm.

Opening night is Thursday, April 5th at 7pm. The show runs Thursday to Saturday at 7pm, and Sundays at 6pm. Cornerstone will be performed on the third level of 900 North Michigan Shops at 900 N. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611. Tickets are now available at NothingWithoutaCompany.org

TRAVEL

Wedding Travel Agent vs. Wedding Planner: What's the difference?

When you choose a destination wedding, Got an emergency? There will be someone there are many people involved whose job it is to handle it. Your travel agent will take care of all to make your day as memorable as it can be. The travel-related emergencies, and you can expect two people who will be the most important are your wedding planner to solve any on-site issues your travel agent and your wedding planner. But that pop up. what's the difference? Do they really do different "Let your wedding day and the build-up to it things? The answer is YES, according to Vacabe about you and your spouse," said Nebel. "Let tion, the content-rich website is powered by the professionals take care of the details, and part Travel Leaders Group (www.travelleadersgroup. of your team of professionals includes a travel com). Each person's duties are unique, and by agent. They can help you choose a destination, understanding the best ways to use each, you can a property, and help ensure that you're just have the destination wedding of your dreams. concentrating on your love for each other—not Having a beautiful destination wedding means if great aunt Jane will make her connecting flight that a lot of moving parts need to fall into place," in Cleveland. I always tell couples that if they are said Pixie Vacation's Debbie Nebel, a destination working with a travel agent, they won't need to wedding travel agent who works with Vacation. sweat the small stuff—just relax and enjoy their A travel agent and a wedding planner are both important people to rely on "Sometimes couples think that their wedding wonderful destination wedding." when planning your destination wedding. planner can handle it all, and while they do play Vacation is a celebration of why people travel a very important role, they don't do everything. and its six categories—including Play (AdvenWorking with a qualified travel agent is the best tures + Events), Unwind (Resorts + Spas), Bond The agent and planner will work closely together, espeway to ensure your big day goes off without a hitch."

(Families + Groups), Celebrate (Weddings + Honeycially at the beginning. Your travel agent will get in contact Here are some key differences between the two roles: moons), Savor (Food + Wine), and Explore (Destinations + with the wedding planner to secure the necessary date, and A travel agent works for you. Your wedding planner Cultures)—are filled with rich content. The articles, online the planner will confirm that date with the travel agent. works for the resort where your wedding will be held. quizzes, videos, infographics, and podcasts are designed When it comes to having a destination wedding, there Your travel agent will work with you to find the perto help modern travelers plan a vacay they're going to love. are a lot of logistics, like legalities and religious customs. fect destination wedding and venue for your wedding. A In fact, it will be Love at First Travel. #LoveUrVacay This is another area where the two roles will tag-team to wedding planner will take care of the details from there.

Vacation inspires, informs and guides travelmake sure everything is in order. After you discuss your Remember, your travel agent knows the destination ers throughout their planning process, making every wishes with the travel agent, they will work with the wedwedding world, and can recommend places with the best step—from researching a destination to connecting with ding planner to make it happen. wedding planners on staff. the ideal travel expert—as rewarding as possible. The A travel agent will be able to tell you and all your An experienced destination wedding travel agent will content-rich website is powered by Travel Leaders Group guests about legalities for your destination wedding, like make sure all the travel arrangements for you and your (www.travelleadersgroup.com), one of the industry's your marriage license and if a visa is required to enter the guests run smoothly. The wedding planner will be able largest travel agency companies, with over 7,000 locacountry. The wedding planner, as the local expert, can help to plan onsite activities—or even a look-through for a tions. Check out Vacation at www.vacation.com or on out with issues such as how to hire the proper wedding pre-wedding trip to the venue. social media at #LoveUrVacay. officiant.

advertising@cstweekly.com

stweekly@citizen6news

CitizenNewspaper6/

www.cstweekly.com

SuburbanTimes

ST

March 14 2018

3

COMMUNITY

Chicago Bar Association Helps Inform Voters About Judicial Candidates

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

I

By Lisette Gushiniere

t’s March 20, the day of the Illinois 2018 primary election and you’re all set and ready to vote!

The primary will decide November’s Democratic and Republican nominees for statewide offices including the offices of governor and attorney general.

It will also set the candidates for all 18 of Illinois’ congressmen in the U.S. House. State House and Senate races are also on the ballot, as are Cook County elected positions.

While much attention is devoted to many of these races in the days leading up to the election, what about the judicial candidates? How much do you know about the judges?

While judges make many different types of decisions that impact people’s lives – from issues in child custody cases and divorce proceedings, to rendering verdicts and opinions in serious criminal matters that impact citizens’ lives and liberties, many voters feel frustrated when asked to cast ballots for judges, said Maryam Ahmad, chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Judicial Evaluation Committee. That’s because voters may know little or nothing about the judicial candidates, Ahmad said, making the decision to cast ballots for judges harder. But it’s an important responsibility that voters should take “seriously,” she said.

“A judge possesses the power to impact lives,” Ahmad added, which is why she says it’s important to be informed.

Voters should, “inform themselves with the information that they need to vote for highly qualified and qualified judges based on their professional skills and credentials,” Ahmad advises, and the process of informing oneself about a judge’s background can start outside of an election cycle she said.

To better familiarize themselves with a judge’s record throughput the year, Ahmad said the Circuit Court of Cook County is the largest judicial circuit in the state of Illinois and one of the largest unified court systems in the world. To obtain more information about judges who work in the court system, she advises going to the Circuit Court’s website at: http://www.cookcountycourt.org/ABOUTTHECOURT/

JudgesInformation.

She added the Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice has a website that provides information to help citizens learn more about judges at www.voteforjudges.org and citizens can research that information at any time.

In order to help voters make more informed choices about judicial candidates, the Chicago Bar Association (CBA) recently released evaluation results for candidates seeking to become a judge in Cook County. The CBA is encouraging voters to utilize the findings to cast informed votes for judicial candidates who will be on the ballot in the March 20, 2018 primary election.

The Judicial Evaluation findings are available on the CBA’s website at www.chicagobar.org. The CBA’s comprehensive Judge Smart Guide to Judicial Elections is available on the site for visitors to review and download.

Links to a condensed Judge Smart Pocket Guide as well as a mobile app are also available to enable citizens to take the evaluation information directly into the voting booth with them.

“The mobile app is available at www.chicagobar.org ,” Ahmad further explained. “It is designed for users to obtain the judicial evaluation information on their smart phone so that they can take a mobile voting guide into the voting booth with them,” she stated.

The non-partisan evaluations released by the CBA are a comprehensive, peer-to-peer review process conducted as a long-standing public service by the CBA’s Judicial Evaluation Committee.

According to a CBA press release, candidates who submit a questionnaire and participate in the screening process are evaluated on the basis of seven criteria: integrity, legal knowledge, legal ability, professional experience, judicial temperament, diligence and punctuality.

Candidates must also participate in a personal interview before members of the evaluation committee. To be found “Highly Qualified,” the candidate must receive that rating on 80% of the ballots. To be found “Qualified” the candidate must receive a favorable rating on 60% of the ballots. The failure of a candidate to receive a 60 percent affirmative vote results in a CONTINUED TO PAGE 6

ST

POLITISCOPE

Why you should vote for a woman in 2018 The results were This year, women are poised to dramatic. After make great gains in congressional the elections, representation. the number of Across the country, women women in the are running for office in greater House jumped numbers than ever before, in from 33 to 55, particular for seats in Congress.

Amy Steigerwalt Jeffrey Lazarus and the number Including both incumbents and of women in the Senate tripled to six. challengers, more than 500 women are running for Skeptics may wonder, does the gender of the seats in the House and the Senate. Currently, only person who represents you in Congress really about 20 percent of all members of Congress are matter? women - 22 of the 100 U.S. senators are female, as We argue in a new book that the answer is most are 84 of the 435 members of the U.S. House. certainly yes. Women have a harder time winning The 2018 election is reminiscent of the “year reelection than men do, and as a result they work of the woman.” In 1992, women ran for office in harder in office to serve their constituents. numbers previously unseen in American politics. advertising@cstweekly.com

stweekly@citizen6news

CitizenNewspaper6/

Working harder for votes A large amount of research has shown that female candidates face many more obstacles when running for office than men.

For instance, the media treats female candidates for office differently than male candidates. The media generally does not give as much coverage to women as men, although some data show that disparity may be easing. However, it is still true that the stories published about female candidates overwhelmingly focus on soft news aspects of the race, such as women’s appearance or their family lives, as opposed to their policy positions. Simply adding information about a female candidate’s clothes to CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 www.cstweekly.com

4

March 14 2018

ST

SuburbanTimes

FOOD

Seafood: Food for Thought During National Nutrition Month 3. How to get more seafood.

(StatePoint) We hear a lot about the important nutrients in vegetables and fruits, but the health benefits of eating seafood regularly aren’t always in the spotlight. It should be a no-brainer when it comes to seafood, which is packed with omega-3s. Yet, most Americans only eat one serving of seafood a week.

Here are some evidence-based facts to help set the record straight during National Nutrition Month.

1. How much seafood should I be eating?

Studies show that seafood benefits your heart, eyes and brain, and may also help you fight chronic diseases and memory loss. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines encourage all Americans to eat at least two servings of seafood each week.

That’s double the amount most people currently eat. To reap the range of nutrients found in seafood, try to get a variety of fish in your diet, including shrimp, salmon, canned/pouched tuna, tilapia and pollock.

2. What if you’re pregnant?

Seafood is especially important for pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as young children, since it is one of the only natural food sources rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA. EPA and DHA are critical for brain and eye development, supporting the old adage that fish really is “brainfood.” One recent study

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

Incorporating more seafood into your diet doesn’t need to be a challenge. It’s easy to get the recommended two to three servings each week by simply swapping out the protein from your favorite dishes with seafood. For example, chicken tacos become fish tacos, and grilled steak salad becomes grilled shrimp salad. What’s more, seafood is just as healthy whether it’s fresh, frozen or canned, making it a convenient item to stock up on when shopping, and ultimately helping you eliminate wasted food in your household.

4. Start the day right. shows that moms-to-be who ate fish two to three times each week had babies that reached milestones -- such as imitating sounds, recognizing family members and drinking from a cup -- more quickly than children born to mothers who didn’t eat fish regularly during pregnancy.

Another recent study found that pregnant women who ate at least two seafood meals each week helped boost their child’s IQ up three points by age 9. Learn more about the best fish to eat during pregnancy at aboutseafood.com/ seafood-pregnancy.

Nutrition experts recommend incorporating protein into your breakfast as a way to boost metabolism and balance your blood sugar levels for the entire day. Kicking off the morning with tuna avocado toast or salmon on a bagel will help keep you feeling fuller for longer, prevent cravings before lunchtime and help you reach your weekly seafood goals.

More nutrition facts, recipes and other resources can be found at AboutSeafood.com.

This National Nutrition Month, give your health a boost by eating a variety of seafood at least twice a week.

Why you should vote for a woman in 2018

a news story – such as discussing Nancy Pelosi’s heels or Elizabeth Warren’s glasses – has been found to decrease the likelihood of voters casting a ballot in their favor.

Female candidates often face well-funded and high-quality opponents. Typically, a strong challenger who enters a race will deter other challengers from running, or will “clear the field.”

However, when a women enters a race – even if she is an objectively strong candidate – other candidates usually persist in running against them.

Female incumbents are similarly more likely to face strong challengers, including primary challengers, than their male counterparts. Even now, eight candidates are running against 26-year incumbent Sen. Dianne Feinstein, even though she won her last election by over 20 percentage points.

Women must also contend with voters who hold gender stereotypes and interest groups or potential donors who often do not take female candidates as seriously as they do male ones. A recent experimental study finds that at least some voters explicitly prefer male candidates, even when evidence clearly indicates advertising@cstweekly.com

the female candidate is more qualified. Survey data also reveals a sizable segment of the population, 39 percent, explicitly favors a majority-male government – as opposed to only 9 percent who report a preference for a majority-female government.

Aside from these concrete electoral factors, there are a number of ways women both inside and out of politics are socialized to doubt their own abilities, leading them to perceive the electoral environment as being tilted against them, even more than it actually is.

We argue in our book that all these forces result in female politicians believing that they must spend more time guarding against opposition from constituents, potential challengers and even other politicians. As a result, we demonstrate that female officeholders adopt a distinctly different approach to legislating than men – an approach that results in women providing better representation for their constituents.

Are women better representatives?

Here’s the support for this argument we’ve found: First, women spend more time and effort stweekly@citizen6news

CitizenNewspaper6/

communicating with their constituents than men.

Even in the 21st century, old-fashioned snail mail is one important way that members inform voters of what’s going on in Congress. Members of Congress send out well over 100,000 pieces of mail a year on average. They do so because it helps them curry favor with their voters and ultimately win elections. And, female House members send on average 17 percent more mail to constituents than men do.

Another important way members interact with constituents is by stationing staff members in offices in their home states and districts. These staff members perform casework and other services for voters. We find, after controlling for a number of alternative explanations, that female senators post an average of 3.5 more staff members in their home state offices than men do.

Second, women deliver more government spending to their districts than male representatives do.

There are lots of ways members funnel money to CONTINUED TO PAGE 6

www.cstweekly.com

SuburbanTimes

March 14 2018

5

6

March 14 2018

ST

SuburbanTimes

NEWS

Chicago Bar Association Helps Inform Voters About Judicial Candidates CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

finding of "Not Recommended."

For the coming March 20, 2018 primary election, there are a total of 110 judicial candidates seeking Cook County Circuit Court positions. Of the 110 candidates running, a total of 93 were screened by the CBA’s Judicial Evaluation Committee.

Of those 93, the JEC rated 20 as Highly Qualified,” 56 as “Qualified” and 34 as “Not Recommended,” a CBA press release stated.

The 34 “Not Recommended” candidates include 16 who declined to participate in the JEC screening process and were found automatically “Not Recommended” pursuant to JEC governing bylaws. One additional candidate was found “Not Recommended” pursuant to governing bylaws because they were a member of the JEC committee when they decided to run for judicial office.

There are 18 judicial candidates on the March 20, 2018 primary ballot who were evaluated within the last three years, 13 of whom were found “Qualfied” and five of whom were found “Highly Qualified.”

These 18 candidates have since been appointed to the Circuit Court of Cook County. At the time of their evaluation they were not sitting judges, thus their finding does not refer to them as a judge.

“The Chicago Bar Association encourages voters to use its findings to vote for judicial candidates based upon their credentials, not based upon factors that have no bearing on their judicial acumen,” Ahmad said.

For more information, visit www.chicagobar.org.

Thornton Township Honors Women Who Improve Their Communities By: Katherine Newman Over 200 people recently attended Thornton Township’s 10th annual Women of Honor Brunch. The brunch is held every year during women’s history month and this year, Joyce Forbes, Rose McGill, Vivian Payne, and Dr. Sallie D. Penman were honored for the work that they do in their communities.

“We do this as part of Women's History Month and to just acknowledge some of the wonderful work that these women do throughout the year that really helps people improve their quality of life,” said Ernst Lamothe Jr., community relations manager Over 200 people recently attended Thornton Township’s 10th annual Women of Honor for Thornton Township.

Honoree Joyce Forbes currently serves as Brunch. The brunch is held every year during women’s history month and this year Joyce a Trustee for Hudson Township. In the past, Forbes, Rose McGill, Vivian Payne, and Dr. Sallie D. Penman were honored for the work that she held a seat on, and served as President, of they do in their communities. Photo Credit: Thornton Township Dolton Riverdale School District 148 School Education Commission, according to the Women of Honor Board. Forbes served as Clerk for the Village Profiles. of Riverdale, president of the Municipal Clerks Association Thornton Township is made up of 17 different villages and of South and West Suburbs of Cook County, and President of Municipal Clerks of Illinois, according to the Women of Honor towns in Chicago’s South Suburbs and home to about 182,000 residents, according to Lamothe. In preparation for this event Profiles released by Thornton Township. every year, the human relations commission and Thornton Honoree Rose McGill is a community activist and has been a Township Supervisor Frank Zuccarelli, get together and select leader in the South Suburbs since the late 1960’s. She founded honorable women that represent the diverse communities that Rose’s House of Charm to help young people improve their makeup Thornton Township. self-esteem and break into acting and modeling, according to “We all get together and we look at people who we have honthe Women of Honor Profiles. ored in the past because we don't want to repeat ourselves too Honoree Vivian Payne is a Thornton Township native, she much. We try to look at a variety of community organizations was recently added to the South Suburban College Board of and we want to make sure that we are getting people from There Trustees and holds the position of Village Clerk in Lansing are a lot of women working in municipal government and behind where she has lived for 24 years, according to the Women of the scenes in various community organizations, these are the Honor Profiles. type of people that Thornton Township is looking to honor.

Honoree Dr. Sallie D. Penman is currently the South Hol“We definitely want to honor, not necessarily the officials land Village Clerk. Penman has an extensive volunteer history but, the people who are behind the scenes, many who don't want including community service on the South Holland Planning any attention. We have to bring them back from the shadows and Development Commissions, South Holland Neighand put them in the forefront because of the amazing work they borhood Groups Committee, the South Holland Fireman’s do and because they are somebody who is never looking for Pension Board, the Thornton Township High School District attention,” said Lamothe.

205 Academic Enrichment Foundation, and the South Holland

Why you should vote for a woman in 2018 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

their districts, such as in earmarks or via bureaucratic awards. Depending on the method, women direct anywhere between 20 percent and 100 perScience at Georgia University. cent more spendingState to their voters.

For example, we examined the money spent as a result of the stimulus package Congress passed in response to the 2008 recession. On average, even after controlling for factors such as population density and poverty level, we find that House districts represented by women received US$55 million dollars worth of stimulus funds. Meanwhile, House districts represented by men received only an average of $35 million.

Third, we find female Congress members more closely represent their constituents’ interests and needs when participating in the legislative process.

When we crunched the data, we find that female members are more likely than male members to take

on committee assignments that reflect the interests and demands of their districts. Women also introduce more bills related to policy areas that are important to their constituents, and, based on an assessment of the correspondence between district interests and member ideology, they are more likely to vote in ways that reflect their constituents’ needs.

The case for women in office There are other intuitive reasons why electing women is important. For example, electing women makes Congress better reflect the number of women in the United States. Women make up 51 percent of the United States’ voting population, but currently only 20 percent of Congress members.

Electing women would likely also increase the amount of time Congress spends on so-called

advertising@cstweekly.com

stweekly@citizen6news

CitizenNewspaper6/

“women’s issues” such as education, sexual harassment and family leave. Female legislators at all levels are significantly more likely to devote their time and energy to these issues, so electing more of them increases the amount of pressure they can put on the chamber as a whole to take them up.

However, electing women is not simply about identity politics. Yes, electing women is important for women. But we also find that across a wide range of activities, women take their constituents into account more than men do. This gives us a Congress that better represents America and its varied interests as a whole.

Jeffrey Lazarus is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Georgia State University and Amy Steigerwalt is an Associate Professor of Political

www.cstweekly.com

March 14 2018

SuburbanTimes

ST

7

NEWS

DuSable Museum Founder Wanted Black People To Understand Africa By: Katherine Newman In 1961 Dr. Margaret Burroughs and her husband founded the Ebony Museum for Negro History on the first floor of their home. The museum eventually grew out of their home at 3806 S. Michigan Ave. and in 1973 they moved their collection to Washington Park and became the DuSable Museum of African American History.

Before establishing the museum, Burroughs was an art teacher at DuSable High School and noticed that a lot of her students lacked an understanding of black history, according to Skyla Hearn, chief archivist at the DuSable Museum of African American History.

“She taught art at DuSable High School, a predominately black high school, and during that time she recognized that a lot of children didn’t have an understanding of their history. A large part of the reason for establishing the museum was to address this particular void. She really wanted people, not just her students, but all black people to be able to understand their origin,” said Hearn.

Burroughs, her husband Charles, and a few of their close friends began to build a collection of artifacts and artworks to display in the Burroughs’ home that would speak to the black experience, according to Hearn.

This discourse began to happen where people were meeting in this space in her home museum to discuss these objects and what their relationships are to America and to Africa,” said Hearn. “It became this very popular and important place in the community.”

Throughout the 60’s Burroughs’ museum became more and more popular. Many African Americans were interested in visiting to learn about Africa and their relationship to the country. It was with the support of

Dr. Margaret Burroughs (pictured), founder of the DuSable Museum of African American History, worked as an art teacher in a predominately black high school. She noticed that many of her students didn’t have any understanding of black history.

Dr. Margaret Burroughs (pictured), founder of the DuSable Museum of African American History, worked as an art teacher in a predominately black high school. She noticed that many of her students didn’t have any understanding of black history.

the community that the museum was able to make the move into a bigger space in Washington Park which it still occupies today.

“We have these beautiful buildings that supported the growth of Dr. Burroughs initial grass-roots passion project from her home into this larger space and into a more structured institutionalized organization which still meets the needs of the community members, who are the people she first initially was focused on,” said Hearn.

The museum was recently awarded a $150,000 grant from Google to incorporate technology into its infrastructure and future installations, according to a statement from DuSable Museum. This is an

opportunity to expand, according to Hearn.

“The way that I see it is that technology provides a wonderful opportunity for expansion. It is definitely building on her legacy because the important thing here is the transference and sharing of knowledge and the continuous growth of knowledge. It’s just providing us with additional tools to be able to do that,” said Hearn.

After her death in 2010, the legacy left by Burroughs has continued to speak to staff at the museum.

“Her spirit permeates throughout the institution,” said Hearn.

The museum is currently working on an exhibit, set to open in Sept., that will be primarily focused on Burroughs and her life’s work, according to Hearn.

Upcoming Food Drive Restocks South Suburban Food Pantries By: Katherine Newman

location, you can,” said Hardy.

A great donation consists of non-perishable, unexpired, canned or boxed food. 100 percent fruit and vegetable juices, bagged rice and beans, canned fruits and vegetable with pull tops, cereal, oatmeal, granola bars, chips, cookies, crackers, canned meats and stews, peanut butter, and jelly and examples of appropriate food donations.

Aside from food pantry items, personal hygiene products such as soap, shampoos, toothpaste, feminine products, laundry detergent and infant supplies including food are also donated.

“Last year we had laundry detergent, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, you know these donations go to a food pantry but people have all kinds of needs. We can use any kind of soap, toiletries, and anything that falls into that category,” said

Several South Suburban business and municipalities are beginning to take donations for the sixth annual April Food Day hosted by the United Way of Metro Chicago. Starting now, the various drop off locations will collect and store donations until April 25 when the official sorting and distribution event takes place at Tinley Park Convention Center.

April Food Day began in 2013 when a United Way of Metro Chicago noticed that food pantries needed help restocking their shelves after Several South Suburban business and municipalities are beginning to take donations for the holidays. Since then, it has the sixth annual April Food Day hosted by the United Way of Metro Chicago. Photo Credit: been a compounding event, getting United Way of Metro Chicago bigger every year and drawing in participation from schools, villages, pounds of food,” said Hardy. and private businesses across the South Suburbs, Hardy.

Volunteers are welcome to come and help sort according to Maya Hardy, chief professional officer food at the April Food Day event. Organizers do Donation drop offs can be made in the South and partner engagement for the South-Southwest Suburbs at National Able Network, 202 S Halsted their best to make sure the donations are sorted Suburban Region of United Way of Metro Chicago.

St, ATOC Building, Suite 148 in Chicago Heights, and divided evenly among all of the food pantries.

“At our first April Food Day, we raised just over They don't want one pantry getting a surplus of one Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau, 55,000 pounds of food and last year we raised a 2304 173rd St in Lansing, The Matteson Commuparticular item while another doesn't have enough little over 109,000 so every year we have increased. of it, according to Hardy. nity Center, 20642 Matteson Ave, in Matteson, and To me, 109,000 pounds of food was crazy, we at the Village of Park Forest Health Department, “We always ask for volunteers and we even have were running out of space but it’s really great and 350 Victory Drive on the lower level. people just stop by to see what’s going on and end I’m excited. We are working with eight pantries For more information about April Food Day and up staying to help for a little bit and that's amazthis year so we have expanded form three pantries for a full list of the drop-off centers, visit www. ing. If anybody wants to volunteer or be a drop off to eight and 55,000 pounds of food to 109,000 uw-mc.org/event/april-food-day-2018/.

advertising@cstweekly.com

stweekly@citizen6news

CitizenNewspaper6/

www.cstweekly.com

8

March 14 2018

SuburbanTimes

weekly

ST SuburbanTimes GET SOCIAL WITH THE CITIZEN SUBURBAN TIMES WEEKLY

Like Us On Facebook at www.facebook.com/CitizenNewspaper6/

Follow Us On Twitter at: Twitter: cstweekly@citizen6news

Follow Us On Instagram at: www.instagram.com/cstweekly/

Send press releases to editorial@cstweekly.com Send advertising inquiries to advertising@cstweekly.com

Citizen Suburban Times Weekly

w Bloom Township w Chicago Heights w Flossmor w Ford Heights w Greenwood w Home Wood w Lansing w Lynwood w Olympia Fields w Park Forest w Sauk Village w South Chicago w Steger 60411, 60422, 60425 , 60430, 60438

Visit us online at www.cstweekly.com