People's Resource Center Fall 2023 Newsletter

2023 Fall Edition

People’s Resource Center Meeting Our Community’s Needs - Neighbor to Neighbor Women’s Wisdom was PRC’s first art program.

Partnership in Service Page 2

Building Community with Neighbors Page 3

Little Red Truck volunteers Sheri Clubb, Betsy DiVita, John Dalby and Carol Urban have been working for years.

Clothes Closet Experience Enhanced Page 5

The Sanchez family is one of 474 families that received backpacks through our Back to School program this year.

Our Clothes Closet space in Westmont was refreshed, thanks to The Container Store in Oak Brook.

A Message from PRC “The community that is the People’s Resource Center can trace its origins to 1965.” This is the opening sentence to the book of PRC’s impactful history, Miracles Relied Upon. Built on volunteer dedication and fueled by community support to address local needs, PRC has grown into a multiservice resource that reaches thousands of our neighbors across DuPage County.

As our community continues to fully recover from the challenges of recent years, PRC is hearing from record numbers of neighbors. We continue to see high needs for emergency food assistance, computer training and literacy services, along with social services requests.

In the past year, PRC’s food pantries reached over 6,000 families with over 73,000 grocery carts full of nutritious food – the equivalent to over 4 million pounds of food. This was a 37% increase in volume from the year before. On average, we served 150 more families seeking food, each week. Long lines at our food pantries continue to set new “records.”

At the same time, our Social Services helpline calls have increased 10% compared to last year, with over 4,600 calls received by our volunteer and staff team.

In the face of continuing needs, we are serving neighbors today and planning for the future. We have made strong progress toward the vision for an expanded Wheaton Campus. The project will propel and deepen our impact, and allow our team to respond to increased needs in a space that reflects the dignity and respect every one of our neighbors deserves.

PRC has always relied on the kindness of neighbors to strengthen our mission, keep our pantry shelves full, and our computer labs running strong! As we look ahead to what is usually our busiest season, we are reaching out to new and continuing donors to help us with food and diaper drives, along with monetary gifts, to bolster our trusted services. Thank you for being a part of the caring community that has encouraged PRC across the decades.

In gratitude, and shared service,

Board and Staff People’s Resource Center Board of Directors President Erin Keyser Norton Vice President Consuelo Cabral Treasurer Brent Loebig Secretary Anjali Alva Jack Baldermann Ophelia Barsketis Ingrid Becton Cheryl Blum John Dalby, Jr. Bill Delbridge Laura Desmarais Marsha Villanueva McDermott Leanne Sardiga Lina Valdez John Wallerius Dr. Leatha Ware Sue Winkler Jeff Zidell Chief Executive Officer

Jeni Fabian Chief Executive Officer

PRC is excited to announce an impactful update to our Values Statement.

In the 1990s PRC’s Mission and Values statements were officially adopted, formalizing our neighborto-neighbor approach and our focus on respect, relationships, and innovation. PRC’s mission and values statement have been central to our services ever since.

PRC has always focused on creating connections between neighbors who speak different languages, practice various faiths, and bring the wisdom of diverse life experiences to overcome barriers and strengthen our shared future. However, diversity was not an official value of the organization.

In 2021, a new Diversity & Heritage Calendar was introduced to celebrate the range of traditions reflected across the PRC community. At the same time, the PRC board of directors went to work to review and strengthen our values to more strongly reflect and affirm PRC’s priority of diversity.

PRC is thrilled to announce an official update to our Values Statement to include Diversity & Inclusion! The new Diversity & Inclusion statement honors PRC’s legacy of celebrating neighbors from diverse backgrounds and traditions, celebrating each person’s unique contribution, and forging relationships across varied experiences. This is what makes our community strong.

We remain committed to being neighbors, and we recognize this step is not the finish line. The new Diversity & Inclusion value calls us to focus more on the ways we welcome and involve our neighbors and will add to the principles that guide our future steps. Diversity and inclusion are part of PRC’s legacy and our strengths. As we celebrate this milestone, we will continue to deepen our focus to ensure our neighbors feel welcomed and find a community where they belong at PRC.

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Jenifer Fabian Vice President, Human Resources Sue Bultman Vice President, Finance & Operations Linda Cheatham Vice President of Advancement Michelle B. Clegg Vice President of Programs Christina LePage Manager of Marketing & Communications Carl Alston

Little Red Truck Delivers Big for PRC

(L to R) John and Pam Dalby with Betsy DiVita and Sheri Clubb half way through a donation drive held in August 2023.

Since May of 2020, community members of Hope Presbyterian PRC in 2008, when PRC was just beginning to offer a Wednesday Church in Wheaton, Illinois would see a small, red pickup truck evening food pantry distribution. Hope volunteers took care parked outside the church on Saturdays. The truck would stay of many of the distribution activities, from in-take to escorting parked for two hours as people drove through to fill the back neighbors through the food pantry to shop. with food, personal care items, and cleaning supplies intended Little Red Truck donation drives still continue at Hope. When the for neighbors served by People’s Resource Center. This drive- call goes out for donations, the community responds. thru collection event is called the Little Red Truck Ministry, and it is organized by Sheri Clubb, a Wheaton resident and member “The Little Red Truck Ministry helps our church keep our connection with PRC,” said John Dalby, a church member who joined the of the church.

PRC Board of Directors in 2019. The drives help their church “The whole thing started as a response to a need at People’s community fulfill its mission of helping others and engaging with Resource Center,” Sheri said. “I was volunteering in the PRC food the community at large. pantry with my friend Deb Ness, when we noticed that there was a need for diapers. Deb and I brainstormed on how we could get diapers and came up with the idea of doing some kind of drive.”

The event was shared throughout the Hope community and posted on social media. A sign was placed outside of the church. When the drive day arrived, dozens of people drove by and handed off their diaper donations to volunteers, or placed the items in Sheri’s little, red Chevrolet pickup truck. The entire truck bed was filled, and it even spilled over into the back seat!

“During the event, people kept asking when the next collection would happen. We were surprised!” Sheri said. “We had not considered a second drive. However, we knew PRC needed peanut butter and jelly because clients asked about those during distribution. After planning with the pantry team, we planned a second drive-thru the next month with the focus on peanut butter and jelly.”

The first Little Red Truck Ministry drive-thru donation drive filled the truck with diapers.

The Little Red Truck Ministry served two purposes at the time. “The Little Red Truck Ministry is great,” says Bill Moucka, PRC’s Not only were food and personal care items collected, but also Wheaton Food Pantry Supervisor. “The people at Hope are the event served as an opportunity for volunteers to gather and consistent and generous, and I appreciate they always call to socialize, a time when in-person church services were not being see what is most needed in the pantry and makes that the focus of the drive.” held.

“Many of us were church volunteers who worked in different “It warms my heart to see the generosity not only from the people capacities at PRC’s Wednesday night food pantry distribution,” of Hope but the people of our community,” Sheri said. “People said Betsy DiVita, who has worked the Little Red Truck events just want to help and do good.” from the beginning. Hope Presbyterian started a relationship with

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Creativity Endures PRC’s Art Program first started with Rosie Dixon and Nancy Castle who founded Women’s Wisdom in 1997. At the time, the Art Program was a safe space for women impacted by domestic violence. The vision of the Art Program was that of nurturing creativity - individuals would gain confidence and dignity in their lives. Eventually, the group expanded to include neighbors of all backgrounds – women, men, children, and families. After several years, Rosie Dixon became the program’s director. The Art Program has transformed into the dynamic presence it is today because of Rosie, Nancy, countless enthusiastic volunteers, and the current Director of Art Programs, Lesley Gena.

When Lesley started at PRC in 2008, she recognized the importance and impact of the vision Rosie and Nancy brought to life. She says, “At the time the program was smaller, and included only one workshop for families.” Lesley is proud to have led the growth of the Art Program over the past 15 years as the Director of Art Programs.

“We have expanded the types of art opportunities and classes we offer, not only at PRC buildings but also in 12 community partner locations. In the last few years of the pandemic, I am proud of how our volunteers and neighbors adapted to create art online as a way to connect the community and support one another. And I’m really excited about being back in person!” Lesley says.

Under Lesley’s direction, the Art Program has grown into a vibrant forum for beautiful, creative expression. Frances Rinaldo, an art program student, shares the impact of Lesley’s leadership, “Lesley has been wonderful. She is supportive, and I love the variety of classes PRC offers. Participating has enriched my life, and I appreciate that I was able to continue taking them during the pandemic too. It has meant so much for my mental health, confidence, and happiness.”

The Art Program is an important source for imagination and artistic expression. Doing art as part of a community serves as a vital part of self-care and stress-relief. All art supplies and instruction are provided by PRC, and clients only need to bring themselves and their creativity. Jeni Fabian, CEO of PRC says, “Our Art Program connects neighbors across diverse life experiences in a way that’s so unique. Whether you are going through a personal challenge like a job search, or simply looking to express your creativity,

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you are welcome. Nothing is more human than trying a new skill, finding inspiration, and sharing an experience with a neighbor. It’s a beautiful way PRC builds connections and community.”

The accessibility and inclusion of the Art Program also continues to grow. Consuelo Puente, an Art Program volunteer, offers paper art classes in Spanish on the second Monday of every month.

Lesley Gena says, “It is so important to offer classes in Spanish as often as we can to make them accessible to everyone. Having a native Spanish speaking instructor is a step towards inclusivity.

I was pleased when a Spanish- speaking family came to take one of Consuelo’s workshops. They felt much more comfortable asking questions, and it really helped them enjoy their time in the art studio.”

Consuelo has been a dedicated Art Program volunteer for two years. “What amazes me is how creative everyone is. It’s just paper and stickers, and imagination, and the students come up with so many ways to put them together. It’s just amazing! The kids are especially incredibly creative. I give them a basic idea, and they run with it,” she says. Volunteers like Consuelo make the Art Program a warm and welcoming environment for all our neighbors.

Cheryl Weston, Thursday Night Art (originally Women’s Wisdom) teacher, exemplifies the welcoming and healing nature of the program. Cheryl has been an Art Program volunteer for over 15 years, and recalls the impact of program founder Rosie Dixon.

Cheryl says, “Rosie was just a real bright light, and a real positive spirit to have around.”

Lesley Gena has built on Rosie’s legacy and made the Art Program flourish into what it is today. “Getting to know Rosie and being a part of the creative legacy entrusted to me has been amazing,” Lesley says, “Every time she would see me at PRC, she was so supportive and inspiring. It was wonderful to hear that such an impactful founder appreciated the growth and direction of the program.”

As the whole PRC community celebrates Lesley’s fifteenth year as the art program’s director, everyone agrees Lesley has continued the founding spirit and vision and has built the Art Program into an inspiring, unique program that nurtures creativity, healing and dignity for all our neighbors.

Remembering

Rosie

Rosie Dixon was a catalyst for PRC’s Art Program in 1997. She and her friend Nancy Castle started an art group called Women’s Wisdom (now Thursday Night Art) which then began to evolve into what the Art Program is today. Rosie became the director of Women’s Wisdom and the Art Program until her retirement in 2008 when she was succeeded by Lesley Gena. “Rosie’s energy and positivity were really helpful and gave me a lot of confidence to explore my creativity,” Lesley says, “She really embodied PRC change and wasn’t afraid to try new things.”

After Rosie’s transition out of the Art Director role, she was still an

active part of PRC. She used her time to volunteer in numerous ways including: the Back to School program, Wheaton Intake, Literacy Tutor and Tester, Wheaton Food Pantry, and PRC’s Art Board and Board of Directors. In 2022, we celebrated Rosie’s 50th year of volunteering with PRC! We are thankful for Rosie’s energetic spirit, her wonderful laugh, and all the love and encouragement she brought to our neighbors over the years. The impact Rosie had on PRC will live on in all of our services and the neighbors we welcome throughout DuPage County.

Exciting News at PRC Wheaton!

People’s Resource Center is pleased to share that a new building is being planned in Wheaton that will improve services and relieve local parking constraints.

(L to R) Chrissy Deaton and Cheryl Weston consider chalk colors during a Women’s Wisdom art session. Women’s Wisdom was one of the first art classes established at PRC.

The new building will be constructed next to the existing operating facility at 201 S. Naperville Rd. The upcoming project includes the demolition of three existing buildings (207, 209 and 213 S. Naperville Road) and construction of a new, 11,000 square foot building. This project is part of PRC’s overall Wheaton Campus expansion project to better meet current and future needs. The current building at 201 S. Naperville is not part of this construction plan and will stay in service throughout the project.

PRC is working with JLL (formerly Jones Lang LaSalle) as Project Manager, along with Naperville-based architectural firm CVG, and Hillside-based Executive Construction, Inc. as general contractor.

PRC is also working with a salvage vendor to sustainably repurpose items that can be reused.

Father daughter team work on decorative items from paper at PRC Westmont

The 207, 209 and 213 S. Naperville Road buildings were torn down in October. The site is fenced off for safety and vehicles for the project will enter from Naperville Road and exit through the alley. The construction process will begin in November. PRC is finalizing plans for the new Wheaton campus. We look forward to sharing further updates with you in the near future.

The properties at 207, 209 and 213 are fenced off, in preparation for a new building and expanded PRC Wheaton campus.

PRC Volunteer Instructor Consuelo Puente works in scrapbooking class.

Consuelo enjoys offering free space for art expression in her classes.

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Introducing PRC Board Members Laura Desmarais is a retired management consultant who specialized in benefits administration including Family Medical Leave programs. She was president of Qcera, Inc. in Los Angeles, California, a company that provided unique solutions for absence administration. Laura is a big picture person, who enjoys finding the best way to obtain a required result.

Laura has been a PRC volunteer since 2007, primarily in the Job Assistance Program. She was one of the first job coaches and has helped in the development of the Program.

Bill Delbridge is a retired executive with strong business acumen in marketing, strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, finance and accounting. Recently returning to Wheaton after spending most of his career in Ohio, he was the Senior Global Marketing Director at ENSONO in Downers Grove, Illinois – a provider of Cloud and Mainframe solutions and services. Additionally, he currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Customer Experience Program at the University of Richmond Robins School of Business.

In his retirement, Bill chooses to focus on improving the lives of others. He has volunteered at the PRC food pantry in Wheaton since the spring of 2021.

“What keeps me volunteering is the opportunity to make a difference,” Laura said. “PRC is a volunteer run organization. I’ve never been in such a place where the volunteer contribution to the mission “It is important to help others improve their own lives. It’s just the right thing to do,” Bill said. “I like to keep busy and volunteering was so meaningful.” is a way to do that while benefitting others at the same time.

Laura received the 2022 Non-Profit Volunteer of the Year award Also, volunteering provides the opportunity to feel part of the from the West Suburban Philanthropic Network. She has served community and meet new people.” on various boards and is an active member of the Wheaton-Glen Bill has volunteered at several organizations including the board of Ellyn Branch of the American Association of University Women. Children’s Hunger Alliance in Ohio, as a mentor at Dayton YMCA He has taught Work Smart programs to college graduates, which Mentors Matter Program, The First Tee of Southwest Ohio, and focus on interviewing and salary negotiation skills. She has two the First United Methodist Church of Springboro, Ohio. grown sons and five grandchildren.

Bill is married with two adult sons. He looks forward to using his Laura looks forward to making a difference by serving on the board skills and experience, especially when working with others from and being a part of PRC’s future growth. different cultures, to advance PRC’s mission.

Cheryl Blum is a retired Telecommunications and Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) professional. Employed by Alcatel-Lucent (formerly AT&T Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies) for more than 30 years, she has held numerous leadership positions focused on software development, systems engineering, network architecture, and wireless standards development. Additionally, Cheryl was vicepresident for Technology and Standards for the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), based in Arlington, Virginia. During that time, she was responsible for overseeing the entire technology and standards department; which included management of domestic and international standards activities, as well as continuous expansion and growth in new technology areas.

Improved Clothes Closet Space

Neighbors visiting PRC’s Clothes Closet in Westmont will find a nicer browsing experience, thanks to a refresh provided by The Container Store in Oak Brook, Illinois. New shelving and organized storage areas Cheryl and her husband Bill have been associated with PRC for are now in use, and the close to three decades. For the last six years, her volunteer work clothes sorting space has has supported PRC’s Clothes Closet, Food Pantry, Back-to-School, been updated too!

and Share the Spirit programs.

“I feel that it is not only important to give back, but to give back with kindness and respect,” Cheryl said. “I have been very fortunate and I feel that volunteerism should be part of my life. If I can’t give or do for others, then what am I doing?”

(L to R) PRC Clothes Closet Volunteer Sandra Linn with PRC Vice President of Programs Christina LePage, Mike Bierbauer, Custom Spaces Sales Manager at The Container Store, and Kim Baumbach, General Manager of The Container Store in Oak Brook.

“The improvements make it easier for our neighbors to find the clothes they want, as well as move through the space more efficiently,” said Christina LePage, Vice President of Programs for PRC.

Cheryl wants to be a contributing force to PRC’s continued growth This transformation was made possible by a charitable program and care for the DuPage County community.

Cheryl is married with two adult children and five grandchildren. Her husband Bill is a former PRC Board member and volunteer. She looks forward to using her skills to further PRC’s mission, including helping to provide stability to families who find themselves experiencing a challenge.

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through The Container Store and PRC Clothes Closet volunteer Sandra Linn, who connected PRC to The Container Store program.

PRC visited the Oak Brook store recently to present them with a Partner Appreciation Certificate and share how much our neighbors are benefitting from the refresh. Thank you to The Container Store!

We are so grateful for this amazing opportunity to make the Clothes Closet more inviting and functional for our neighbors!

New Employees

What is the best part of working at PRC? Polly Elledge

Holly DeMore

So far, the best parts are the people I work with—so kind and welcoming—and the clients we serve. I love working at a goal-oriented organization that works on finding practical solutions to help people.

The best part of working at PRC is the inclusive, welcoming environment and the kindness of everyone.

I feel so welcomed, and I’m so happy I get to be a part of the PRC team

Heather Mesli

Ken Rosiek

People’s Resource Center is a place that brings me a sense of centeredness, helping me daily to live my values. Through serving neighbors, collaborating with colleagues, and being mindful of the beauty in every day.

The best part of working at PRC is the fact that all of the employees here are mission driven. They give it their all to make an impact and positive change for our community.

Front Desk Associate - Westmont

Grants Manager

Front Desk Associate, Wheaton

Office Manager

Zayda Alvarado

Daisy Martinez

Intake Coordinator

Food Pantry Coordinator

My favorite part of working at PRC is getting to know all of the clients. I get the opportunity to interact with people of all different backgrounds – I learn about different cultures and hear people speak in multiple languages throughout the day, it’s a very neat experience!

I like working at PRC because every day is different and I get to meet many people. I love getting to know volunteers and their stories or advice. For someone that always got “talks too much” on her report card growing up, this job is right for me. I know it seems cheesy, but seeing the impact PRC has on the community makes me happy to say I work here.

Maria Urquizo Intake Coordinator

Andrew Dabisch

The best part of working at PRC is the supportive staff and amazing volunteers, as well as providing a service for our clients.

Food Pantry Assistant, Wheaton The people. This group of workers and volunteers, working toward the goal of distributing hundreds of thousands of pounds of food to families in need is truly one of a kind. Everyone is upbeat and looking forward to helping in whatever way they can and it’s truly magical to watch. I want to give a big shout out to the PRC family that looks to make the world a better place by minimizing hunger for folks across DuPage County!

Samuel Jackson

Social Services Coordinator The best part of working at PRC so far has been the Back to School event. It was such a good feeling to walk around and see so many happy kids, all excited about their brand-new backpacks and the start of the school year.

Grants

Thank you to the following charitable funding organizations for helping PRC achieve our mission in support of our neighbors.

Anonymous Charitable Foundations

The George Bauer Family Foundation

Alfred Bersted Foundation

Hinsdale Junior Woman’s Club

Alliant Credit Union Foundation

Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital

Bank of America Charitable Foundation

Oberweiler Foundation

Costco – Bloomingdale, IL

Wheaton Franciscan Sisters Corporation

DuPage Foundation REPORTING A CORRECTION People’s Resource Center welcomes comments and suggestions, or concerns about errors that warrant correction. Messages regarding a correction can be emailed to prc1@peoplesrc.org or you can call our Marketing Department at 630-682-5402.

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People’s Resource Center 201 S. Naperville Road Wheaton, IL 60187 630-682-5402 peoplesrc.org

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