Arts & Entertainment Event highlights of the week!
SportsWise
The SportsWise Team mourns the loss of Chicago Cubs' icon Ryne Sandberg.
Cover Story: Food Access
A new study on food access for people who are unhoused asks how they obtain their food, barriers they face, and makes policy recommendations ranging from adding refrigeration infrastructure to supporting smaller grocery stores in neighborhoods. We also talk to Chicago Food Rescue, which says that cutting back on wasted food could go a long way toward feeding people – and also reducing carbon emissions.
from the Streets
The Chicago Humanities Festival announces Hispanic Heritage Month programming, and the Chicago Help Initiative plans a Brazilian-themed fundraiser for its work to provide meals and case management.
The Playground
THIS PAGE: A volunteer picks up donated food for Chicago Food Rescue (Chicago Food Rescue photo). DISCLAIMER: The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of StreetWise.
Dave Hamilton, Creative Director/Publisher dhamilton@streetwise.org
Julie Youngquist, Executive director jyoungquist@streetwise.org
Ph: 773-334-6600 Office: 2009 S. State St., Chicago, IL, 60616
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
Compiled by Dave Hamilton
Music for All!
The CheckOut Grand Opening Festival
Access Contemporary Music (ACM), a Chicago non-profit that champions contemporary classical music, an nounces a new venue and music school, The CheckOut, officially opening at 4116 N. Clark St., with a Grand Opening Festival September 13-28. The festival includes 12 concerts featuring top-tier local performers and composers including Black Oak Ensemble, Kontras Quartet, and the genre-bending ensemble Wicked Drawl. Presenting a snapshot of The CheckOut’s diverse and innovative year-round programming, the festival concerts include fascinating and vital programming such as a concert of music for piano and video, a concert that explores Studs Terkel’s seminal “Working,” a concert that explores the deep history of the human species, a concert that celebrates the diverse Uptown neighborhood, and a 90th birthday party for beloved contemporary composer Arvo Pärt. From jazz, to cabaret, to classical music and beyond, the Grand Opening Festival has concerts to appeal to every taste. Festival tickets range in price from $18-$25 with an optional add-on for parking in the building’s front lot. For a full schedule, visit thecheckout.org
HGtv Gone Mad!
‘Dream Hou$e’
Two sisters are appearing on an HGTV-style reality show to sell their family home, hoping to capitalize on the gentrification in their “changing neighborhood.” As they perform for the camera, the show starts to slip into the surreal: one sister grapples with turmoil in the family’s ancestral past and the other learns how much she’s willing to sacrifice for the family’s future. “Dream Hou$e,” which earned both the Kendeda Award and Steinberg Playwriting Award in 2021, is a crowd-pleasing comedy with a twist that asks: W hat is the cultural cost of progress in America? And is cashing in always selling out? September 12 - October 18, at the Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. Previews are Sept. 12-18. The regular performance schedule is ThursdaysSaturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $12 (previews) - $40 at RefractedCo.com
Decor Innovation!
'Tiffany Lamps: Beyond the Shade'
The Driehaus Museum, 50 E. Erie St., presents "Tiffany Lamps: Beyond the Shade," an exhibition illuminating the volume and breadth of Louis C. Tiffany’s vast artistic production. From the 1890s to the 1920s, Tiffany Studios created a captivating range of decorative lighting fixtures that embraced the technological shift from oil lamps to electricity and simultaneously met the styles and tastes of 19th and 20th century consumers. Drawn from the expansive collections of the Museum and the private art collection of Richard H. Driehaus, the exhibition explores how the artisans at Tiffany Studios used a range of materials— including bronze, enamel, pottery, and glass—to bring Tiffany’s innovative lighting designs to life. On view from September 12 to March 15, 2026. Included with museum admission, more information at driehausmuseum.org
Supernatural On Stage!
‘The Blood Countess’
Join Idle Muse Theatre Company at The Edge Off-Broadway Theater, 1133 W. Catalpa Ave., for a the world premiere of “The Blood Countess.” Set in the Carpathian Mountains, the story tells how a countess becomes a carnivore and and a mother becomes a monster. The shadow of Erzsebet Bathory has endured for more than 400 years–but who is the Blood Countess and how did her story of infamy begin, grow and take on a life of its own? In a time when the constructed reputations of those in power can have more influence than reality, Idle Muse explores the truth behind the blood-soaked rumors. September 11- October 11, Thursdays - Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are $30 at idlemuse.org
Big Bad Wolf!
‘Mr. Wolf’
Twelve years ago, Theresa was stolen from her parents. Now a precocious 15-year-old, she has been rescued and returned to a family that had nearly forsaken hope – a family she neither recognizes nor understands. In ensemble member Rajiv Joseph’s unflinching play, a miraculous reunion sets the stage for provocative conversations: what makes a house a home? W hat nightmares are we willing to face for the sake of our children? And ultimately, what part do we play in the grand saga of human existence? Previews September 11-20, opening September 21, regular run September 13 - November 2 at Steppenwolf, 1650 N. Halsted St. Tickets are $20-$128 at steppenwolf.org
Serving Deliciousness!
South Side Food Truck Festival
The nonprofit Far South Community Development Corporation (Far South CDC)—an organization that provides strategic community-building services to residents and businesses across Chicago’s Far South Side neighborhoods and south suburban Cook County—presents its new Food Truck Festival on Saturday, September 13 from 1 p.m.–5 p.m. This free all-ages event with live music will be held in the parking lot of Maple Park Marketplace, 821 W. 115th St. Food is included with free registration at farsouthcdc.org/festivals
Homegrown Tale!
‘Ashland Avenue’
Pete’s TV and Video has served Chicagoland for 40+ years, its plucky owner famous for his legendary commercials and customer care. But it’s a new era, and Pete’s (Fran Guinan) last store location is struggling while Sam (“The Office”’s Jenna Fischer)—his daughter and family business heir apparent—has different dreams. This hilarious and moving new play asks what happens when we step outside of our parents' footsteps to follow our heart? Playing through October 8 at the Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St. Tickets are $33-$148 at goodmantheatre.org/ashland
Shakespearean Delight!
‘The Book of Will’
Without William Shakespeare, we wouldn’t have literary masterpieces like Romeo and Juliet. But without Henry Condell and John Heminges, we would have lost half of Shakespeare’s plays forever! Promethean Theatre Ensemble’s “The Book of Will” is a true story of love, loss, and laughter that sheds new light on a man you may think you know. It’s playing September 18-October 25 at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. Tickets $25+ www.prometheantheatre.org/project/book-of-will/
Larger Than Life!
Arts of Life ‘City Circle Heart’ projection
Non-profit Arts of Life celebrates 25 years of supporting artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities with the projection of a collaborative work, “City Circle Heart,” on ART on THE MART. “City Circle Heart” adapts Arts of Life artists’ work to the larger-than-life canvas, attracting people of all abilities to appreciate the movement, colors, and beauty of the Chicago Riverwalk. Thursdays - Sundays at 7:30 – 8 p.m., from September 11 - October 5, and December 4 - December 28. Best viewed on the Chicago Riverwalk Jetty between Wells and Franklin Street, which features speakers broadcasting the associated audio. More info at artonthemart.com and artsoflife.org.
Art in the Street!
20th Annual Lakeview Festival of the Arts
The Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce presents the 20th Annual Lakeview East Festival of the Arts along Broadway, from Belmont Ave. to Hawthorne Place, with 150 juried artists, family attractions, food, music and more. Saturday, Sept. 13 from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. with additional hours for live music, food and drink tents until 10 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 14 from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Lakeview East Festival of the Arts asks for a $5 donation upon entrance. This fee goes to supporting additional Lakeview East events and offerings. Visit LakeviewEastFestivalOfTheArts.com for more information on artists, bands and offerings.
Remembering Ryne Sandberg
John: Where were you on June 23, 1984? We’re paying tribute to the Cubs legend who recently passed, Ryne Sandberg. That was the game where Ryne went from just a good player to a superstar ball player on the way to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. He hit not one, but two gametying home runs off someone who was considered the premier reliever, Bruce Sutter of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Russell: I call that the Ryne Sandberg Game: two home runs against the best relief pitcher in baseball at the time. I was at home.
John: Just like me. I was watching Bob Costas of NBC Sports call play-by-play.
Russell: Harry Caray called the shot: it might be, it could be, it IS!!! The game is tied! I was really happy for the Cubs. Then Sandberg got No. 2 and they won 12-11. It started them off toward the National League East title, their first divisional title since 1945.
Allen: I am not quite sure where I was on that day. I see you all exalting these two players. Ryne Sandberg was a good hitter, but in my opinion, it takes more than one player to win a game, because a team requires more than one person, whether he’s a good hitter or a good pitcher. That’s why we call it a team. Not like boxing, which is a one-on-one match.
John: Sandberg was a good defensive player. The thing about him was that 1982 trade of shortstop Ivan DeJesus with Philadelphia. Cubs General Manager Dallas Green was very much about getting five-time All-Star shortstop Larry Bowa from the Phillies and infielder Sandberg was a throw-in. The Cubs wanted Bowa, thought he was the one guy who would start them on a rebound. What really took Sandberg from a good ball player to a great ball player was how he
was able to reform and how humble he was. A lot of superstars like Reggie Jackson were flamboyant, Michael Ervin and Michael Jordan to some extent, but Ryne Sandberg was always down to earth. That’s why you have a lot of accolades for his baseball, but also his ability to help the team. From then on, with Rick Sutcliffe and Dennis Eckersley, the Cubs were rocking and rolling, especially after the All-Star Break. Around Aug. 1, 1984, the Cubs won the East division. San Diego, to give them credit, found a way to beat the Cubs after they went up 2-0 and won three straight to take the National League Championship Series. Rick Sutcliffe won the National League Cy Young Award and Sandberg, the National League MVP. Eventually, 32 years later, the Cubs won the World Series.
Russell: Sandberg was an iconic player who defined the
second base position. My condolences to his family.
Allen: My condolences to the family too.
John: One final note on Ryne Sandberg. He had some other good years after 1984, but no one remembered them as much. In a twist of fate, he also played his final game at Wrigley Field in 1997 against his old team, the Philadelphia Phillies, where he started his career. It was also the final Wrigley Field game for broadcaster Harry Caray (which the Cubs won). Ryne’s probably in a better place with Harry Caray, Jack Brickhouse, and Ernie Banks. So let’s go play two for Ryne Sandberg.
Any comments, suggestions or topic ideas for the SportsWise team? Email StreetWise Editor Suzanne Hanney at suzannestreetwise@yahoo.com
Vendors John Hagan, Russell Adams and A. Allen chat about the world of sports.
FOOD ACCESS SHORTCOMINGS AND POTENTIAL: IT'S ABOUT DIGNITY
by Suzanne Hanney
Food access for unhoused individuals in Illinois has both systemic shortcomings and areas for potential reform, according to a new report. Furthermore, food access is not just about survival, but about dignity, connection, self-esteem and autonomy, “a way to counter the generally dehumanizing experience of homelessness.
“Unhoused individuals rely heavily on informal networks and shelter staff to navigate a fragmented and restrictive food service system,” according to “Hunger Pains: Food Access for Unhoused Individuals in Illinois.” The study by the Institute for Research on Race & Policy at the University of Illinois/Chicago was undertaken for the Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH) and the Illinois Commission on Hunger. OPEH and the Commission wanted to know where and how unhoused people obtained their food, barriers they faced, how service providers could give them more dignity and how the state could better serve their food access.
Illinois has the nation’s 18th highest food insecurity, according to “Hunger Pains.” More than 25,832 people in Illinois were unhoused and 2,664 (10.3%) of them were unsheltered, as of the January 2024 Point in Time (PIT) count mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In addition, 12.4% of Illinoisans are food-insecure, as shown by a jump in weekly average applications for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) -- from 9,000 to 35,000 between 2021 and 2023.
“The rules governing food distribution – rigid schedules, sign-up requirements, and prohibitions on food storage – disproportionately burden those with limited mobility, standard and irregular work schedules, or other personal constraints,” according to “Hunger Pains,” which was released in June. “These policies undermine autonomy and exacerbate inequities, leaving many without access to the nourishment they need.”
PERCY BUTLER
My experience with food pantries is they help people, give you temporary food, but I had two bad experiences. Some of the workers, a small percentage, try to keep some of the things for themselves. They act like it was theirs. They weren’t very courteous. They were giving certain people this or that: their kind things first, [not] most of the Black people that got there late. They went on a lunch break that took so long, [then] they still practiced favoritism. Everyone doesn’t end up with equality. I actually appreciate the experiences, but I did have a few bad experiences. Some people just aren’t as professional as others. So I just don’t go to them anymore. I don’t want to take time out of my day to get something I can earn, be in a situation I don’t have to be. That’s the main reason I stopped. You have to go to different places outside Chicago to get the best things. I have heard great things about Aurora, but a lot of people don’t have an automobile to get to those places.
Unhoused people have weaker social networks, which can leave them isolated, according to the report. Half of unsheltered study respondents who answered the question about how they found alternative food providers said their source of information was family or a friend. Their next most important links were shelter staff, then church.
Unhoused people also established networks of care: sharing, storing, transporting and monitoring food for each other. They might also loan a can opener so someone can eat better. And they might watch that a neighbor with diabetes didn’t eat too much sugar or starch. As a result, they also lamented soup kitchen menus that were laden with these ingredients, instead of protein and fresh vegetables.
Simultaneously, shelter clients felt “a sense of normalcy and recognition” when they received cultural staples like soul food and meals that celebrated the holidays – or their birthdays. A respondent named Jabari said it actually made the food taste better.
Work schedules could be a barrier to meals at shelters.
“I’m not typically off work until 1:00 in the afternoon, and I’m not making it back to the facility ’til, like, 1:30, 1:45,” said an unhoused person named Serenity. “So by then, breakfast and lunch has been served. And, if staff hasn’t put aside any late plates, you know, I don’t get any food. And, now, I have to figure out what I’m gonna eat because dinner doesn’t come until 7:00 [p.m.] And I work third shift, so I’m asleep by 3:00 [p.m.} So, now, you haven’t provided me a meal all day because my work schedule’s conflicting with the way you guys do your meal planning, prepping.”
Unhoused people who work reported missing at least one shelter meal daily, so that they would benefit from using a Link card, or food stamps, also known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. However, income they received from work often jeopardized their SNAP eligibility.
Sheltered individuals had more potential help for filling out SNAP applications – someone with prior knowledge of the bureaucratic system, according to “Hunger Pains” focus groups. Nearly half, (45.1%) of survey participants applied in person at an Illinois Department of Human Services office, which posed its own set of challenges, from physical mobility to transportation and weather. Once at the office, they might be missing a piece of data: an address or ID was the barrier for eight of the 35 respondents (23%) who did not have SNAP. The applications seemed intrusive, and many applicants were not tech-savvy.
Unhoused people were sensitive to where they accessed food, because they felt that limited supplies could create a volatile environment.
“It’s just – it’s crazy, it’s almost like a – almost like a zoo, you know,” said a respondent named Rory. “Everybody’s off, their defenses are up so high because of the situations that they’re already in, and I just walk past.”
Getting drawn into a fight – especially for unhoused people with prior justice system involvement – could create a dangerous parole violation.
Food pantry and soup kitchen patrons also sought to set themselves apart from stereotypes. They resisted being perceived as lazy or deceitful – “welfare queens.” Scholarly journals have proven benefit fraud to be unusual, however, according to the Journal of Social History, which was footnoted in the study.
But when service providers’ staff went out of their way to provide support, even amidst limited personnel and food supply, “the effort does not go unnoticed,” according to “Hunger Pains. “…[It] truly has the ability to make or break unhoused individuals’ experiences.”
From the service providers’ point of view, the barriers to more dignified food access fell into three categories:
1. Resource limitations -Chronic underfunding means that providers are constantly in reactive mode, operating at or beyond maximum capacity and “playing Tetris” with storing food.
2. Personnel constraints – Underpaid staff means high turnover. Reliance on volunteers can mean operational inconsistencies, lack of control over the food being served and little chance to build relationships or long-term knowledge.
3. Food supply challenges – The donation-dependent model is unpredictable, with limited choice and supply. If a shelter receives 200 cans of salmon, suddenly the cook is searching for salmon recipes.
CORA RAMBERT
I have been volunteering at Care for Real in Edgewater. I went down there because I always wanted to give back. Because of my age, a lot wouldn’t accept me, but they did. Me being a senior, the director told me I was an “essential something” and I thought, “Wow, that was such a beautiful compliment.” Because they used to be 5300 on Sheridan and now they are 5840 N. Broadway – a huge, bigger place, an elevator, really nice. There’s a lot more volunteers and a whole lot more people who come to the pantry. I think one of the most beautiful parts is, a lot of people who come are homeless. There’s a special bag we give them as opposed to the others we just give food: they might get the peanut butter, because they have nowhere to put it. For me, the best part is I used to have to go to the pantry, I had an addiction and spent all my money. For me, it’s being able to go there and not look for anything. That’s not only due to StreetWise but people have embraced me, the camaraderie I have. They told me I was famous. My life is about being of service to others.
This Page: A crew of volunteers serve meals at Franciscan Outreach (Franciscan Outreach photo).
Opposite Page: Meals are served at Sarah's Circle (Sarah's Circle photo). Page 7: A volunteer serves food at the Chicago Help Initiative (CHI) Wednesday Night Suppers (CHI photo).
SYLVIA SPIVEY
Food pantries are good because a lot of people don’t have the resources to buy food, so this is a great place for them to get food they don’t have to worry about paying for. No, [I don’t favor] public microwave ovens. If they have salads already prepared, for people who don’t have a microwave – like sandwiches are already prepared, a carton of milk or juice. If you are homeless, you can get food that’s prepared. Yes, you have to give people who are homeless separate food. A lot of people will give away uncooked food because they have no place to put it. Some people who are homeless have given it to me at [Whole Foods, my spot]. They can’t do nothing with it, so they take the money and buy their food. They can’t accept food in a can, because they have no place to cook it. But I have a place to cook. Hallelujah! Thank God.
Interviews with 12 service providers across Illinois underscored the recurring theme of unhoused individuals seeking more autonomy, more healthconscious food and increased flexibility, and simultaneously the limited funding and logistics the providers face daily.
Among the study’s policy recommendations:
Expand infrastructure for food storage. Cook County allocated $825,000 to the Greater Chicago Food Depository for the purchase of new cold storage equipment, which allows area pantries to accept a wider range of donations, especially fresh produce, dairy and meat, to ensure more diverse food options.
Advocate for food waste diversion recovery programs by making them eligible for the Illinois Gives Tax Credit Act. Increase messaging around the federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donor Act and the Illinois Good Samaritan Food Donor Act, which protects businesses from liability and which also contributes to environmental sustainability by reducing landfill waste. (See story on page 12.)
Expand SNAP Access such as the Restaurant Meals Pilot and the application process by enhancing website user-friendliness. In August 2024, 1.9 million Illinoisans (15% of the state’s population) received SNAP benefits.
However, on July 23, the Springfield State Journal Register quoted Gov. JB Pritzker’s office that 360,000 Illinoisans are at risk of losing SNAP, because of expanded work requirements in the Republican-backed domestic fund-
ing bill. States will also assume up to 15% of benefit costs, in addition to a 25% increase in administrative costs (from 50% to 75%) -- $1.2 billion in additional costs annually for Illinois.
Increase awareness of food assistance programs through informational materials distributed in public benefits offices, shelters, libraries, transit stations.
Expand access to basic utilities by installing running water stations, portable toilets and microwaves in public spaces with high concentrations of unsheltered individuals.
Examples cited included Portland, OR’s Hygiene Stations: toilets, running water and soap funded with $3 million in COVID recovery funds; San Francisco’s Pit Stop program of public toilets with running water, hand soap and towels in nine neighborhoods; and the microwaves in Seattle community centers.
Strengthen local food systems through the Illinois Grocery Initiative, which is intended to support new stores in food deserts.
Forty Acres Fresh Market LLC in the Austin neighborhood received $750,000 for a brick-and-mortar store as one of the first four grantees. The second round closed last December and included four grantees, none from Chicago. Another seven grantees from Downstate received Illinois Grocery Initiative Equipment Upgrades funds.
JACQUELINE SANDERS
I go to Chicago Help Initiative every Wednesday. They give you books to read, they have classes like knitting. They care about you, give you clothes. The food is great. They have computer classes too.
A. ALLEN
Food pantries are all about supplying food to the homeless in a dignified way. I was homeless for three years and I have been to a lot of soup kitchens. It’s a good, God-given way to help the poor, but I have always felt ashamed to stand in line and wait for food. I’ve always had pride concerning my self-image, but when it came to surviving, I could easily humble myself to my empty stomach. StreetWise is a dignified organization that provides its vendors a way to sell magazines in a dignified way, having a hand up, not a hand out. It also provides its guests a respectful way to come in and eat in a dignified atmosphere. It’s all about dignity.
JOANN NUKES
The food is good. The staff are nice. I like it when they serve it at the table, you sit down and enjoy yourself. No arguing and no fighting.
TRINITA DARKE
Food pantries
Hot soup kitchen
…It helps- A little For Rich & Poor It’s a battle… What to better it
It grows again, it grows For me/we to be
Rich, getting people
To buy markets
Donated food items picked up by Chicago Food Rescue, see story page 12 (Chicago Food Rescue photo).
CHICAGO FOOD RESCUE: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN DONORS AND THOSE IN NEED
by Suzanne Hanney
Living in an era of government cutbacks to poverty programs, it’s comforting to read Chicago Food Rescue’s motto, that “no one should go hungry when an abundance of food is available.”
Hunger is not a supply-and-demand issue, it’s an accessibility issue that can be improved with logistics and community partnerships, says Jake Tepperman, founder and executive director of Chicago Food Rescue, which links food donors with a network of volunteers who pick it up and deliver it to nonprofits – shelters, food pantries and the like – that serve people who need it.
The 501(c)(3) has rescued just under 120,000 pounds of food – the equivalent of roughly 100,000 meals –between its founding in September 2024 and midAugust. Environmentally, this is 350,000 pounds of carbon mitigated – the annual emissions of 26 U.S. homes. Chicago Food Rescue has amassed 49 food donor locations, 53 nonprofit partners and 61 volunteers.
It takes as little as 30 minutes to keep perfectly good food from going to waste. A volunteer can tap into the Chicago Food Rescue app, find a donation, pick up the food and deliver it.
One day in mid-August, there were several opportunities. The Whole Foods at Belmont and Ashland had two crates of assorted grocery items, two crates of packaged baked goods, two crates of fresh baked goods and two crates of assorted produce to be delivered to a North Side food pantry. A health insurer downtown had six boxes each of prepared food from its employee cafeteria, one set meant for a Pilsen church and the other for a nonprofit in the Illinois Medical District that meets homeless people where they are.
Chicago Food Rescue may just be the missing link between food that is consumed -- or thrown away. There’s little incentive for retail donors, Tepperman noted, to pay their employees to load food and leave the premises to deliver it because it won’t make money for the company. That’s why volunteers are a better fit for the job.
Businesses could be further incentivized not to throw food away if their donations became eligible for the Illinois Gives Credit Act. “I think that this is a fantastic idea,” to give them tax credits, as suggested by the “Hunger Pains” study undertaken for the Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness and the Illinois Commission to End Hunger. (see main story)
Donors are protected from liability by the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act, and more recently, the Food Donation Improvement Act, as long as the food was handled within normal guidelines and without gross negligence. This means that if someone wants to donate banquet leftovers, Tepperman will speak to their caterer, so that he can be assured the food was maintained at the proper temperatures for safety.
While food banks like the Greater Chicago Food Depository receive donations by the semi-truckload from major retailers and producers, 100 or 200 volunteers can still fill the gap picking up carloads across Chicago, Tepperman said.
Mathematically speaking, food waste recovery could theoretically eliminate hunger, given that 40% of food is dumped in the U.S. (for reasons ranging from farm labor shortages to cosmetic imperfections, restaurant and home spoilage). Meanwhile, 20% of Illinoisans are food-insecure.
“But even if we get down to 30% or 20% waste, that would go a long, long way in ending hunger. I suppose that’s why I’m in this work,” Tepperman said, [although] I have no disillusion we’re going to get down to zero food waste.”
Tepperman spent his first 10 years on the North Shore, before his family moved to Indiana. His early career was spent in supply chain logistics -- inventory management -- for Dick’s Sporting Goods in Pittsburgh. The turning point came when an unhoused man asked him for a sandwich, and then a tarp. He gave the man a tarp and rope that could be built into an A-frame tent. He asked friends to donate $10. After raising a couple thousand dollars, he be -
gan handing out tarps to people who were homeless in Pittsburgh. "I felt that I was doing something that was not that difficult but had at least somewhat of an impact. "He began volunteering for 412 Food Rescue and worked for them for seven years before moving back to Chicago. It was the model for Chicago Food Rescue, flexible enough to do on his own time thanks to the Food Rescue Hero volunteer management and transportation app. It was also tangible.
More recently, Tepperman remembered that around Passover one year when he was a child, he had handed out boxes of culturally appropriate food for families who lacked the resources.
“It planted, I think, an early seed in my mind that, giving back and doing what you can, especially to feed people, is really important work, especially if you’re privileged and lucky enough to know where your next meal is coming from. And if everyone does their own part – feeds your neighbor, looks after your neighbor, we’re going a long way to solve the problem.”
Below: Jake Tepperman, Executive Director of Chicago Food Rescue, and a partner from Branching Out For Better deliver food to an Uptown pantry.
Right: Tepperman and a partner from Branching Out For Better pick up food donations from O'Hare International Airport. (Both photos provided by Chicago Food Rescue).
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH PROGRAMING
The Chicago Humanities Festival celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with “Pilsen/Little Village Day” Sunday, September 21. Besides a hands-on art pop-up, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. in the parking lot of the National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St., programs include:
• Chicago-based chef Jesse Valenciana of The Secret Bodega (with Rick Bayless), 11 a.m. at the Museum;
• David DeBaca on Teen Angel’s Magazine, which showcased Chicano art, lowrider culture and tattoo artistry, 1:30 p.m. at the Museum;
• "Inside the Lens of Photographer Estevan Oriol,” who captured both gritty and glamorous Los Angeles, 4:30 p.m. at the Museum;
• Comedian Cheech Marin on cultural preservation and founding the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture, 6 p.m. at Apollo’s 2000, 2875 W. Cermak.
Tickets at chicagohumanities.org
CHICAGO HELP INITIATIVE FUNDRAISER
The Chicago Help Initiative (CHI) annual benefit, Carnaval of Giving, 6 p.m. Thursday, September 18, at Fogo de Chão, 661 N. LaSalle Drive, will feature Brazilianinspired cuisine, live music, and a silent auction, to directly support CHI’s free meal service, case management, mental health support, housing assistance, adult learning programs, and its innovative Free Store and Move-In Box initiative for individuals transitioning into stable housing.
Founded in 2001 by civic leader Jacqueline C. Hayes, CHI operates without government funding, relying entirely on private donors, volunteers, and the business community. As public safety nets shrink, CHI is filling the void, with 44,000+ nutritious meals served annually; 8,300 hygiene kits distributed; 1,680 case management appointments.
To learn more, purchase tickets, donate, or become a sponsor, visit: chicagohelpinitiative.org
