The Chicago Englewood Fridge (a.k.a., Pantry) Team has been in progress since early May 2022. Henry Beaty and team has been quite excited to extend it’s monthly Omega Psi Phi, Fraternities, Rho Gamma Gamma’s “Pop-up” food pantry distribution to needy people across the Chicagoland area (and most recently at Good Hope) and the establishment of one of two planned food pantry locations.
The first is located outside the Good Hope Foundation facility and the second planned to be outside the Omega Psi Phi, Rho Gamma Gamma facility. Both locations are in areas that are food desserts and free food distribution is much needed.
The team has continued to meet the planned monthly food distributions across the Chicagoland area and weekly at the Good Hope Facility, where we have a free standing shed, often opened daily including food and vegetables (in conjunction with the farmer’s market) available each Thursday afternoon.
The team also has plans in the works to procure a pantry refrigerator to enable the distribution of perishable food items consistently.
Below is an update on the checklist issued to Change X in early May, 2022:
The Chicago Englewood Fridge (a.k.a., Pantry) Team has created the following checklist that the team will began to execute in early May 2022.
The checklist was as follows: (pictures previously posted on the site to support accomplishments/impact statements).
• The Chicago Englewood Fridge (a.k.a., Pantry) Team is formed (Henry Beaty (Lead), Katelyn Futel, Christopher Clair, Charisse & Edward Clark)
• Select potential freestanding pantry locations (i.e., Good Hope Foundation & Omega Psi Phi, Rho Gamma Gamma facility, potentially more to follow) – Good Hope Foundation shed procured and put in place August 4, 2022
• Ideate on either building or buying weather resistant free standing food pantries – decision made to buy and procure pantry refrigerator at a later date
• Identify “Partners” to assist with food collection and distribution (i.e., Chicago Farmers Market, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Good Hope Foundation, the Midwest Food Bank, etc. [All aforementioned partnerships are in place]
• Establish a location to store the food (i.e., Good Hope Foundation facility) – Indoor pantry at Good Hope cleaned, new floor installed, painting completed and lighting put in place
• Identify additional resources to assist with the endeavor - additional team members added (i.e., Cameron Clark, Melvin Moore, Mary Clark & Alice Beale)
• Establish a food replenishment schedule – Chicago Food Depository pickup on first Monday of each month, Farmer’s market vegetable pick-up each Thursday
• Establish a food distribution schedule – Good Hope Food Pantry opened each Thursday afternoon, but often daily, per resource availability
• Establish a food monitoring/safety check schedule - Completed daily (surveillance cameras in place & shed chain locked)
• Communicate grand opening of food pantry (i.e., August 4, 2022) via, neighborhood flyer distribution, social media, local Chicago Alderman’s office, etc. - Completed August 4, 2022
• Set up a facility to receive food or financial donations as the Pantry will allow for individuals to take what is needed and donate what they can (either food, or donations) – Completed August 4, 2022
• Other items as necessary – Partnered with Englewood community organization to distribute food and 80 backpacks for children going back to school on August 12, 2022
The Chicago Englewood Fridge (a.k.a., Pantry) Team is passionate about feeding the hungry in the Chicago Englewood and Morgan Park communities at this time and we expect to expand food distribution based on food availability even further in the future, based on our successful trials at Good Hope. – Our plan is well underway!
The Chicago Englewood Pantry’s goal is to assist in addressing food insecurity in the two previously mentioned undeserved communities in Chicago Englewood and throughout Chicagoland. Our goal at the onset, was to serve 100-300 households and individuals a month.
As of September 15, 2022 , the team , with the support of Change X , Microsoft, Good Hope Foundation, and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (Rho Gamma Gamma Chapter) the Good Hope Foundation Food Pantry Team has exceeded the original goal with the following accomplishments, highlighted previously and has had the following impact on the Chicago Englewood Community:
Monthly “Pop-up” Food Pantry Distribution across Chicagoland including Good Hope (Sept. & Nov. 2022)
* Household and Individuals served (June – November, 2022) – 3, 672
Good Hope Food Pantry Distribution (commenced August 4, 2022 – November 02,
2022)
* Households and individuals served (daily/weekly, August – mid-September, 2022) –
848
Henry Beaty, Team Lead