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SPRING 2015
News from Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry
Inaugural “Can Do Community Challenge” Springs into Action
Board of Directors
J. Peter Clark, President
Laura Beebe, Vice-President
Donna Myers, Treasurer
Mary Jane Keitel, Secretary
Elizabeth Sweeney Backes
Michael Caprile
Susie Goldschmidt
Matt Gross
Bob Haisman
Melanie Halvorson
John Kennedy
Scott Moller
Diane Palumbo
Linda Sandman
Cassandra West
Pantry Staff
Michele Zurakowski
Executive Director
Paula Berg, Pantry Manager
Kristi Braun,
Community Program Manager
Rita Kahn, Development Coordinator
Beth Klein, Bookkeeper
Hours
Every Saturday:
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
1st Wed. of the month:
7:00 –8:30 pm
2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th
Wednesday of the month:
3:30 – 5:00 pm
The best thing to do when handed lemons is make lemonade, right? That’s exactly
how the Pantry reacted to the Feinstein Foundation’s recent, unexpected decision
to suspend their annual nationwide Challenge. In creative response, the Pantry
Board formulated a plan to replicate this vital springtime fundraiser on a local
level naming it the “Can Do Community Challenge.”
“To maintain the aspects of competition and challenge,” explains Executive
Director, Michele Zurakowski, “we approached some of our major former Feinstein
donors to ask if they’d like to pool their donations to set up a challenge, and we
received such an enthusiastic response!” The newly recruited Challenge Corps is
eager to see their funds leveraged in this manner, jointly donating $25,000 if the
Pantry meets its goal of raising 100,000 in cash and goods.
Successful involvement by local schools, congregations and other organizations is paramount. A March-April event
allows schools to participate before summer approaches, and gives congregations the valued ability to coordinate the
timing of their spring food drives while tying into Lent for Christian churches. Starting fresh also lets the Pantry
tailor details to the community’s specific needs. “Keeping it local gives us the chance to make the CAN DO Challenge
our own, have flexibility to receive more diverse food and toiletry items, and align collection efforts with our internal
mission,” adds Kristi Braun, Pantry Community Program Manager.
“Schools in particular rally around the counting of items, and we want to harness that competitive nature in a manner
that is meaningful for them while also meeting the needs of our clients,” says Zurakowski. To that end, dollars and
goods will be scored on a point system reflecting the Pantry’s nutritional goals of
providing protein-rich and nutrient-dense items. Monetary donations are most
effective for the Pantry’s purchasing power, thus, each $1 collected earns 10 points,
protein and fibre-rich products earn 5 points, and all other items earn 1 point.
Adding to the fun, a Challenge Cup traveling trophy will go to the winning school
to proudly display on campus until the following spring. A new design by David
Wittekind reflects the fresh vibe of this new and improved CAN DO Challenge.
“If ever there was a “can-do” community to get behind this effort, it is ours,” says
Zurakowski. Indeed, lemonade never tasted so sweet.
Sustaining extended families
It is a frigid February Wednesday, and the crowd of clients
at Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry is a little smaller than
usual. But those who braved the cold are finding a warm
welcome; musician Mark Dvorak is singing and playing his
banjo, and dietician Maria Delis is presenting an array of
tasty recipes and circulating with samples.
Phyllis, a 70 year old client,
asks for one of the ground
turkey recipes, and says with
a smile that she has made
Maria’s recipes before. They
are one of many reasons why
Mark Dvorak’s music appeals
to all generations.
she enjoys her visits here.
Phyllis is raising three of her grandchildren—including two
toddlers!—along with her son who lives with her.
“The service here is fast, and they let you come in out of
the cold and sit down,” she says. “And the people are very
friendly.” Phyllis says she appreciates the warmth and
efficiency she always finds here.
Like Phyllis, Elaine now supports her daughter and three
grandchildren. A client for more than two years, Elaine
echoes Phyllis’ comments about fast service and says that
she enthusiastically recommends the Pantry to friends in
need. And she also loves Maria’s recipes! “I like that Skillet
Fiesta with Turkey and Black Beans, and the fruit salad
was really good,” she enthuses. Phyllis often brings her
grandchildren with her when she visits the Pantry which
complicates transportation, but is often her only choice.
“Once you get here, you get some really good stuff,” she
says. “I really can’t think of anything you all could do better.”
Thanks to generous donors like you, we are able to
support Elaine and Phyllis as they do the hard work of
supporting their children
and grandchildren. Thanks
to gracious volunteers, they
feel welcomed and sustained
in their efforts to care for
their extended families.
Loyal donors change lives
We always knew our donors were special.
When a recent national report showed that
only 23% of first time donors made a second
gift, we thought, “not ours!” And we were
right. You are almost twice as loyal with 44%
sticking with us the 2nd year. Over 5 years
it’s even better news with 55% staying the
course.
What do fiercely loyal donors allow us to do?
Improve lives. Expand the depth of our reach.
Get people back on their feet more quickly.
2010-2015
We do things almost no other food
pantry in the region can do. Buy high
quality food--including expensive protein
products--that don’t just fill bellies, but
provide desperately needed nutrition. We
also provide assistance connecting people
to benefits that can get them back on their
feet. We think that explains another
amazing fact: on average our clients
visit us only 3 times (national average is
almost 9 times per year).
“You can easily judge the character of a man by how
he treats those who can do nothing for him.”– Goethe
The Pantry is grateful to the following
funders for corporate, community
foundation, or other grant support in FY2015:
Amazon Smile Foundation
Baird & Warner Good Will Network Fund
Benevity
Chicago Area Combined Federal Campaign—16079
Darden Restaurants, Inc. Foundation
Dr. Scholl Foundation
Economy Shop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Exelon Dollars for Doers
Future Philanthropists Fund, Oak Park River
Forest Community Foundation
George M. Eisenberg Foundation for Charities
Greater Chicago Food Depository
Kraft Foods, Feeding Possibilities
Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ
Jewel-Osco
JPMorgan Chase Foundation
Manaaki Foundation
Moller Family Foundation
Nineteenth Century Charitable Association
Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation
St. Giles Family Mass
The Forever Fund
The K Foundation
The S.L. Gimbel Foundation
United Way of Metropolitan Chicago
United Way of DuPage/West Cook
U.S. Dept. of HUD, GDBG grant from Village of Oak Park
The Pantry thanks the following NEW donors
Deb & Tom Abrahamson
Sharon Allen
Alpine Food Shop/Amy Godino
Melanie Anderson
Willoughby Anderson
Array Enterprises/
Diana Anz-Meador
Aaron Authier
The Auxiliary of Rush Oak Park
Hospital/Robin Rosen
William Bakos
JoAnn Barry
Ellen Barton
Greg Battoglia
Carey & John Beck
Wayne Belance
Kurt Bell
Benevity
Marc Benoit
Jean Berggren
Holly Bevan
John Biemer
Tina Black
Jeffrey Blackburn
Alexandra & Joshua Blomgren
Robert & Teresa Blomquist
Jenne Bonaccorsi
Marsha Borders
Elzbieta & Leszek Borowska-Beszta
Mary & Jerome Bowman
James & Winifred Bowman
Gerri Boyle
Heather Brauckman
Diane Bravos
The Bresler Foundation, Inc./Carol
Bresler
Dawn Broussard
William & Deborah Buckley
Karen Budd
Julia Buesser
Elizabeth Burke-Dain &
Michael Dain
Kaizar Calcuttawala
Lillian Calsi
Kathy Chaney
Chicago Tribune Foundation
Lauretta Christensen
Chubby Love Bake Shop/
Mayra McEvoy
Melissa Ciske/Tastefully Simple
Mark Clark
Kelly Clark
Mary Jane & Oliver Coaker
Ann Collins
Lynette Colmey
Sally Conley & Michael Smoucha
Mark & Helene Connolly
Lori Coplan
Jeff Cote
Daniel Cronin
Cynthia Curry
Joan & Thomas Cusack
Jerre Cusick
Rosemarie & James Dagostino
Gina & Carl Daun
Larry & Dona Davidhizar
Denise Davolt
Kim Dellangela
Mary Delvecchio &
Mary Ann Smith
Susan Demay
Denise Dibiase
Annmarie Dore
William & Sharon Dougherty
Dowling Apartments, Inc.
Christina & Gordon Downey
Jan & Charles Dressel
Dolores Dubowski
Cristin Duffy
Patricia & Mark Edwards
Scott Emery
End of the Line Humanists
Katherine Ernst
Lenard Essex
Jonathan Evans
Exelon Dollars for Doers
Marina Farruggia
Diane & Chris Fascione
Kurt Fiedler
Ruhan Figliulo
Hildegard Fischer
Jim Fitch
James Flanagan
Martha Flowers
Follett
Forest Park Stucco, Inc.
Lauri & Douglas Freedman
Elly Frymire Cone
Carol Ganzer-Child &
David Child
Joan Gibbons/Gibbons, Fortman &
Assocs.
Debra Gilmore
Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago &
NW Indiana
Stewart Goldman
Laurie Goodheim Levine
Deb Gorman & Gary Smith
Justin Graten
Daniel & Lillie Grisko
Bart & Beth Gross-Wyss
Marianne Hadden
Walter Halama
Bruce & Kathleen Hansen
Philomena & David Harbaugh
Stacey Harloe
Phyllis Harman
Clarice & John Harris
Vernell Harris
Lane Hart
Mary Auwerter Hellmuth
Heshima Kenya Inc.
William & Gail Hoban
Deborah Holdstein
Sujin Huggins
John & Mary Ellen Hynes
Lisa Iliffe
Kerry Ito
Christina Jackson-Bailey
James Anthony Salon LTD
James L. Duffy Charitable Remainder
Trust
Margaret Janavicius
Su Jang/New Rose Catering
R.J. Jeka
Whipp & Lita Johnson
Gertrude Johnson
Melissa Josephs
Just Give
Rebecca & Fritz Kaegi
Elena & Kandiah Kanagandram
Krista & Gary Kaplan
Michael Kato
Mary Ellen Kato
Patricia Kavanaugh &
William Belke
Susan Kelley
Matthew & Kimberly Kemper
Maggie Kenny
Ismael Khan
Cherie & Brian KibblesmithMartha
Kirby
Alma Klein
Kelli & Thomas Kline
Monica & Robert Klinke
Julia & Brian Knier
Jacqui Knowles & Trish Hindley
Aaron Knudson
Kathleen & Karl Kochendorfer
Tina Koegel
Matthew Koritz
Paul Kraft
David & Katie Kralik
Paul Krause
Nancy Lasswell
Laughing Acres Family Foundation/
Melanie Dykstra
Sarah Lempia
Gail Liggett-Watson
Katherine Lisec
Edward Liss & Maryann Jirasek
Brian & Ellen Liston
Danielle & Chris Locke
David Love
Steven & Mary MacGregor
Mad Hatter’s Platters/Gia Hughes
Maggie’s Concierge Service
Susie Malagoli
Eric Mann
Alan Maresso
Dennis & Mary Ann Marks
Anne Marsey
William & Suzanne Marshall
Meredith Matthews
John Matthews
Helen Mazzeo
Mb Financial Bank
Kerri McBride
Linda & Alan McCarter
Doris McGee
Leila McGowan & David Mann
Margaret McLaughlin
Lenore McMahon
Ann Meiners
Anne & Maureen Mellios
Pasquale & Hilary Merola
Michelle Deiter Photography
Midland National Life Ins. Co./
Janella Mathiesen
John Miller
Jennifer Moore
Patricia Mortensen
Joshua & Meghann Moses
Pamela & James Mulshine
Brian Nash & Rosemary Foley
Justin Neagle
Karin Newburger-Hansen
Michael Newman
Michael Newton
Jill Niewoehner
Louise Nix & Craig Flagg
Jerry & Margaret Norton
Mary O’Connor
Sarah O’Shea Munoz
John & Wendy Ondande
One Cause
Gregory Ott
Barbara Otto
The Palmer Family Foundation/
Gerald Palmer
Pampered Chef/Becky Hoffman
Sandra Paolella
Pearsall Family Foundation
Ronald & Patricia Peleschak
Lee Pennington
PEPSICO Silicon Valley Community
Foundation
Molly & Tim Philosophos Pinnell
Foundation
John Pinnello
Donna Piscopo
Marvin Pollack & Barry Taylor
Thomas & Susan Poole
Prairie Yarn/Emily Lloyd
Alan Prescott
Bonnie & Peter Prokopowicz
Dave Radomski
Adam Raduchaa
Amy & James Reardon
Coleen Reedy
Renee & Mary’s Scarf Collection/
Mary Carlin
Lora Renella
Republic Bank/Martha Johnson
Reuters Bakery/Richard & Erin
Eberle
Barbara Revsine
Bianca Ribauda
Right At Home/Robert Stelletello
Riley Heating
River Forest Chocolates/Donna
Fantetti-Slepicka
Dona Robbins-Cohen
Alan Robinson
Lisa Rock & Robin Hughes
Jennifer Rockwell
Joanne Rogers
Rockey Structures LLC/Chris Rockey
Maureen Saetia
Mark & Clara Sage
Sarah Samaan
Sassetti LLC
Theresa Sauvageau
Laura Schlax
Haleigh Schmitt
John Schneider
Jullia Schopick
Zack & Lisa Schrantz
Catherine Schroeder
Jim Schwarber
Jerry Sjostrom
Skrine Chops/Steve & MaryRita
Skrine
Nancy & Thomas Snyder
Nicole Sopko/Community Class at
Yoga Trek Center
Nancy Staiger
John Starck
Deb Steege
Cheryl Stein
Jennifer Stephenson
Roger Stetson
Martha Stiller
Barbara Stoldt& Bob Ray
Sharon Stolz
Marc Stopeck
Jennifer & Jason Stroiman
Students for Peace & Justice OPRF
Mark Suchomel & Liz Ziehl
Alycia Sutor
Jim Svehla
Margaret Swanson
Eric & Karen Taubman
Thalia Hall Chicago LLC
Asha & Paul Thaliath
The Forever Fund
Ada Tikkanen
Kate Todd
Tre Tesoro
Paul & Leslie Tuzi
Traci Udofia
James Valek
Rodney VanAusdal
Davud Vanderberg
Jim Vladek/Chicago Toy Group LLC
M.L. & Wally Wahlfeldt
Lisa & David Weisman
David Welch
Michele Weldon/The Michele
Weldon Trust
Mary Jane Welter
West Suburban Medical Center
Medical Staff/Vasant Acharya, MD
Wendy White & Paul Ford
William Blair & Company,
LLC
Mary Williamson
Ann Willis
Joyce Winkels
Deb Wolkstein
Kevin & Cynthia
Wolthusen
William Wright
John Zabriskie
Lisa Zaher
Judy & Mike Zeddies
Robert & Katherine Zerda
Bulut Zerrin
Ave Zuccarino & Jack Crowe
This list includes NEW DONORS from July 1, 2014 – January 31, 2015. If we have attributed your name incorrectly, please accept our apologies and let us
know by contacting Beth at 708-386-1324, ext. 1104 or [email protected].
News from Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry • www.oprffoodpantry.org
Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry’s
mission is to work together with the
community to reduce hunger locally
through:
• Direct hunger relief services
• Hunger awareness education
• Advocacy to influence
anti-hunger policy
NEW! This Spring we’re
bringing the Challenge
Local. Look inside for
details on the CAN DO
Community Challenge!
More info: www.oprffoodpantry.org
Dubbed the “New Soul Sensation” Hill and her band are setting fire
to venues worldwide. Catch her for
night only on March 21st.
More one
info: www.oprffoodpantry.org
It’s going to be HOT in the house!”
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Save the Date: 30th Annual Hunger Walk!
Tie on your walking shoes for the 30th annual Hunger Walk,
Saturday, June 20th, 2015 at Soldier Field. Ride the bus down
with us or meet us there. For more information, contact
[email protected] or 708-386-1324 ext. 1102
Nonprofit Organization
US Postage Paid
Permit #98
Oak Park IL
Check out our Hunger Blog at
http://oprffoodpantry.org/about/blog/
848 Lake Street
Oak Park, IL 60301
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