No Child Goes, Hungry, Inc. (NCGH) is pleased to support the Third Unitarian Church (TUC) of Chicago, Illinois, and its community food pantry with a donation of $2,500.
Since June 2020, the TUC congregation on the west side of Chicago has been running a seasonal pop-up food pantry for and with its community. Its leaders collaborate with another congregation that shares the space, Praise Temple of Restoration International, and a local neighborhood association to provide food for the community.
“The west side of Chicago has many food deserts, and we are working to build relationships with our neighbors to address these challenges,” said TUC Rev. Colleen Vahey. “A neighborhood daycare meets at our church, and some of the daycare families have come to the pantry, in addition to other families from our neighborhood. We also share fresh produce from our community gardens and food and household supplies. We have also been adding occasional story times, art activities, cooking demos, plant giveaways, and barbecues to strengthen our community as neighbors get to know neighbors.”
Rev. Vahey estimates that up to 40 families regularly utilize the resources available in the food pantry.“We deeply appreciate the generous support of Rev. Kären and No Child Goes Hungry,” added Rev. Vahey. “Knowing we can rely on donations from partners who share our commitment to mitigating the negative effects of food insecurity gives a tremendous boost to our spirits during what has been an especially difficult season.”
“I am pleased to support the terrific and inspiring work of TUC,” said NCGH Founder and Director Rev. Kären Rasmussen. “Since I founded No Child Goes Hungry, we have expanded our partnerships, reach, and impact to include a wide variety of community organizations, schools, and other entities. However, our collaboration with fellow faith-based organizations, especially fellow UUs, has always been at the core of our donation model. So I’m thrilled to partner with TUC in Chicago, an entity that shares our faith and our commitment to ensuring no child goes hungry.”
Let’s feed some kids!