Latest news with #OakPark-based
Chicago Tribune
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Canned krill? Oak Park's Beyond Hunger harnessing mystery ingredients to fuel Healthy Chef Challenge
The main ingredient Oak Park based nonprofit Beyond Hunger relies upon in its efforts to relieve food scarcity is not secret. In fact, it's right there in the organization's mission: 'Harnessing the power of communities to end hunger.' The upcoming Healthy Chef Challenge represents a chance to do just that. Now in its fifth year, the Healthy Chef Challenge unites celebrity judges and award-winning chefs in a mission to raise awareness and support for hunger relief, challenging chefs to create dishes using pantry staples and a mystery ingredient in 45 minutes. It will take place at 7 p.m. May 29 at Goose island Barrel House in Chicago, with a 6 p.m. VIP pre-event also available. Tickets are sold online at CEO Michele Zurakowski, who began at the Oak Park-based organization formerly known as the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry as a volunteer 20 years ago, has been leading Beyond Hunger for 13 years. She said the Challenge event's goal is to raise $65,000, which will provide 195,000 meals for the 65,000 people throughout Chicago's West Side and suburbs. 'Our mission and our name reflect our commitment to addressing all facets of hunger, from emergency food to sustainable and long-term resources like nutrition education and connecting people to income support programs like SNAP,' she said. 'This event highlights the impact of our dedication to providing the most nutritious foods and resources that help our community thrive. Individuals and families who come to our food pantry receive over 60 pounds of nutrient dense pantry staples/nonperishables, nearly 20 pounds of fresh/seasonal produce, along with frozen meat and dairy items,' Zurakowski shared. 'We intentionally procure and distribute monthly allotments of food that are thoughtfully combined to make a meal and often include recipes in the pre-packed boxes of food.' Planning an event of this scale is a collaborative effort, from the development team managing logistics to the nutrition and health education team shaping the theme and messaging. 'They also know their stuff in the kitchen and help decide what the chefs will cook, along with support from our pantry staff,' she said. Volunteers, board members and dietetic interns help, and members of the Health Ambassador team play a crucial role. 'These are community members who are passionate about nutrition and want to educate their neighbors on the intersection of diet and health' before presenting workshops in their communities, Zurakowski shared. As part of the contest, a surprise ingredient from the pantry is added 'because what we receive at our pantry varies from week to week. For many families, they receive something in their box that they may not always be familiar with,' she explained. 'This is why our nutrition education programming provides recipes for clients to learn how to make something that isn't typical. A couple months ago we had tons of canned krill available! Having these talented chefs cook with a surprise ingredient allows them to not only showcase their skill but highlight the healthy ingredients we provide – it's so much more than a bag of canned goods.' Competitors are chosen from among chefs 'that are popular on the Chicago food scene but also active and intentional in their craft with a passion for nutrition and food security.' They'll do their work in the restaurant's 'beautiful industrial kitchen,' sharing the space, she said. This year's contest will be judged by David Manilow, creator and executive producer of the television series 'Check, Please' and host of 'The Dining Table with David Manilow' podcast; Monica Eng, a veteran Chicago journalist who covered food and health and the environment for the Chicago Sun Times, Chicago Tribune and WBEZ before launching the Axios Chicago newsletter; and James Roth, who has over 30 years of experience as a certified executive chef and 15 years as an adjunct culinary Instructor in the Chicago area. He has led diverse culinary teams at establishments including The Palmer House, Grand Victoria Casino and Sodexo USA. The organization also is raffling off the chance for a guest to join the judges' panel. The raffle will take place May 23. Those who want to boost the organization but can't attend may bid on silent auction items before the event that include family friendly activities, experiences and trips. Zurakowski is looking forward to 'seeing the community come together in support of our health and nutrition education programming, but also what delicious meals the chefs create with a limited pantry and the secret ingredient.' The talented chefs taking to the kitchen will be Cesar Murillo, executive chef at North Pond and 'Top Chef' competitor; Greg Wade, managing partner of Publican Quality Bread and winner of a James Beard Award for baking; and Javauneeka Jacobs, sous chef at Frontera Grill and Julia Child Challenge winner on Food Network's 'Chopped.' Jacobs, who describes her cooking style as 'bold,' called being chosen for the contest 'amazing.' 'To cook and do something that I love and am passionate about but also show up for the community means the world to me. It's something that I aspire to do – build community,' Jacobs said. In that spirit, connecting with the other chefs is what she's most looking forward to. 'I'm a huge fan of both of them, and I'm excited to be competing against them and getting to know them,' she shared. Jacobs is entering the challenge with no extra prep. 'I cook every day, so I'm just going to show up and cook,' she said. 'Especially with a competition like this you don't know what's in the basket. I don't want to stress myself out. You can only work with the cards you're dealt with. I'm going to trust my skills and do that.' Jacobs hopes attendees get an 'intimate experience' watching the challenge in person vs. on television. 'I hope they see the energy. It's different in person.' Murillo is 'excited to see what everyone brings to the table that day. Sometimes my brain has the urge to go off the rails and make something wacky, so we'll see where the creativity takes me.' He's also honored to participate. 'It's always a joy to be invited to take part in something like this. I come from very humble beginnings, and to now be in a position where I can give back and help build community – that's one of the greatest rewards of my journey as a chef.' He described his cooking style as 'a harmonious blend of farm-to-table principles and my Mexican heritage. I focus on hyper-seasonal ingredients, often sourced from our rooftop garden at North Pond, crafting dishes that are both innovative and rooted in tradition.' He's preparing for the challenge the same way he got ready for 'Top Chef,' he shared. 'By staying grounded, vibing with myself and remaining in the moment. There's no need to overthink or stress. It's about consistently challenging yourself every day to do so when the next big challenge comes, you're already sharp and ready.' Murillo said he 'never imagined' he'd be so involved in community-related projects like the Healthy Challenge when he became a chef. 'This industry has shown me that it's part of who we are – we step up when our community needs us. Whether it's responding to disaster or feeding those in need, we show up.' Information about Beyond Hunger is at or 708-386-1324.
Chicago Tribune
13-05-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
West suburban program offers a teens a taste of philanthropy
For the past year, 17-year-old Sebastian Amin, a junior at Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn, has received added training — entirely outside the classroom — about the world of philanthropy. It's part of a new program that offers participants the opportunity to learn more about giving, including vetting and selecting nonprofit community groups to receive some portion of a pot of $10,000. 'It's a cliche, but helping people is a good thing. It makes you feel good, but it makes other people feel better,' Amin said. 'It's coming together for a common good.' Amin is one of 27 juniors at Glenbard West who are part of the inaugural class of the Teen Philanthropy Network, a nonprofit organization formed by a group of interested Glen Ellyn and Wheaton residents. Founded by retired real estate executive Rich Cline, who serves on the board of trustees of the DuPage Foundation, and his daughter, Sara Howland, the Teen Philanthropy Network was inspired by a similar philanthropic endeavor for high schoolers in Oak Park. Cline and Howland immediately saw the opportunity to bring the idea to Glen Ellyn, and they partnered with that Oak Park-based group, Three Pillars Initiative, to launch the Teen Philanthropy Network at Glenbard West. Offering hands-on learning, the Teen Philanthropy Network is a two-year program that starts at the ground level, teaching students what philanthropy is and what the nonprofit sector is and then working with them to identify worthy recipient organizations that address causes about which they are most passionate. 'It feels good knowing we can help many nonprofits and fix whatever they're trying to fix,' said Glenbard West junior Mimi Simon, 16, who said she takes great interest in any organizations devoted to children. 'From this program, I learned I have a lot more interest in philanthropy than I thought.' The Teen Philanthropy Network's day-to-day work is guided by its program coordinator, Abby Shapland. Over the past year, Shapland worked to implement the Three Pillars Initiative's curriculum within the Teen Philanthropy Network and made sure that each session was meaningful for the teens. In addition, eight community members, including Cline and Howland, agreed to serve as mentors assigned to groups of seven or eight students. 'The mentors were monumental in getting the organization off the ground,' Shapland said. By the end of the year, the teens had identified and vetted groups that they were interested in, and ultimately selected four grant recipients: Glen Ellyn Youth and Family Counseling Services, Glen House Food Pantry, Glen Ellyn Children's Resource Center and District 93 Kids Foundation. Each recipient group received between $1,000 and $3,000, presented at a capstone ceremony on April 27. 'When it came time to allocate the money and make decisions, the kids rocked it out of the ballpark,' Shapland said. 'They were awesome. The decision was totally theirs, and they had to work together to reach consensus as a group, which is a difficult thing to do when you have 27 different kinds with different viewpoints and different perspectives, but they did it with flying colors.' One grant recipient, the District 93 Kids Foundation, is a group providing support to at-risk youngsters in Community Consolidated District 93, which covers Bloomingdale, Carol Stream and Hanover Park. The teens awarded $1,000 to the foundation. 'In their grant application, they stated that any money awarded to them would be used to ensure students with the most significant needs would have access to essential resources for both academic success and personal well-being, (including) school supplies, winter coats and clothing and emergency assistance,' said Glenbard West junior Claire Nielsen in presenting Dist. 93's communications director, Ryan McPherrin, with the grant. 'The foundation addresses critical needs in order to empower these students to thrive in numerous aspects of life and foster a more equitable and supportive community. … We were impressed by the substantial impact of the program and the detailed analysis he provided for us.' Another nonprofit, the Glen Ellyn Children's Resource Center, received $3,000. The center provides programming outside of school hours to assist under-resourced students from kindergarten through high school. Students are eligible to participate in the Glen Ellyn Children's Resource Center's programs if they qualify for a free lunch program at school. The Teen Philanthropy Network's grant will help support the center's general operations, including after-school tutoring and a summer camp. 'As an after-school tutor myself, this program encourages (Teen Philanthropy Network) members to support the community, as I see rewarding benefits from volunteering for the (Glen Ellyn Children's Resource Center),' said Glenbard West junior Charlotte Franz. Next year, the Teen Philanthropy Network's inaugural class will spend their senior year focusing on fundraising, including writing appeals, hosting events, exploring corporate partnerships and holding one-on-one conversations with potential donors. Every dollar they raise will be used for future Teen Philanthropy Network grants. 'It's powerful to think about what this means,' Howland said. 'High school students are making real, meaningful financial decisions that will ripple through our community.' The Teen Philanthropy Network's founders also will welcome a new junior class next year.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Forgotten Harvest is adding more food pantries across metro Detroit. Where to find them
Forgotten Harvest is planning to ramp up its grocery store-style and drive through food distributions across metro Detroit. Since the holidays, the Oak Park-based food rescue organization launched three food distribution sites and will open two more next week. As many as 20 new programs are in the works. The nonprofit is expanding its services to areas where they say the need is highest but where there aren't enough resources for food assistance. "There's a lot of families all across the nation, but particularly here in metro Detroit, that are struggling to make ends meet, and they're making choices between whether to put food on their table or to refill their prescription, or to pay for the copay for their doctor's appointment. We want to take those worries away," said Kelli Kaschimer, director of client services at Forgotten Harvest. There's already demand at the newly launched sites. Forgotten Harvest served 180 households on the day it launched a food distribution site in Washington in Macomb County earlier this month. That same day in Detroit at a new spot, the nonprofit distributed food to 160 families and has increased the amount of food going there because it's a popular location. Kaschimer said there are "pockets of need," and Forgotten Harvest is looking to expand to Romulus and south and western Wayne County along with northern Macomb County. Pantries and nonprofits have reported high levels of need that was only expected to grow in the winter. Forgotten Harvest projected a 15% increase year-over-year, for at least the next three years, in the number of households the organization expects to serve. One in seven people in Michigan face food insecurity, including about 378,000 children, according to 2022 data from the nonprofit Feeding America, a network of food banks and pantries. Need has not subsided since the pandemic, Kaschimer said. In fact, Forgotten Harvest is serving more people now than it did at the height of the health crisis, and "that need not only has not decreased, it continues to climb up," she said. Forgotten Harvest partners with churches, community organizations, schools, shelters and soup kitchens to distribute food. The following locations recently opened as part of the recent expansion: Stoney Church mobile pantry: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Wednesdays at 11711 26 Mile Road in Washington. Mobile pantries are drive through or walk up distribution sites and do not require an appointment. Jalen Rose Leadership Academy mobile pantry: 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Wednesdays at 15000 Trojan Street in Detroit. No appointment is needed. These sites will open next week: ACCESS mobile community choice market: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of the month at 2651 Saulino Court in Dearborn. Households must make an appointment by calling 248-268-7756. Lift Up a Child mobile pantry: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of the month at the Greater St. Paul Baptist Church at 15325 Gratiot Avenue in Detroit. No appointment is needed. For information about resources for food assistance, call 211 or go to Go to and to search for pantries. Contact Nushrat Rahman: nrahman@ Follow her on X: @NushratR. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Forgotten Harvest is launching more food pantries across metro Detroit
