Local charity collects bag meals and cold weather apparel

“We have so many needs right now,” said Jacqueline Hayes, founder and president of The Chicago Help Initiative (CHI), a local organization whose mission it is to provide food and social services to homeless and underprivileged Chicagoans. “Many are suffering every which way right now. Some may even have housing but they’re on the brink of being evicted.”

With winter on the horizon and in-person gatherings off the table, CHI is navigating an extra challenging moment in time. The pandemic has forced it to suspend many social programs, including adult learning, art, the book club and the choir, and has limited its ability to provide health care services to guests. But feeding people remains its top priority.

“We cannot have hot meals anymore, because we cannot have guests in the dining hall,” said Hayes, referring to CHI’s regular Wednesday night dinners held at Catholic Charities. “But we still get food and hand out to-go containers to guests in need.”

CHI is collecting bag meals four times a week, which they distribute to various locations around the city, including places of worship, shelters and senior housing. Anyone can contribute by preparing bag meals. Each bag should contain a sandwich, a piece of fruit, snacks like chips or granola bars and water or juice.

CHI is also seeking donations of winter hats, gloves, scarves, hand or foot warmers and chapstick, which can be dropped off with the bag meals. If young kids want to contribute something, Hayes suggests they create greeting cards, with Christmas or holiday themes, to be included with the meals.

Downtown Chicago resident Linda Ashton used to tutor guests in creative writing, but now she has become a regular contributor and donates enough bag meals to fill a grocery cart each week.

“When we couldn’t tutor anymore, and they needed this every week, I thought, ‘I could do that,’” Ashton said.  

Bag meals and warm winter items can be dropped off at Catholic Charities, 721 North LaSalle, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9:30-10:30 a.m. For more information, visit chicagohelpinitiative.org.