Ways to Give Back
As university students, we inherently exist in the bubble of campus and frequently forget that real people inhabit the communities that we only populate for about 8 months every year. Yet for many residents, communities are an incredibly valuable source of support, solidarity, and even self-identity. Our local communities are formational for how we interact with the world around us and are the foundations of the futures of the children living in them. Giving back is essential for helping those around us, for spreading kindness, and for changing the world close to home. As the days get colder and darker in Chicago, it is especially important that we do not forget the impact that the winter season can have on those who are homeless, those who cannot afford a hot meal or a jacket, or those who just need a helping hand in times of need. No matter how difficult our lives may seem to get, there are always others who are experiencing far greater hardships and whose lives can be vastly improved by some seemingly small things that we can do to help.
Host a donation drive for food or clothing in your UChicago House and/or apartment: It’s as simple as setting up a cardboard box or two and asking your friends to donate an item or two. Donations can range from clothing to non-perishable food to essentials like toiletries. Many churches in the Hyde Park area (Hyde Park Union Church, Hyde Park Interfaith Council, Augustana Lutheran Church) will gladly take your donations and distribute them to the communities their volunteers serve.
Via Nguyen, Alexander. Times of San Diego, 21 Nov. 2018, timesofsandiego.com/life/2018/11/20/chula-vista-library-launches-food-for-fines-holiday-drive/.
Volunteer at a local soup kitchen: Hyde Park Interfaith Council runs a soup kitchen to alleviate hunger in the immediate community. The volunteer team helps make hot breakfast and lunch 6 days a week. Hours of operation are Monday-Saturday 9am-1pm at the Kenwood United Church. They also run several free clinics for those without health insurance to receive the medical check ups they need and look for volunteers to help staff and manage those events as well. https://hpkinterfaith.org/programs/food-pantry/
Marie Kondo your stuff for a good cause: Donate your gently used clothing to homeless shelters and organizations that will redistribute the clothing to those in need. As temperatures begin to drop in Chicago, many end up in a situation where they do not have the clothing necessary to remain safe and warm in the winter. Consider donating clothing items sitting in the back of your closet to those in need. The US Salvation Army, as well as many local churches and community centers, will take donations for redistribution. US Salvation Army drop box locations near Hyde Park: https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/plugins/gdosCenterSearch?query=60637&mode=query_3
Register for a Turkey Trot: Turkey Trots are 5k or 8k walk/run races held around Thanksgiving to help fundraise for organizations that provide meals for locals. They often feature fall themed events before and after the run itself (hot apple cider!) and are always family friendly, disability friendly, and encourage para-athletes to participate. This year’s Chicago Turkey Trot will be held on November 28th and proceeds will help support the Greater Chicago Food Depository to make sure that no Chicago resident goes hungry on Thanksgiving. https://www.turkeytrotchicago.com
Photograph: John Bedessem Turkey Day Run
Via Bernstein, Stephanie. “Where to Run a Turkey Trot in Chicago.” Time Out Chicago, www.timeout.com/chicago/things-to-do/where-to-run-a-turkey-trot-in-chicago.
Get involved in helping refugee and immigrant communities: Finding work, navigating the American healthcare system, and taking care of children are hard enough as it is even for those who grew up in America, let alone for those who have uprooted their entire lives in search of better futures for their families. The Hyde Park Refugee Project is a non-profit volunteer organization run by the Hyde Park and Kenwood Interfaith Council that offers assistance to refugees and immigrants. Volunteers can work as Family Mentors, English as a Second Language Tutors, Interpreters, or help with childcare while parents take English lessons through this organization. Other ways to help can be through counselling on specific issues such as immigration, education, employment, and healthcare. https://hydeparkrefugeeproject.org/get-involved/
“Get Involved.” Hyde Park Refugee Project, 15 July 2018, hydeparkrefugeeproject.org/get-involved/.
Donate your time volunteering for a food bank: The Greater Chicago Food Depository (which is in partnership with the Chicago Turkey Trot this year, mentioned above) is an organization that redistributes fresh food donations to those in need. They are always in need of volunteers to help repack, distribute, and delivery produce to communities that need it. https://www.chicagosfoodbank.org/volunteer/
If commuting to volunteer is an issue, there are more local ways to have the same kind of impact. Hyde Park/Kenwood Food Pantry is a local food distribution organization based out of the Kenwood Interfaith Council. Volunteers would help distribute food around Hyde Park by delivering produce to people in need. https://www.chicagocares.org/opportunity/a0C2G00000tcb4bUAA
Foster an animal: Hyde Park Cats is an organization that helps rescue, foster, and adopt cats in the Hyde Park area. Their aim is to ensure that the stray cats of Hyde Park are provided for and find homes. Hyde Park Cats takes both volunteers and kitty foster parents and will help out in getting supplies to take care of the cats you foster. Fostering is a way to relieve the overflow of stray pets that shelters often deal with and provide animals a much less stressful environment to live in than underfunded and overcrowded shelters. http://hydeparkcats.org/fostering-cats/
Become a mentor: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Chicago (BBBS) is an organization that connects students age 7 to high school with mentors in the Chicago area. They hope that by fostering one-on-one relationships within communities all students will be able to reach their full potential. BBBS mentees no only improve academically from the relationships they form with mentors, but also grow personally from the problem solving and overall positive influence that their mentors have on them. BBBS is a fantastic and rewarding opportunity to have a direct impact on someone’s life, to increase your self-awareness, and engage with people with different backgrounds and cultures. https://bbbschgo.org
Give away your old winter coat to keep someone warm this winter: Chicago winters are brutal enough as they are, but for those who cannot afford to buy a winter jacket they can be deadly. One Warm Coat is an organization that hosts coat drives and partners with businesses to open drop-off locations for unwanted winter jackets. Businesses accepting coats in the Chicago Loop include Brooks Brothers and J. Crew. More locations can be found here: https://www.onewarmcoat.org/donatecoats/
Salvation Army winter coat drive: Debbie Lee sorts donated coats at the Salvation Army Family Store & Donation Center on Nov. 14, 2018, in the West Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. The Salvation Army is in its 30th year partnering with the Chicago Bears and Jewel-Osco for a winter coat drive. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune) https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-met-coat-drives-kick-off-around-chicago20181115-story.html
Help run a community breakfast: The Augustana Lutheran Church at 5500 S Woodlawn hosts a community breakfast from 9-10am every 3rd Saturday of the month to provide the homeless with a hot meal. Following the breakfast, the church runs a food pantry and is always looking for volunteers to help with one or both events. https://hpkinterfaith.org/programs/food-pantry/
Find a volunteer opportunity through One Good Deed Chicago: If none of these opportunities fits, you can find a place to volunteer through outside organizations that connect people and non-profits. One Good Deed focuses on connecting volunteers to existing Chicago nonprofits. The network allows you to search for opportunities that meet your specific skills and interests. https://onegooddeedchicago.org/pages/pages/96
A more extensive list of opportunities to give back to the Hyde Park community specifically can be found here: http://www.hydepark.org/communityorganizations/goodneighbor.htm
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