By: Ashmar Mandou

The Chicago Food Depository and the Salvation Army of Chicago are ready to feed families and individuals in need this Thanksgiving around the Chicagoland area. These organizations are also in need of volunteers to work in their shelters, soup kitchens, and pantries. Whether it is prepping meals, delivering food, or packing lunches your time is greatly appreciated. We provided a list of agencies around Chicago in need of your time.

BREAKING BREAD, 1111 N. Wells St., is a soup kitchen that needs volunteers on Wednesday evenings from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. to help with food preparation, serving and clean up. Volunteers will be required to do some lifting, stretching and bending. Please contact the Volunteer Coordinator below to find out about volunteer openings. Contact: Marianne Pytel walsgooger@aol.com 312-376-0118

BREAKTHROUGH URBAN MINISTRIES, 402 N. St. Louis, is looking for volunteers to help in two areas of the organization: the pantry and the produce mobile distribution. In the food pantry volunteers to drive to various grocery stores to pick up food donations, stock the storage area with delivered food items, and deliver fresh produce to seniors at the residential facility across the street. Volunteers are needed on Tuesdays 4 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., Thursdays 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 a.m., and Saturdays 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Up to 8 volunteers are needed for these shifts. In addition, volunteers are needed to help with the Produce Mobile on the 4th Tuesday of each month from 8:30am-12:30pm. Up to 30 volunteers are needed to help unload, set up, distribute and teardown for the produce distribution. Contact: Valerie Davenport freshmarket@breakthrough.org 773-346-1785 ext. 236

Lighthouse of Hope, 1719 W North Ave Melrose Park, IL
Lighthouse of Hope is a soup kitchen that needs volunteers on Thursdays and Saturdays twice a month, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to assist with unloading trucks, carrying boxes, assisting with food distribution, cleaning and helping with set up. Volunteers will be required to do some lifting, stretching and bending. Please contact the Volunteer Coordinator below to find out about volunteer openings. Contact: Donna Gaizutis gaziutis_donna@yahoo.com
708-456-3001

Salvation Army Freedom Center

The Salvation Army Harbor Light Center will host Thanksgiving dinner meals for individuals, families, and seniors in need this year. Nutritious meals will be provided for homeless families and individuals who would otherwise go without Thanksgiving dinner this holiday. The Thanksgiving dinner will take place at the Salvation Army Freedom Center, 825 N. Christiana Ave. If you are interested in volunteering, call 312-667-2204.