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STILL LOOKING FOR A NEW HOME
EXCERPTS FROM
CHICAGO DEFENDER -
Tuesday, February 19, 2002
God's Gang food pantry empty; plans suit against CNA
by Joe Ruklick staff reporter
Chicago Housing Authority oficiais were scrambling Monday in hopes of finding a warehouse to replace the one lost by charitable food distributor God's Gang
The CHA tenant-run organization distributes some 3,000 lbs. of food to up to 100 people weekly according to founder Carolyn Thomas, but demolition plans for its warehouse , and distribution center forced the 30 year old organization into the streets Monday
Gods Gang officials and housing advocates, gathered with two geese in a cage to protest the alleged failure by CHA to live up to an eight-month-old contract to find a suitable replacement,
The rally signaled the last distribnion of God's Gang food as workers unloaded plastic hags full of staples from the organization's familiar white delivery truck. The geese represent produce raised by CHA residents who earned money from urban farming, worm and fish growing and from a neighborhood library.
"Now we can't get food from the Chicago Food Depository because we have no place that meets inspection standards," she said 'This is our last food. We have no place to go," she said, gesturing toward the plastic bags lying on the sidewalk.
To Thomas, the issue extends beyond her day-to-day work helping the city's needy.
"While residents develop their own plans for self-sufficiency, CHA has refused to recognize such programs. They am telling us that God's Gang is toast. Therefore, we have no other choice than to distribute bread and raisins so the community can make toast," she said.
"The group had space in Robert Taylor Homes, and it changed the lives ofkids living in the State Street corridor It kept them out of gangs. They raised worms and fish, and those kids ran the food pantry and farms. All God's Gang needs is some space to keep them going. It isn't about whether or not the kids get their space, this is about how much CHA win make the kids hurt before they get it," Atty. Petrof said.
He added that it's not merelv about how kids use their spare time either
"I think it's reasonable to assume the kids are less intrigued by gangs when they are occupied," he said.
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HAVE FOOD WILL TRAVEL
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The National Hunger Study: Chicago Profile
The Greater Chicago Food Depository has conducted extensive research in conjunction with America’s Second Harvest, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization with a network of more than 200 food banks and food rescue organizations. This report summarizes the results of the project for Cook County, service territory of the Greater Chicago Food Depository. These results parallel and can be compared to the national findings presented in Hunger in America 2001, which documented that an estimated 23.3 million different people annually, including more than nine million children, rely on food and grocery assistance provided by America’s Second Harvest.
The Food Depository had three main objectives in the study: to quantify the impact that the Food Depository has on feeding hungry people; to develop a profile of the people who receive food; and to show the trends in emergency food assistance.
What does Food Depository food mean to agencies?
The loss of Food Depository food would adversely affect 91.7 percent of pantries, 83.2 percent of soup kitchens and 86.4 percent of shelters that are member agencies of the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
62 percent of pantries said the loss of Food Depository food would be devastating; 29.7 percent said the loss would have a significant impact.
61.9 percent of soup kitchens said the loss of Food Depository food would be devastating; 21.3 percent said the loss would have a significant impact.
44.3 percent of shelters said the loss of Food Depository food would be devastating; 42.1 percent said the loss would have a significant impact.
54.8 percent of the food pantries distribute, 40.5 percent of the food soup kitchens serve and 53.9 percent of the food shelters serve are provided by the Food Depository.
Increasing need
68.4 percent of pantries, 69.1 percent of soup kitchens and 52.1 percent of shelters indicate they serve more people now than they did in 1998.
What does hunger look like?
In any given week, 91,366 different people rely on emergency feeding programs served by the Food Depository.
36.7 percent (33,531) are children under 18 years old
6.9 percent (6,304) of the members of households served by the Greater Chicago Food Depository are children ages 0 to 5 years
7.7 percent (7,035) are age 65 and older
78.8 percent had incomes below the official federal poverty level during the previous month.
21.8 percent (12,608) of all adult clients are homeless
27.9 percent of households have one or more member in poor health
31.7 percent of households include at least one employed adult
51.6 percent are female
48.4 percent are male
67.7 percent are African-American
22.2 percent are white
8.0 percent are Hispanic
3.7 percent are American Indian or Alaskan Native
2.5 percent claimed “Other”
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