Eat Pancakes, Raise Funds for New Bulletproof Vests for Chicago Cops

19th Ward Alderman Matthew O’Shea will host a pancake breakfast benefiting the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation’s “Get Behind the Vest” initiative on Sunday, February 22, at St. Christina School from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Through the Get Behind the Vest campaign, The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation is actively working to raise four million dollars to replace 8,000 outdated bullet proof vests currently in use by Chicago Police officers. This cause is particularly important to the residents of the 19th Ward, as the communities of Beverly, Morgan Park and Mt. Greenwood are home to thousands of active and retired Chicago Police Officers.

Admission to Ald. O’Shea’s Pancake Breakfast is $5 per person or $25 for families. All money raised will be donated to the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation and the Get Behind the Vest initiative.

“Throughout my career, I have seen first-hand how the dedicated men and women of the Chicago Police Department put their lives on the line each and every day,” said Alderman O’Shea. “This is a cause that really strikes a chord in our community, as thousands of active police officers live in our area and protect the streets of our city. In the past several years, we have seen a marked increase in police officer deaths in the United States as a result of firearms. Bullet proof vests are an integral tool in saving the lives of our police officers. It is my hope that the money raised from this pancake breakfast will help to offset some of the cost of life-saving vests for members of our police department.”

In addition to the Pancake Breakfast, several local parochial schools in the 19th Ward will be participating in a dedicated “dress down” day on Friday, February 20, to raise funds for Get Behind the Vest.

Chicago Police Officers receive a bullet proof vest when they are first hired, however, the average life span of a bullet proof vest is five years. Officers are responsible for replacing their own vests, at an average cost of $500.

The Pancake Breakfast is generously supported by Ald. Matt O’Shea, the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, 19th Ward Youth Foundation, The Original Pancake House - Beverly, Mt. Greenwood Community and Business Association, Senator Bill Cunningham, State Representative Fran Hurley, and St. Christina Catholic Parish.

St. Christina School is located at 3333 West 110th Street in the city of Chicago.