Nearly 2,000 Get Food, Supplies Through Christ Church

Oak Brook, Illinois – Wiping. Sorting. Boxing.

These actions have become commonplace worldwide as communities constantly disinfect public environments, and accept, organize and distribute donated food and home products for needy families during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

But one Chicago-area teen preemptively saw this need weeks before statewide quarantine measures led to a run on food and home goods as well as widespread layoffs.

Nolan Torri, 16, an active participant with Christ Church High School Ministry, reached out in early spring to church leaders with the idea of collaborating to collect food and other products for area families.

Torri, a Boy Scout with Troop 216 in LaGrange Highlands, is working to earn his Eagle Scout Rank, a prestigious honor requiring in part he hold a position of responsibility and leads a project beneficial to his school or community. He mentioned his idea to the student ministry director then met with Christ Church Butterfield Campus Pastor Eric Camfield to discuss merging efforts on a food drive.

“We determined that his efforts could be coordinated with our Food Pantry Outreach,” said Amy Moran, Christ Church Butterfield Campus Logistics Coordinator. “Originally it was supposed to be a three-week collection of food through our Butterfield congregation.”

That collection period was extended through April 23 and opened up to givers from the church’s Oak Brook location as well as surrounding communities. As result of the continued demand for food and household goods, Christ Church has launched a new food drive campaign through May.

Initially the church provided bags and notecards and invited its Butterfield congregation to go out to where they live, work and play and engage others in gifting food and other necessities for the food pantry.

Torri did the same to members of his Boy Scout troop and coordinated the collection, sorting, inventorying. He and pantry organizers planned to deliver the items to the pantry just before Easter.

However, the citywide and statewide, stay-at-home decrees changed these plans, Moran said.

“Nolan could no longer engage the help of his fellow Boy Scouts so his family stepped up to help in a big way,” she said.

Twice per week, Nolan and his parents, Kara and Dave, wiped down each product with disinfecting cloths, sorted and boxed dozens of cart loads of nonperishable food and household items, including pasta, cereal, canned goods, paper products, and some of the harder to find items like hand sanitizer, and surgical or N-95 face masks.

Through April, the Food Drive provided more than 200 boxloads of food and other products that were distributed to hundreds of area families, helping

• 375 children and their families receive emergency care packages

• 800 meals be supplemented

• 600 families receive paper products

All the items were earmarked for three service agencies:

• The Salvation Army/Christ Church Food Pantry (Oakbrook Terrace on April 11)
• The Fresh Market Food Pantry at Breakthrough Urban Ministries (Garfield Park)
• Emergency care packages distributed by By the Hand Club for Kids (throughout Chicago)

The unpredictable and challenging times due to COVID-19 has brought out the best in people anxious to help others in need.

“I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of people during this time, “ Nolan Torri said.

“I was able to meet with representatives from Breakthrough Urban Ministries and By the Hand Club. They were both extremely nice people and they shared their missions. I learned that many of the organizations that usually provided services to those in need in Chicago are closed now due to COVID-19, so people are going hungry. It made me feel good to learn that the foods and supplies we packed would help those children and adults in need, “ he said.

Torri’s parents, Dave and Kara say his leadership skills and desire to help others developed at a young age, spurred on through his participation with the Boy Scouts.

“This project began as a personal goal for Nolan to accomplish but has turned into so much more than that,” said Kara Torri. “It really has given our family a purpose during this crazy time. It has shown us how much people want to help. Giving is a personal act from the heart and contributing helps people feel useful, especially at a time when we all feel a little out of control.”

The Torri’s have been members of Christ Church Oak Brook-Butterfield for 20 years.

Church officials continue to receive and organize supplies earmarked for nonprofit service organizations like Inner City Impact, which helps children within Chicago’s Humboldt Park, Logan Square and Cicero communities.

“I have had people drop off bags and ask ‘What’s next? What is most needed? What should I bring next week?’” Moran said. “We have had others call and say, ‘I told all my neighbors and had them put bags on my porch and said I would deliver’ and they are coming with a trunk full of groceries. It’s an amazing blessing and shows the giving heart of others within our community,” Moran added.

To find out more about how to give to the food drive, visit ChristChurch.us. Christ Church in recent weeks has also given out to the public thousands of surgical masks that were donated by some of its members and continues to do so each week as new inventory arrives.

In addition to fully online church services on weekends at ChristChurch.us/online and its Facebook page, the church is providing other supportive services to its community such as the ability to chat with a pastor on weekends, receive prayer or email the pastoral team about a specific need at help@ChristChurch.us. People do not have to attend or be members of the church if they have specific needs in which they believe the church may address or be able to direct them to external resources.

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About Christ Church: Founded in 1965, Christ Church is a multisite, nondenominational church in the Chicago suburbs with more than 6,000 members. Christ Church features a variety of inspiring worship options including classic, classic communion and contemporary services. All people are offered the opportunity to build life-changing relationships with God and one another with a rich range of spiritual growth resources, and a selection of service ministries aimed at creating positive change in the world. Weekend services are held at the Oak Brook and Butterfield (formerly Downers Grove) locations, as well as via livestream at ChristChurch.us/online. For more information, visit ChristChurch.us.