Covid-19: How To Find Food And Other Community Support

For those of us who need help keeping ourselves and our families fed during this challenging time, our community has truly risen to the occasion. Here is a list of Evanston restaurants, caterers, organizations, and Evanston community groups and residents who, though "physically distancing," are pulling together to provide meals and many other kinds of support.

• If you're someone who needs support, ASK!
• If you're someone who wants to help support, there are plenty of ways to do that too!

Read on.

Food for Youth

City of Evanston Illinois Government/ Evanston Township High School (ETHS)/ Evanston/Skokie School District 65

Each week, youth ages 1 to 18 can pick up a week's worth of cold breakfasts and lunches at several locations throughout Evanston each Monday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

After a rocky day yesterday that resulted in a shortage of lunches, there'll be additional food distribution tomorrow, March 25. Those who did not receive a meal yesterday can pick up free, grab-and-go cold breakfasts and lunches from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. You'll receive six meals in total for the rest of the week.

Pick up at:

• Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center, 1655 Foster St.
• Robert Crown Community Center, 1801 Main St.
• Kamen Park David Wood Fieldhouse, 1111 South Blvd.
• Mason Park, Church Street and Florence Avenue

The City and school districts are working on an improved strategy to meet the demand of a once-a-week pickup.

Can you help? Shelf-stable foods needed!

At each distribution site, there's a "give-and-take" bin. They're usually just inside or just outside the door. Each bin has a flyer that says "take what you need, give what you can," on the top. At the parks, the bins are black with a yellow top. If you have cans or boxes of soup, stews, ravioli, or any other shelf-stable foods, please consider dropping some off at the distribution location nearest you!

Want to make a "give-and-take" bin?

Find out how here; then, register it on this map so people can find it.

Senior Meals

The Levy Center and Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center's Meal Program will continue to provide meals to seniors in to-go containers for pickup only. Seniors unable to leave their homes may arrange for someone else to pick up meals for them. Please call 847-448-4311 to make arrangements

Evanston Aid

Evanston resident Maggie Vandermeer, an administrator on the Back On Their Feet - Evanston IL Facebook page, spearheaded the Evanston Aid website that connects residents to resources. Several other community organizers, including Michele S. Hays, Allie Harned, Husayn Almart, and Ismalis Nunez work together to coordinate.

If you need food or other resources or support, visit evanstonaid.com and click the “sign up for help” link (available in Spanish and Arabic if you scroll down). Fill out the form that pops up and someone will get back to you.

Calendar of Local Pantries and Soup Kitchens

Michele Hays and her team at the Back on Their Feet (BOTF) Facebook group have created a calendar listing all the local pantries and soup kitchens. You can find that here.

Caterers and Restaurants Offering Free Meals

Feast & Imbibe and Soul & Smoke, 1601 Payne Street

These guys have been giving out free individually packaged meals for the past week to anyone in need in the community. Yesterday they donated 225 meals and are on track to do the same today. They offer free, no-touch deliveries.

Need a Meal?
Just call 847-859-2732 or email.

Can you help?

Donations needed!

Purchase a meal for someone in need. Details here.

• Buy a gift card for $25.
• Sponsor an individual meal for someone in need for $30
• Sponsor 20 Meals for the Evanston Emergency Department Workers for $30
• Sponsor meals for 200 people for $3,000

You can also Venmo to feastandimbibe or Zelle to team@soulandsmoke.com.

They're in great need of disposable containers (they'd prefer eco-friendly, but will take what you have)

If you're a restaurant or caterer with food or other items that will otherwise go to waste during this time, please consider donating!

Call 847-859-2732 or drop off at 1601 Payne Street

Jennifer's Edibles, Inc
Jennifer Eason and William Scott Eason have been working tirelessly for the past week to prepare and deliver meals to Evanston's seniors and most vulnerable residents. They started with five meals and are now preparing and delivering 30 meals a day and growing. For many in our community, this is the ONE meal they eat each day.

Need a Meal?
Text 224-717-1835 after 9 a.m. each day.

Can you Help?

• Donate!

Jennifer's Edibles needs financial donations! Donate by calling 224-717-1835. They will take your donation over the phone. One meal costs around $5 to $7. Consider donating for one meal, or for as many as you're able. Dear Evanston is working on a GoFundMe for Jennifer's and will post as soon as it's ready.

• Make deliveries!

If you have a car, are you available to drive in the evenings? If so, email dearevanston@gmail.com and let us know what days you're available and give us your phone number. We'll gather this information and pass it along to the Jennifer and William.

• Shop!

They're looking for folks who can go to the grocery store for ingredients. Again, if you have a car and can spare some time, they need you. Email and let us know what days you're available and give us your phone number.

Chef Q/ Teertsemasesottehg

Beloved Evanston Chef Quis Ibraheem AKA "Chef Q" is offering meals to a child and their parent or guardian (whom she's dubbed "coworkers" who are experiencing financial difficulties during the pandemic

Chef Q spends much of her time working with Evanston kids at the Foster Street Urban Agriculture Program and elsewhere, teaching them how to grow food and cook healthy meals.

"In one week," she says, "We've received calls from numerous parents and grandparents simply requesting a hot meal. Comfort food is needed more than ever right now!"

Her team will deliver healthy ready-to-eat meals to doorsteps with zero contact.

Can you help?

• Kid + Coworker: $24 buys dinner for a child and a parent
• Executive Team: $48 buys dinner for a family of 4
• Pension Plan: $120 buys ten individual grandparent meals

Donate here.

Connections for the Homeless

Connections is open and needs your help more than ever

Their top need is volunteers who have experience working with participants, either at Connections for the Homeless or a partner organization. They have many opportunities in different locations and times of day. If you are interested in volunteering, fill out this form and they will get back to you as soon as we can.

They continue to need lunch bags at their 2010 Dewey Avenue location. Please sign up here.

They also need increased financial support for everything from crisis housing solutions, cleaning supplies, emergency supplies, and overtime pay. Please consider making a gift today.

They need can openers, cereal, and tuna. Please drop donations at 2121 Dewey Avenue between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Ring the bell and they'll open the door.

Please contact Connections' Volunteer Coordinator for more information.

Also visit Connections’Amazon Wish List.

Interfaith Action of Evanston

The Interfaith Action of Evanston Hospitality Center at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 1509 Ridge Ave., remains open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 11a.m. Guests receive breakfast and a safe place to sleep. It's become more difficult for volunteers to shop and keep up supplies. Purchase from this Amazon Wish List and your purchase will be delivered directly to IAE. Any items purchased on this list will be delivered directly to the Hospitality Center.

Grocery stores with hours for senior citizens and others people most vulnerable to Covid-19

Jewel (All stores)
Tuesdays, Thursdays, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.

• 2485 Howard St
• 1128 Chicago Ave
• 1763 Howard St

Target (All stores)
Wednesdays, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Valli Produce
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., starting March 31.
1910 Dempster Street
(847) 866-6100

Pls. note: Valli has asked that shoppers come individually whenever possible, not in pairs or groups, to avoid congestion in the store.

Whole Foods

Every day, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

• 2748 Green Bay Rd, (847) 424-5700
• 1640 Chicago Ave, Evanston, (847) 733-1600

Also consider visiting smaller neighborhood stores:
C & W Market and Ice Cream Parlor
1901 Church Street
(847) 833-9367

D&D Finer Foods
825 Noyes St, Evanston
Open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
(847) 475-4344

Finally, thank you to Bruce Allen King of Brett Anthony Foods for arranging donations of many gallons of delicious, fresh soups (broccoli-cheddar, tomato-basil, navy bean, and minestrone) that we'll be delivering to Connections and Feast & Imbibe tomorrow afternoon. Much thanks to Brett Anthony owner Brett Stein and to Donnie and Alex.