Making Lunches for those in Need

-Trips to the westside of Chicago showed there were more and more people who were homeless, in shelters, or living on less than adequate wages to support their families.

-It is hard to see people so in need, and not respond. There had to be a way to mobilize the community so each could do something to contribute a small amount that adds up to a significant impact on the daily lives of people who are hungry.

-Uncle Pete organized the St. John Brebeuf community in Niles to make sack dinners once per month for eight months of the year. He built relationships with people, mainly from the west side and Uptown areas of Chicago and planned how to get them a sack dinner.

-He knew that he wasn’t solving the problem of hunger but rather alleviating some of the challenges of getting thru the day for those who are less fortunate.

-He began to ask other organizations and parishes to join in. Today, we have over 15 Churches, over 20 groups including sports teams, scouts, guilds and youth groups, 12 public and private schools, individuals hosting sack making parties, as well as businesses, all making sacks. In 2018, we collected and delivered over 26,000 sacks. This sounds like a large number but we go to 30 different places and probably could use 40,000, if we were able to visit each place once per week with sacks. There is a great need.