Resilience in the Face of Adversity: How Englewood's Food Pantries Weathered the Storm

When a powerful storm swept through the Chicago area on Monday, leaving thousands without power, the impact was felt most acutely by the community of Englewood. As the lights went out and refrigerators fell silent, the neighborhood's food pantries found themselves at the forefront of a crisis, tasked with ensuring that the most vulnerable residents had access to the sustenance they needed. This is the story of how these unsung heroes rose to the occasion, demonstrating the power of community and the unwavering spirit of those who dedicate their lives to serving others.

Feeding the Hungry, Fueling the Resilience

A Pantry's Perseverance

At the heart of Englewood's food relief efforts stands All Things Through Christ Outreach Ministries, a church-based pantry that has been a lifeline for the community for over half a century. Led by Assistant Pastor Gwendolyn Sampson, the pantry found itself facing one of its greatest challenges when the storm's aftermath left it without power, jeopardizing the vast majority of its perishable food supplies."I think this is probably one of the worst [losses] in a long time," Sampson lamented, as she surveyed the devastation that had claimed nearly 60 packages of meat, poultry, and seafood, as well as 70 cartons of eggs. With a shipment of fresh food scheduled for the following day, the pantry was forced to cancel the order, leaving it in a precarious position.

A Community's Resilience

Yet, in the face of adversity, the Englewood community rallied together. Nearby pantries, such as Chosen Bethel Family Ministries, stepped up to fill the gap, delivering over 200 sandwiches to help sustain those in need. Senior Pastor Walter Gillespie, whose own church had weathered the storm with minimal disruption, recognized the importance of supporting his neighbors, stating, "It's a mandate from God to feed those who are hungry."This spirit of collaboration extended beyond the immediate vicinity, as the Greater Chicago Food Depository facilitated the transfer of 300 to 400 pounds of frozen chicken from the affected Greater Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church to the Coppin Community Center, which serves asylum-seekers and others in the Washington Heights neighborhood.

Navigating the Challenges

The storm's impact, however, was not limited to the loss of perishable goods. Residents like Edgar Tixelema and Jamie Hawkins found themselves without power for days, forced to discard spoiled food from their own refrigerators. For these families, the food pantries became a vital lifeline, providing a much-needed respite from the hardship.Yet, the process of replacing lost food assistance is not always straightforward. Recipients of federal aid must navigate a complex bureaucratic system, applying for replacement benefits within 10 days and providing proof of the outage. As Jamie Hawkins noted, "It's still good, of course, to have stuff like this as an emergency backup plan," but the burden should not fall solely on the shoulders of the pantries.

Building a Resilient Network

The challenges faced by Englewood's food pantries during this crisis have highlighted the importance of a robust and interconnected network of support. Gillespie, whose church has collaborated with the Greater Chicago Food Depository for nearly two decades, emphasized the value of these partnerships, stating, "It's not just the people in our area who need food. We want to serve as many people citywide as we can, so we share as much as we can with each other."This collaborative approach has allowed the pantries to respond swiftly and effectively to emergencies, ensuring that no food intended for those in need goes to waste. As Frankye Parham of the Coppin Community Center noted, "Luckily we have a big network, so in times of crisis, we're able to mobilize quickly and make arrangements so none of this wonderful food intended for our neighbors goes to waste."