Few places in Chicago bring fans of both the Cubs and White Sox baseball teams under one roof for a shared mission. This MLK Day of Service, the Food Depository was honored to be that place.
In the morning, nearly 150 youth from the Cubs Charities’ Nike RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) program gathered to pack pasta and apples into family-size packages. Volunteers from the White Sox ACE (Amateur City Elite) program, the Mayor’s Youth Commission, the Obama Foundation and ComEd continued the work during the afternoon session.
The following day, we began distributing the food they packed to our network of more than 800 food pantries, soup kitchens and other programs across Chicago and Cook County to help neighbors experiencing food insecurity.
Ellis Alexander, left, packaged pasta with his teammates on his fourth MLK Day of Service with the Food Depository. Photo by Matt Dirksen.
“It’s great to be here hanging with the team and doing something for the community. On MLK Day, this is something special,” said Ellis Alexander, 17, a catcher who is proudly carrying on the tradition of his grandfather, who played in the Negro Leagues.
The Cubs’ RBI group seeks to bolster not just the players’ athletic development, but also their academic achievement and civic engagement, which, for the past several years, has included volunteering at the Food Depository.
Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong volunteered alongside the RBI players.
“I’ve seen people in my community who don’t have enough,” Alexander said. “That makes me want to do my best to help.”
Many of the nearly 50 teens from the White Sox ACE program were inspired by the same camaraderie and compassion that motivated the Cubs players. “It means a lot to be here with my teammates to help people who need it,” said Paris Head, 13, a pitcher from Garfield Park.
Paris Head said it was better to be with his teammates volunteering than at home in bed.
The White Sox ACE program works to increase participation in baseball among Black youth while mentoring and preparing the participants for a successful future both on and off the field.
“It means a lot being here on a day known for non-violence and giving back,” said Dan Tucker, affectionately known by the youth as Coach Tuck, adding that volunteering is an important part of the mentoring they offer their participants.
Brooke Jenkins, 17, from the Mayor’s Youth Commission was inspired by the variety of groups volunteering together. “It’s great to watch this day bringing people together for a common goal and doing something that has value for others,” she said.
Brooke Jenkins, with the Mayor’s Youth Commission, was inspired by the variety of volunteer groups.
“It’s crazy that the apples we’re touching today within 24 to 48 hours will be on someone’s table. I’m really happy to know that we’re helping.”
Considering that throughout Chicago and Cook County one in four households with children is experiencing food insecurity, it’s likely that much of the food packaged this day went to children around the same age as those volunteering.
Josh Levin brought his daughter Hailey and son Cameron to volunteer alongside him.
Many of the parents in attendance hoped their children would grasp the legacy of service to others that Dr. King left, evidenced in his inspiring words: “Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?’”
Josh Levin, a ComEd employee, brought his daughter Hailey, 13, and son Cameron, 10, to volunteer alongside him. “It’s cool to get to do this with my family,” Hailey said as her brother rushed around the room to collect empty boxes and packaging.
Gil C. Quiniones (center), ComEd president and CEO and a Food Depository board member, brought about two dozen colleagues to volunteer with him.
Levin was one of about two dozen team members brought by Gil C. Quiniones, ComEd president and CEO and a Food Depository board member.
Adrienne Grier, also with ComEd, brought her daughter Dara, 7, to help “foster a spirit of giving back,” she said. Dara seemed to get it. “It’s great to be here,” she said, “helping get food to people who need it.”
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