Rotary Addresses Food Insecurity & Honors Healthcare Heroes

With COVID-19 upon us, the Rotary Club of Winnetka-Northfield has once again answered the call of “Service Above Self.”

Club members quickly determined that the most urgent need in the community during this pandemic is food insecurity. With this in mind---and thanks to a matching grant from The Rotary Foundation--- the club made a sizeable donation to the New Trier Township Food Pantry.

Donating money directly to the pantry allows them to acquire food at deep discounts through The Greater Chicago Food Depository, where every dollar buys about eight times more food than it would in traditional retail stores. "The New Trier Pantry typically serves 250 families each week. Township staff and volunteers have made big adjustments in how the Pantry operates to meet Covid19 safety requirements. Many families are experiencing higher levels of need due COVID's economic impact. The widespread layoffs and work closures are beginning to lead to more pantry users." said Rotarian and Township Trustee John Thomas.

The Winnetka-Northfield Rotary has also prioritized caring for our nearby seniors, women and children affected by domestic violence, and essential front-line health workers. The club is partnering with its regular caterer "Donna Goodman Events" of Wilmette to provide family-style meals to seniors, sheltered families, and other vulnerable citizens. The club will provide these meals to local nonprofits like Lydia Home, Good News Partners and Mary Lou's Place each week while it meets “virtually” during the current stay at home order.

To support local Healthcare Heroes, the club has partnered with Northfield restaurant Stormy’s Tavern and Grille to provide hygienically prepared and packaged meals to NorthShore University HealthSystem hospitals. Dinner for twenty-five was delivered to Evanston hospital on April 19, and will be delivered to Highland Park Hospital on April 25. According to club President Marie Kuipers, “This is a small gesture of gratitude to those dedicated professionals who are fighting this pandemic with all they have.”

Funding for the ongoing food deliveries come from club member fees that normally pay for lunch at the club’s weekly meetings, and from donations from local citizens. Contributions to the club’s COVID-19 Response fund can be made here: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/winnetka-northfield-rotary-charitable-foundation/covid-response-fund

About The Rotary Club of Winnetka-Northfield

The Rotary Club of Winnetka-Northfield was founded in 1924 and meets Thursday’s for lunch and a speaker at the Winnetka Community House. During the COVID-19 Stay at Home order, the club meets virtually via Zoom. Membership is open to service-oriented residents and workers of the area. Guests are welcome to attend. Club projects include annually packing 100,000 Kids Against Hunger meals for children in Nicaragua, providing new winter coats to thousands of Chicago are children living in need through Operation Warm, providing post-Thanksgiving food to Good News Partners in Rogers Park, providing monetary grants to local nonprofit organizations serving children and youth, a variety of international service projects and Rotary International's End Polio effort. To learn more about the club and its schedule of lunch programs, visit www.wnrotary.org. To join its weekly Zoom meeting, email info@wnrotary.org for login information.