By William S. Bike
Editor’s note: At press time, future events listed in Around the Neighborhood still were scheduled, but changes are happening on a daily basis due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Check websites or call before going out in case organizers have postponed or canceled events.
BENTON HOUSE INFO
At Benton House, 3052 S. Gratten Ave., find out about public benefits such as supplemental nutrition assistance and citizenship application help. Call (773) 927-6420 or email [email protected].
BOULEVARD NEWS
The Boulevard of Chicago at 3456 W. Franklin Blvd. provides medical respite care and housing services for homeless adults discharged from area hospitals. Call (773) 533-6013 or log on to www.blvd.org.
CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES
Bright Star Community Outreach and Bright Star Church provide resources related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including rental assistance and utilities support. They also have a trauma helpline and provide professional development, emotional support, and child and family services. Log on to brightstarcommunityoutreach.com/. Donations welcome. The church is located at 4518 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, 820 S. Damen Ave., is looking for individuals who can volunteer for at least four hours, one day per week, consistently for at least four months. The maximum will be eight hours in one day. Volunteer hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with an occasional Saturday clinic. The position requires standing and walking. Volunteers park for free at a nearby indoor parking structure, and those who come in for four hours or more receive a meal ticket. Call (312) 569-6340 or email [email protected].
BUCKNER RESOURCES
Residents who want to share their thoughts or require assistance on coronavirus or any issue in the community can reach the office of State Rep Kam Buckner (D-26th) at (773) 924-1755 or by email at [email protected].
GET HELP
The Catholic Charities call center helps callers with a variety of needs and connects them toprograms within Catholic Charities or other agencies.
The organization offers meals to go at St. Vincent Center, 721 N. LaSalle St., Monday through Friday at 4 p.m. No pre-registration required.
Catholic Charities operates several food pantries.
A counseling/support hotline is available at (312) 948-6951. Catholic Charities also offers professional counseling at (312) 644-7725.
Log on to catholiccharities.net, call (312) 655-7700, or email [email protected].
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE
The Chicago Department of Family and Support Services reports that Community Services Block Grant Scholarships are available for those enrolled or planning to enroll in college or vocational training. Contact Jenny Schuler at [email protected] or (312) 746-7291.
NURSE CONSORTIUM NEWS
The Chicago Bilingual Nurse Consortium helps foreign-educated nurses attain licensure in Illinois.
National Council Licensure Examination predictor tests are available to demonstrate probability of passing the nursing exam.
The organization’s website at www.chicagobilingualnurse.org also lists jobs available for nurses. For more information, call (773) 838-1870.
CPS HOTLINES
The Chicago Public Schools administration has established a Healthy CPSHotline at (773) 533-KIDS (5437) and CPS Parent Tech Support Hotline at (773) 417-1060. Or, email [email protected].
RENTAL ASSISTANCE
City of Chicago emergency rental assistance is available for people suffering financial hardship. Call 311 or use a search engine to find City of Chicago Family & Support Services online.
CIVICLAB NEWS
Chicago African Americans in Philanthropy named Jonathan Peck, president and CEO of CivicLab, the 2021 Champion of Social Justice.
CivicLab will hold its 2021 Civic Harambee on Saturday, April 10, from 10 a.m. to noon. Harambee is a Swahili phrase meaning “Let’s pull together.” The public is invited. To register, contact CivicLab through civiclab.us.
CivicLab is an organization promoting democracy and social justice.
GET ORGANIZED
Community Organizing and Family Issues,2245 S. Michigan Ave., (312) 226-5141, organizes and trains parents to win improvements in schools and communities and in how to create organizations and programs. See cofionline.org.
LEGAL AID
Cook County officials and partners run Cook County Legal Aid for Housing and Debt, a county-wide initiative to help residents resolve eviction, foreclosure, debt, and tax deed issues. Services are provided pro bono for Cook County residents without legal representation and are offered to tenants facing eviction, landlords dealing with an eviction, debtors being sued for unpaid debts, creditors wishing to sue on the basis of unpaid debts, and residents who have defaulted on property tax payments or mortgage foreclosure payments. Learn more by visiting www.cookcountylegalaid.org/.
DE LA SALLE NEWS
De La Salle Institute will hold open houses Monday through Thursday, March 15 through 18 and April 19 through 22. Tours begin at 4 and 5 p.m.
On the Wednesdays of March 31, April 14 and 28, and May 5 and 19, De La Salle will host tours of the school at 9, 10, and 11 a.m.
De La Salle will host a breakfast for parents of seventh graders thinking of attending the school on Wednesday, March 17, at 9 a.m. It will hold a Zoom open house on the Tuesdays of March 23 and April 27 at 6 p.m.
De La Salle is at 3434 S. Michigan Ave. Call (312) 842-7355 or log on to www.dls.org.
FOOD PANTRIES
The following food pantries provide groceries and meals to those who need them.
Chosen Tabernacle Full Gospel, 4310 S. Champlain Ave., Thursday, 1 to 3 p.m., (888) 834-9414.
Church of St. Paul and the Redeemer, 4945 S. Dorchester Ave., Wednesday, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., (773) 624-3185.
Hyde Park SDA Soup Kitchen, 4608 S. Drexel Blvd., Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., (773) 373-2909.
Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, 4242 S. Cottage Grove Ave., Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., (773) 548-7500.
Kenwood UCC Soup Kitchen, 4608 S. Greenwood Ave., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 9:30 to 10 a.m. and noon to 1 p.m., (773) 373-2861.
Operation Pull Grant Memorial, 4017 S. Drexel Blvd., Tuesday, 1 to 3 p.m., (773) 285-5819.
TUTORS NEEDED
The community group Earth’s Remedies is launching a free virtual learning platform for students that will include study materials, tutoring, and a curriculum. Tutors are needed. Learn more at www.facebook.com/EarthsRemedies/.
GLESSNER HOUSE
Glessner House, located at 1800 S. Prairie Ave., will host three events in March honoring Women’s History Month. On Thursday, March 11, at 7 p.m., the online presentation Murder in a Nutshell: A Frances Glessner Lee Whodunit Event will explore Lee’s nutshell studies, miniature models of death scenes created in the 1940s to train police officers and medical examiners. Tickets are $10 per person. On Saturday, March 27, at 9:30 a.m., a special behind-the-scenes tour will share what life was like for the house’s servants in a new tour exploring spaces not featured on regular tours. Tickets are $25 per person. On Tuesday, March 30, at 7 p.m., the online presentation Katharine Dexter McCormick: A Champion for Women will explore the life of this former Prairie Avenue resident and her work in higher education, the suffrage movement, and birth control research. Tickets are $10 per person. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.glessnerhouse.org.
LEGAL AID
First Defense Legal Aid, located at 5100 W. Harrison St., provides representation to people in custody, informs people of their rights, and organizes volunteers to help.
For more information, call (800) 529-7374.
GBMA HELP
Greater Bridgeport Mutual Aid, a network of more than 150 volunteers, has organized to provide free grocery delivery, direct people to resources and information through a telephone hotline, provide digital enrichment for students during remote learning, and do neighbor support check-ins. The network serves the Bridgeport, Chinatown, Armour Square, and Canaryville neighborhoods. Services are available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese. Request services on the group’s website at www.gbmachicago.org or by calling or texting the group’s hotline at (312) 818-1393. Donations are welcome by emailing GBMA through the organization’s website.
GPAC MEETINGS
Grant Park Advisory Council meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m., so this month’s meeting will be on March 17. To register, go to www.facebook.com/ChicagoGPAC/?modal=admin_todo_tour.
GWTP JOB TRAINING
Greater West Town Partnership, 500 N. Sacramento Blvd.,offers job placement and training programs in wood products manufacturing and shipping and receiving. Call (312) 563-9570.
HARMONY NEWS
Harmony Community Church, 1908 S. Millard Ave., has converted its sanctuary into a community center for youth programs and events. The church offers reading, tutoring, fine art, music, and dance programs. It also has a food pantry. Call (773) 762-9673.
HR HOTSEAT
HR HotSeat Chicago is a free monthly online meetup of more than 1,600 human resources practitioners, service providers, students, and Chicago-area professionals in job transition who come together to expand networks and solve problems. Visit www.HRHotSeat.com or email [email protected] for a calendar of upcoming events.
GIVE BLOOD
The Illinois Coalition of Community Blood Centers encourages people to give blood. Contact Vitalant at www.vitalant.org or (877) 258-4835 to schedule a donation time. For more information, log on to www.illlinoisbloodcenters.com.
LOW-COST INTERNET
Internet Essentials makes it possible for people receiving public assistance to qualify for low-cost internet service. Log on to internetessentials.com.
LADIES OF VIRTUE
Ladies of Virtue, 1245 S. Michigan Ave., (877) 565-7121, provides mentoring and leadership and empowering experiences, including help with school applications, for girls ages nine through 18 from underserved communities. Log on to lovchicago.org.
RENTERS’ SERVICES
The Lawyers Committee for Better Housing provides eligible renters with supportive services and free legal aid. The LCBH also offers Rennie the Chatbot at rentervention.com to help with people’s housing problems. The LCBH is located at 33 N. LaSalle St. Call (312) 347-7600 or log on to www.lcbh.org.
OUR LADY OF THE HOLY FAMILY NEWS
Our Lady of the Holy Family,1334 W. Flournoy St., holds Sunday Masses at 9 a.m. in English and 11 a.m. in Spanish. Saturday evening Mass is at 5 p.m. Mondays, evening Mass is at 6 p.m., followed by Adoration/Holy Hour and Confessions. Tuesday through Thursday Masses are at 8 a.m. in the chapel at 1335 W. Harrison St. Friday evening Mass is at 6 p.m. followed by Stations of the Cross at 7 p.m. Reservations required for weekend services, or go online to participate in Masses virtually.
During Lent, go online at 5:30 p.m. for the daily Rosary and at 6 p.m. on Thursdays for Lenten Bible study. Also during Lent, Our Lady of the Holy Family will hold a food collection for the University of Illinois Chicago Pop-Up Pantry after all Masses and services.
Call (312) 243-7400, email [email protected] or log on to www.olhfchi.org.
NO LATE FEE
Thanks to a change in the law, property owners have two extra months to pay their first installment Cook County property tax bills without a late fee, through Monday, May 3, 2021, Treasurer Maria Pappas said. Property owners can pay their bills by visiting cookcountytreasurer.com and entering their street address.
WARMING CENTERS
The Pilsen Food Pantry at 1850 S. Throop St., (773) 812-3150, and Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez’s office at 1508 W. 18th St., (773) 523-4100, are available as warming centers when temperatures become frigid.
SOCIAL HEALTH INITIATIVE
The Pilsen Social Health Initiative at 1850 S. Throop St. offers a food pantry, thrift store, and onsite social worker. See www.pilsensocialhealthinitiative.com/. Call (773) 812-3150.
SHRINE NEWS
The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii will host virtual Bible study on Zoom covering the Gospel of St. Mark on the Wednesdays of March 10 and 24, and April 7 and 21 at 7 p.m. To register, go to www.ourladyofpompeii.org/blog/pilgrimages/.
For a virtual Lenten day of reflection, attend Faith and Praxis: Living Out Our Baptismal Call to Social Justice, on Saturday, March 20, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., presented by Deacons Jay Woods and Akiaou Kamina. Call the phone number below to register.
The shrine is at 1224 W. Lexington St. Call (312) 421-3757.
SAINT IGNATIUS NEWS
Saint Ignatius College Prep will host its Women’s Society Meeting on Wednesday, March 10, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Snite Room, no. 146.
The school is located at 1076 W. Roosevelt Rd. Log on to www.ignatius.org or call (312) 421-5900.
SOUTH LOOP NEIGHBOR NEWS
Greg Borzo, Jeremy Campbell, and Lana Reese have joined the board of South Loop Neighbors.
SOUTH SIDE STAGE
South Side Stage is a professional theater company that seeks to create a fundamentally inclusive theater based in community and the belief that every person deserves to realize their artistry. South Side Stage has a Kickstarter campaign in March to fund a year of events. On Saturday, March 6, South Side Stage will host a staged reading of André Richardson Hogan II’s Raisin Puffs, a play about three men’s perspectives based on an assault involving a former classmate. On Saturday, March 20, South Side Stage will host a Poetry Night for all lovers of language. All events currently are virtual. To attend, for more information, or to donate, go to southsidestage.org. Email [email protected] for more information.
UIC INFORMATION
The National Eye Institute awarded Sandeep Jain, a professor of ophthalmology at the University of Illinois Chicago, and other UIC researchers a $10.15 million grant to develop an eye drop to treat patients with severe dry eye and ocular surface disease due to inflammatory and immune system disorders. To contact Jain, email [email protected].
UIC has created a new Ida B. Wells Scholarship for high school students from 20 public and Catholic partnering schools. Call (773) 318-6630.
Send news of events held “around the neighborhood” by the 15th of the month before the month they are to occur to William S. Bike, Around the Neighborhood, Gazette Chicago, 1335 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL 60607-3318, fax (312) 243-4270, or email [email protected].