Beyond Hunger Fall Newsletter 2021

FALL 2021

This year’s fall benefit concert
features the legendary Mavis
Staples—Nov. 19th & 20th.
For ticket availability visit

GoBeyondHunger.org/events or
contact [email protected]

Stephanie Schrodt, President A Heart Healthy Return
Donna Myers, Vice President
Andrew Maychruk, Treasurer Our Beyond Hunger community was glad to see the return of Rush
Cassandra West, Secretary University Medical Staff and Free Blood Pressure Screenings this
Townsend Bailey summer. “We just really missed this service,” said Arnold, Food
Cuyler Brown Pantry shopper.
Thomas Gary Bri Kellogg, MS RDN LDN, Nutrition Education Coordinator and
Susie Goldschmidt Dietitian, concurs. As part of Beyond Hunger’s professional team,
Laura Gutierrez Bri helps shoppers identify the most nutritious foods along with
Patricia Hannon, MD ideas for using those foods to stay healthy. But “knowing your
David Henkes numbers” is ground zero.
Shawn Joseph
Mark Smylie “We can treat a lot of chronic conditions with food
Tyrone Thomas –many with just small adjustments to our lifestyle.
Tom Watson Of course you need to know you have a condition
Stacey Williams before you can begin to address it. Sometimes our
Liz Ziehl clients don’t get to see their primary physician, or
they might not have one. Blood pressure
Michele Zurakowski, PhD screenings at the Food Pantry help fill in the gaps,
Chief Executive Officer offering a continuum of care. It lets us and our
participants know if something needs to be on our
STAY CONNECTED: radar.” - Bri Kellogg, Nutrition Education Coordinator

@GoBeyondHunger Learn more about this story and others at GoBeyondHunger.org/news
@GoBeyondHunger
@GoBeyondHunger
@GoBeyondHunger
www.GoBeyondHunger.org

Commitment. Engagement. Passion.

A Note from Michele
It was a true honor to receive this award for community
engagement, commitment, and passion from Rush University
Medical Center’s Office of Community Health Equity and
Engagement, a real partner in ending local hunger. We’ve
advocated together and collaborated on programs to address the
root causes of hunger, the health equity gap, and racial injustice. In
the past year, that partnership has been even more critical as
economic disparities increased throughout the pandemic. Rush
helped us reach in, find more pockets of hunger, and battle the
isolation and loss impacting so many in our neighborhoods. So,
standing with our Beyond Hunger team and The Rush Office of Community Health
Equity and Engagement presented Beyond

volunteers, our supporters and our community Hunger CEO Michele Zurakowski with the

partners, I am grateful for this recognition - it’s 2021 Community Health Equity Partner
taken all of us. Award for her ongoing passion, engagement
and commitment in the name of health and

Thank you. well-being for all.

Michele Zurakowski, PhD—Chief Executive Officer

Donor Spotlight: Photos for Food

In 2015, as Corey Kessler took photos
of his own children’s sporting or dance
events he started sharing those
photos with other families.
Parents loved having professional
photos of their kids in action. When
they wanted to support him or say
thank you, Corey simply asked that
parents donate to Beyond Hunger —
Photos for Food had begun. Demand

was so great after those first few years Steve Scheuring, Steve
Beck, Lanie Hibel, and Jake Kumar joined in.
Beyond the baseball field, Photos for Food now offers
graduation photos, has organized staged Halloween events, and
they worked hard to capture our community as part of the Front
Porch Project last year. That’s all added up to a lot of smiles and
a lot of meals! Since 2019, Photos for Food has helped raise
enough funds to provide 130,000 meals for our neighbors in
need.
You can see those miles of smiles by visiting @PhotosforFoodproject on Instagram and Facebook!

BEYOND HUNGER IS Lance Achterhof Amanda Coloia Cammie Hunter Oscar Medina Ann Schlesinger
THANKFUL TO THE Lidys Aguirre Michael Comiskey Jess Hwang Eran Meir Peter Schonman and
FOLLOWING FUNDERS Aisha Ahmed Timothy Considine Mary Ann Irvine Alina Merrill
FOR GRANT SUPPORT Sophia Akbar Jason Cook Mark Iwanski William Merrill Becca Kaufman
Catherine and James Tracey Crenshaw Martha Jacob Sara and Christian Aaron Schulz
Albertsons Companies Gina Cue Diane Jannetto Susan Schulz
Foundation Allen Kim Curtis Stewart Jepson Moder Jody Schwartz
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Maria Almario Anna Daly Luke Johnson Radhika Monga Brittany Scott
Illinois Cuneyt Altindas Benjamin Davis Christian Kadlec Gayla Morales Michelle Serrano
Byline Bank Milissa Alvarez Corina Davis Anna Kakos Sharon Morgan Omar Shaker
Conagra Brands Foundation Mariana Alvarez-Garza Graziella DeMaria Elizabeth Kane Patty Morse Joe Shaker
CROP Walk - Hunger Carrissa Alvers William and Valerie Terence Kelly Linda Morshare Lori and Patrick
Walkathon West Laurette Anderson Livia Kenney Kaitlin Mullen
Economy Shop Michael Appleby DePriest Jennifer Kenoian Nauman Mushtaque Shanahan
George M. Eisenberg Kathi Arnow Ruby Diaz MK Keppler Elizabeth Nevins Victoria Silveira
Foundation for Charities Ascension Church Nicole Donohue Dianne Kessler John Newton Heather Simons
Greater Chicago Food Julie Dunn Nadeya Khalil Mary Nichols Kate Sisk
Depository Knights of Columbus Andrew Dziengel Melissa Kinyon- Michael Nickels Sisters of Charity of the
Healthy Communities Jennifer Ashley Emily Edlynn Katharine Nicolai
Foundation Angela Atwater Eighty Eight Inc Hamilton Emily Nieves Blessed Virgin Mary
Manaaki Foundation Emily Aune Michelle Elfvin Nicole Kirk Shequita Nminibapiel Beth Skony
Moller Family Foundation John and Ann Bailey Sara Enlow Daniel Kirzane Karla Notarianni Jessica Slavicek
My Emma Email Marketing Shamar Bailey Fohrman Family Ann and Martin Klest Valerie Nowinski Janet Smith
Oak Park River Forest Charles Barnato, Jr. Gayle Faulkner Daniel Knapik Juleigh Nowinski Melvin Smith
Community Foundation Carlos and Audrey Gary and Patti Feracota Barry Knerr Lucy and Will Snow
Reedy Family Fund Maria Ferrera Gillian Knight Konchak Marta Sparrow
Rotary Club of Oak Park- Barrientos Mary Finneran Jarrett Knox Oak Park Windmills St. Christopher’s
River Forest Liz and William Sally Fletcher Melissa Koenig Victoria O’Connor
RRF Foundation for Aging Jeannine Fontagneres Kara Kolibbas Erin O’Keefe Episcopal Church
Russell & Josephine Kott Bartolucci Peter Kopp Manuel Oller Jacqueline Stamm
Memorial Charitable Trust Shanita Bean Silenzi Kim Kraemer Eric Olson Tadas Strimaitis
TCC Gives, Inc. Josh Beckett Sarah Fransene- Philip Kranz Diane Owens Christopher Struck
The Catholic Bishop of Brittney Beckhorn Ron and Mary Elizabeth Owens Michael Sugimoto
Chicago – Rice Bowl Jason Bell Spelman Adam Oxer Marylou and Mark
The Chicago Community Francine Belmonte- Kathy Fricks Katherine Krause Sarah Partin
Trust Meghan Fritz Marvel Krauter Ashley Peete Tawney
The Community Foundation, Buhmann Carol Gallagher Julie Krueger Myrna and John Charles Thiry
Strengthening Inland Aileen Berg Jennifer Gammage Amy Krukowski Thomas J Dwyer &
Southern California through Elizabeth Berman Dr. Pedro Garcia William and Joann Petlicki
Philanthropy Lia Bernardi Nicholas Gertonson Cheryl and Rodney Associates
Tyson Foods Nonprofit Quinn Best Michael Gift Kunkel Richard Timmons
Summer Jobs Program Kathryn Bialek Girl Scout Troop 45799 Marcia Kunstler Phillips Martin Trlak
U.S. Department of HUD, Justin Blaylock Judith Gofron James Kuykendall Mariann Piano Manuela Trombetta
CDBG grant from Village of Blue Cross Blue Shield Donald Goldhamer and Bridget Lane and Peggy Plastina Alanda Turner
Oak Park Rachel Port Tim Tyrrell
Village of Oak Park of Illinois HCSC Nancy Mikelsons Thomas Legge Joseph Proietto Heather Vanderberg
West Side United/Rush John Bogdon Cynthia Gordon Marissa Langefeld Elizabeth Prossnitz Marita Vasquez
University Medical Center: Sandra Bogdon-Romeo Barbara Gundrum Khadijah Latiff Mark Pszczolkowski Sofia Vatougios
Emergency Micro Grant Ana Bonniwell Amy Guralnick Kristin Leasure Peter Quinn Raul Vazquez
(COVID) Thada Bornstein Michele Gurgas Jennifer LeFleur Tom Quinn Christine Verni
Women Leaders in Boy Scout Troop #4028 Michael Hale Karen Lembcke and Alexandra Radtke Laura Vranderic
Philanthropy Fund, a giving Hailey Braden Lynch Katy Hall Howard Raik Eleanor Wagner
group of OPRF Community Destinie Brannigan Phoenix Harris Stephen Petergal Jackie Randolph Beth Walz
Foundation Sandy and Paul David Hart Conell Leonard Kathleen Ranieri K Waterloo
Margo Hartweg Diana Leonard Richard Raskin Raymond Weible
Brennan James Hawks Naomi Levy Shannon and Jonathan Keith Weiler
Marlene Bressler Rosalind and Jo Hays Eileen Lewis Kenna Masuda Welch
Amy Brogioli Terrence Hefner Timothy Lisle Reith Meghan Welch
Lisa Brown Helen Heindl Jenny Liu Tecla and Frederick Joseph Widmar
Karen Buhler Liz Heintz Kathleen Lorden Carol Wilkinson
Michael Busa Laura Henderson Carla and Ron Lucchesi Reklau Jillian Williams
Latoya Bynoe Dennis Hernandez Jean Luchini Jessica Rinks and Nick Nina Williams
Sadie Calvin Soledad Hernandez- Andrew Lykos George and Linda Wolf
Hubert Campbell Linda Manier Ardinger Jeethu Wolf
Patricia Canar Bucio Erin Mapes Ritter Christina Wurst
Katherine Cares Kate Herron Lisa Masucci Joel Rittle Alfred Wyss
Lisa and Matt Carolan Barbara Heskett Keiko Matthewson River Forest Education Adam Yaws
Kristy Casaccio Jennifer Hill Maverick Investor Victoria Yeisley
Becky Chandler Lily Holmberg and Assn Maria and Lilia Zamar
Damon Cheronis Group, LLC Kristin Rivera Zing Health
Roy Child Brett Williams Cassandra May Benjamin Roberts
Aleta and Walter Mark and Jennifer Danielle McCain Melinda Rocha Holdings Inc
Layne and Matt Andrey Rogachev Ben Zlotucha
Chossek Hosty Jessica Rogers
Mary Christiansen Nicki Huels McGinn Kevin Roof
Alicia Cibula Cathleen Hughes Therese McGuire Jodi Roque
Beth Clark Matt and Lauren William Rosenquist
Andrea Cohen- Hester Bonnie Saia
Hughes Noreen Mckenty Courtney Sakellaris
Agrimonti and Clifford Hunt Anais Medina Emma Salustro
Kenneth Agrimonti

This list includes FIRST TIME DONORS rom January 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021. If we attributed your name incorrectly or omitted it, please accept
our sincerest apologies and let us know by contacting [email protected].

Become a Hunger Hero!

Providing year round support
to Beyond Hunger gives your
neighbors a foundation to rely
on. Become a hunger hero by joining our
Hunger Free 365 monthly giving community!
Scan QR code or log on to learn more about
ways to give at GoBeyondHunger.org/donate

Nonprofit Organization
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Harnessing the power of
communities to end hunger.

September is Hunger Action Month. All
month you’ll find ways to engage, raise
awareness, and help end hunger at
GoBeyondHunger.org/HungerActionMonth

We are Powered by Volunteers!

Darlene Smith first started volunteering at
Beyond Hunger with her daughter and her
friends in 2010. Since retiring, she is here each
week to help sign people in. Her friendly face
helps ease the way for newcomers and
returning guests alike.

“I’ve really enjoyed helping
people register as they arrive to
the food pantry. I know I’m really
helping someone out.”
- Darlene

Consider joining our Volunteer Team! We offer a variety of shifts including data entry, repacking,
serving food pantry guests, home delivery, unloading delivery trucks, and more.
Sign up at www.GoBeyondHunger.org/volunteer