Marillac Social Center

Welcome to Marillac!

7-28-10

Food Depository Internship Program Helps Keep Pantry Doors Open

When Sister Catherine Marie Lowe started as director of Family Services for Marillac Social Center in July 2009, she was the department’s only staff member. With the array of services Marillac offered, Sister Catherine was quickly overwhelmed by the breadth of her responsibilities. Lacking the funds to hire more full-time help, Sister Catherine made the difficult decision to temporarily close the agency’s food pantry until she got a better hold on the agency’s other programs.

Aware of Sister Catherine’s struggles, the Greater Chicago Food Depository contacted Marillac about a new internship program made possible by a partnership with AmeriCorps and the Lillian and Larry Goodman Foundations. In September 2009, Marillac was paired with two full-time AmeriCorps interns, Whitney Allen and Jaimie Perez. With their support, Marillac was able to reopen its food pantry to its neighbors in need. Simply put, “without [the interns], we could not have a pantry,” Sister Catherine said.

Whitney and Jaimie took over every level of pantry operations, including ordering food from the Food Depository and organizing volunteers during thrice-weekly distributions. Both enrolled in Food Depository Pantry University training courses to learn more about food pantry operations. The classes caused Whitney to rethink how Marillac distributes food to clients.

“I began to think about what I would want from a pantry,” she said. By employing a choice system where clients can pick the food they take home rather than distributing pre-packaged bags, “we are empowering clients—they can feel like they are shopping.”

Staff and volunteers also made an effort to welcome each client to the pantry to help make them more comfortable. “We always have someone to greet clients,” Jaimie said. “Someone to wave them in and welcome them.”

Beyond fine-tuning distribution logistics, Whitney and Jaimie began developing new ways to expand the pantry’s offerings and improve the overall client experience.

A new, electronic intake system helps Marillac organize client data and track the needs of clients. By getting to know clients and following their history with the pantry, Whitney and Jaimie are better able to suggest additional services to help clients beyond food assistance.

Whitney and Jaimie also worked with the University of Illinois Chicago’s Chicago Partnership for Health Promotion to offer nutrition classes to pantry clients. In January, Marillac kicked off their first six-week course.

“We started with a small group” Jaimie said. “But every week, someone would bring a friend along.” The group—which soon grew to more than 10 regular participants—learned healthy cooking tips, how to read food nutritional labels and ways to stay physically fit. “We try to make nutrition accessible,” Jaimie said. “Everyone can relate and talk about their own lives.”

Marillac has made tremendous progress since its re-opening and shows no signs of slowing down. Whitney and Jaimie plan to offer a financial literacy course for clients and begin fundraising efforts for the upcoming Hunger Walk on June 26.

For Sister Catherine, Whitney and Jaimie have helped uncover the potential the pantry has to help those in need on the West Side. “We’re going to the sky,” Sister Catherine said.

-Reprinted from the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s Food for Thought publication

5-26-10

Chicago Young Professionals Come Together to Benefit the Marillac Food Pantry

On Wednesday April 28th, 20 volunteers, organized by the Marillac Associate Board, came together at the Greater Chicago Food Depository to donate their time on behalf of the Marillac Social Center Food Pantry. Through the efforts of this group, the food pantry was able to purchase nearly 4,000 pounds of donated food to help feed individuals and families in need on Chicago’s West Side.

The Marillac Social Center Associate Board truly is a dedicated group of individuals with the Center’s Mission at the core of what they do. The Board meets on a monthly basis to plan fundraising events and volunteer opportunities.

5-24-10

After School Program Brings Together Fun and Learning

Throughout the month of May and into June, the After School Program at Marillac has started an “enrichment activities” rotating schedule for the children. The new schedule includes everything from Cooking and Wood Shop to Dancing, Large Group Cooperative Games and Choir.

The Children have very much enjoyed their new activities during the first two weeks and each day brings something new for them to learn.

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Marillac Social Center

St. Vincent de Paul Center

Daughters of Charity

De Paul University

St. Vincent de Paul Parish

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Affiliations

Welcome to Marillac Social Center, a beacon of hope on Chicago’s West Side. Marillac Social Center is a 501(c)3, non-profit organization that focuses on strengthening and empowering children and families. Established in 1914, Marillac provides early childhood education, teen mentoring, family support services and companionship and assistance to the elderly. Marillac strives to be a beacon of hope for the over 9,000 individuals served yearly.