Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Care for Real is committed to staying open throughout the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak and helping those in need. Our vulnerable neighbors are relying on Care for Real now more than ever to help them through this difficult time. Food is in high demand and prices are rising. Our clients’ children won’t receive hot breakfast and lunches in school. And we expect an influx of new clients as layoffs and reduced paychecks add to the strain people already face.
We will be here for our neighbors now as we have been for the last 49 years.
In addition to following the CDC and the Chicago Department of Health guidelines to keep our clients, volunteers and staff healthy, we are implementing a new distribution plan so that we can continue to provide food to our neighbors in need. The plan is outlined below. Ensuring our clients have enough food and that all are as safe as possible will be expensive. We need your support more than ever to buy the things we need and to add extra precautions so that we can help all who come to us. To make a donation to support us during this time, please click here.
A New Distribution Plan Protects Clients, Volunteers and Staff
Because of the emphasis on “social distancing,” Care for Real has a new plan for distributing food that eliminates the need for clients to wait in close proximity in our waiting room.
Starting this week, we are moving away from the client choice model where clients can “shop” for their groceries. Instead, we are preparing pre-packed “grab and go” bags. The bags will be customized to meet dietary restrictions and sized for each household. Clients will be admitted into the waiting room two at a time to register and get their food. We will be sanitizing regularly and minimizing physical contact between clients, volunteers and staff.
Regrettably, our clothing closet will be closed temporarily, again to minimize contact and reduce possible transmission of the virus. Fortunately, this is occurring during a transition season – after people have received winter clothing and before summer. Please hold on to clothing donations until we reopen the clothing closet in the coming weeks. We will greatly appreciate the restock at that time.
If you are available to help us distribute food as we implement these changes, we would be very grateful. Please e-mail our volunteer coordinator to sign up at volunteer@careforreal.org.
Thank you for your continued support, as we come together as a community during these challenging times. Click here to make a donation to help with our COVID-19 response.
info@careforreal.org 773.769.6182 5339 N. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60640