Pictured Gabby Wadach, Beth Kulpinski and Laura Prochaska
The BEDS Plus food rescue team works together to provide over 1200 meals a week for the clients at BEDS Plus. This team coordinates weekly nutritious supplemental food boxes and meals for our housed clients, Cicero Avenue Emergency Shelter, Linda Sokol Francis Summit Medical Respite Center, motel based transitional shelter and Ogden Avenue supportive housing residents.
“The meal program gives people stability to work on other issues they have because they are not in survival mode searching or wondering where a meal is coming from,” shared Beth.
In the past, BEDS Plus meal teams at shelters provided dinner and breakfast but the need has grown to help clients experiencing food insecurity in all programs. The coordination of these meals can be daunting, but this energetic and dedicated team works together with the many volunteers to make sure health standards are adhered to and people are not going hungry.
Gabby also recognizes the connection between food and health. “Since working here, I see how many people in the community have barriers and need help. Medical care is a part of healing but nutritious food is part of healing as well,” she says.
A recent client was going through cancer treatments for 2 months and gained 20 much needed pounds. “She was getting healthy meals, raved about the quality, how much she enjoyed the food and that she is now healthier because of the consistent meals she received,” shared Beth.
The Food Rescue Team also practices conservation. Items that are unsuitable for consumption or excess are taken to ReConserve in Hodgkins – a feed facility that breaks down unused bread products for animals. Leftover or unusable produce is sent to Honey Bee Gardens for animal feed and inedible produce is composted for the BEDS vegetable and pollinator gardens.
Volunteers remain a key component to our food rescue program. “Volunteers bring a sense of community to the shelters providing another outlet for clients to talk and share their experiences to feel kindness and compassion about the tough times they are going through,” shared Gabby.
Cheryl, a former client, is now giving back as a volunteer. She picks up food rescue from McDonalds and Chic-fil-a and takes the buns and cheese donated from Trader Joe’s to create hot meals for our clients.
The impact of meals was felt keenly by Beth one day while working at shelter, “A new client had come in and he was a mess. I shared that he could get a hot dinner, and he began to cry. It wasn’t something he expected; the kindness shown to him was overwhelming and I cried right with him.”
We commend Gabby, Beth and Laura and their team of volunteers who are making a difference. If you would like to be part of this program to pick up and deliver food rescue items or make hot meals, please contact Terri Rivera at rivera@beds-plus.org or sign up for our Meal Train.