Watching the grim reality of many of his congregants standing in line for non-perishable foods every week moved a South Side minister to launch a community forum to address the issue of hunger. Leonardo D. Gilbert, a minister and community activist, is sp
The forum will be held Feb. 20, 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. at Sheldon Heights Church of Christ, 11325 S. Halsted St. Gilbert, a Roseland resident, is a minister at the church, a member of the Local School Council and president of the advisory board for the Roseland Mental Health Center. He got the idea to sponsor a forum from watching all the families his church feeds every Tuesday through its Food Pantry program.
“I see so many families week after week standing in line with grim faces because they’re hungry and frustrated about their situation,” Gilbert said. “It hurts my heart to see so many people starving when we live in the richest country in the world.” Derek Simms, 44, is married with three teenage children and he and his wife are among those “repeat” families who come to Sheldon Heights each week seeking food.
“I lost my job nine months ago when my employer found out I had a felony conviction I didn’t disclose on my employment application,” he said. “My wife and I come here while our kids are in school because we don’t want them to know how bad things really are for us as a family.” His wife is also unemployed due to a disability.
The Roseland community is starving on many fronts beside food these days. It is also starving for more economic development, jobs and better schools, Gilbert added. “I also work with the LSC because I know many of our schools are not where they need to be and I want to help them improve.” He added that the average family living in Chicago spends one-third of their monthly income on food. Simms agreed.
“Food is so expensive nowadays, you sometimes have to decide if you are going to eat this month or pay your rent/mortgage,” Simms said. “For us the choice is easy because having a place to live is the most important bill in our home. That’s why we faithfully come to Sheldon Heights each week to receive food to supplement our groceries.”
Too often people are hesitant about giving money to local panhandlers because they fear they may use the money for drugs or alcohol and not food, said Michael Johnson, 35, a Roseland resident who works at Fenger Academy high school, 11220 S. Wallace St., as a security guard. “Not everyone who asks for change is a bum or on drugs,” Johnson said. “It is my belief that everyone is one paycheck from being hungry, so you should always keep that in mind when turning someone down.”
And Gilbert said if you do not feel comfortable giving money, buy them something to eat instead. “I get asked daily for money but everyone around here knows I do not give money but I will take you to McDonald’s and buy you something to eat,” he said.
“But even if you do give a person money and they do not buy food with it, God will still reward you for your efforts.” For more information about the forum, please call 773-568-2929.
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