Do you like getting a workout in – with some friendly competition – while supporting Nourishing Hope? Join us in the months of November and December and get a workout while giving back!

We need heavy lifters during our busiest time of year. The more Heavy Lifting shifts you can support during those months, the closer YOU could be to being the Nourishing Hope Heavy Lifting Champion!

And, guess what? We have prizes for all volunteers who participate in the competition! Click here for more details and join the competition!

Did you know that folks who receive SNAP benefits (aka food stamps) can’t use them to buy hygiene essentials like soap and toothpaste?

If you are thinking about organizing a food drive at your workplace, school, community or faith-based organization, please consider hosting a drive for hygiene items instead. You can find the list of currently most needed items here and drop your donation off at the Hub or HQ.

Oliver and Jessica R.:

Our family started volunteering about five years ago. The goal was to get our son Hugo involved in helping people in the community. We started with Jessica as the driver, while Hugo and I were the helpers. As Hugo got older it became more and more difficult to get him out of bed on a Saturday morning, so we now leave him at home with Archie (our dog).

Volunteering has become part of our routine. We have a recurring shift every Saturday, so we don’t have to manually book shifts week after week (pro tip: just make your shift recurring and cancel when you’re out of town). I intend to continue volunteering as long as I can for two reasons: Firstly, because food insecurity and the needs of the community are not diminishing in any way, and secondly, because it’s the only day of the week people are happy to see me!

Wayne O.

Back in 2022, my regular volunteer shift was being moved from the Hub to the new Headquarters. I asked Aliya where I could go next, to continue supporting Nourishing Hope. She immediately said: Home Delivery South & West, if I had a reliable car – which I did. Done! I went to Headquarters and met Natia – who has the most unbelievable passion and spirit for helping people – and she got me set up for the East route. I’m still doing it to this day!

In addition, Natia helped make a video of the deliveries and things to see on the South Side after the deliveries were done, which I thought was really cool. I also drive for Home Delivery North whenever I’m in town. It’s just a great feeling to be able to help and the Saturday morning works well with everyone’s busy schedules and lives. The crews at Headquarters and the Hub are top notch and loading up the car is a snap.

Koli D.

Home Delivery has given me special time to connect with my kids. I was so excited when my kids could finally drive themselves to their sports practices and school, but didn’t realize the toll that newfound independence would take on our time to connect and have conversations daily. Doing Home Delivery with one of my teenagers, or my husband, allows my family to spend a couple hours together while helping members of the community, and doubles as a time to reconnect and have conversations like the old days of "MomTaxi". It’s cliche, but the time goes by so fast.

Julie and Ben D.

We really enjoy doing home deliveries with Nourishing Hope. It’s two hours out of our Saturday morning routine and we look forward to it each week.

We were looking for a more hands-on opportunity and love seeing the clients each week. They are so sweet and appreciative!

Meet Rueben

Have you met our neighbor (and chess wiz!) Rueben at Sheridan Market? He spoke with us recently about what keeps him going despite recent challenges – a close call, a knee injury, and losing his job. Click here to read his story, Finding hope through fresh food and a classic game: ‘Chess. It takes my mind off of a lot of things, a lot of the pain.’

Laura joined the Nourishing Hope team a month ago, bringing more than a decade of experience working in fundraising, marketing, communications, and leadership roles at nonprofits in Nashville, TN, Portland, OR, and at a national level.

On her first career path she worked as a journalist in fast-paced daily news rooms, first as a photographer and writer, then as a community news editor. She decided to align her professional path more closely with her passion to support hunger-focused social services and social justice organizations, and she pivoted to nonprofit communications and development work.

She champions equity in access to nutritious food, she strives to build authentic connections for storytelling, and she’s eager to connect with team members and volunteers and build community partnerships. Laura is thrilled to support Nourishing Hope in its vital work supporting our neighbors in need.

Her joys outside of doing this work include cooking and teaching people with specific dietary needs how to cook delicious food, yoga (let her know if you’d like to take a class together!), live music and theater. She also loves wandering neighborhoods without a plan, in Chicago and around the world, to encounter interesting people … and a great plate of food!

This month, we are featuring Rocio H., a Hub and Sheridan Market volunteer who is also one of our dedicated volunteer ambassadors. Enjoy these words from Rocio!

I have volunteered at Nourishing Hope for the last 9 years. It has been a joyful and constant reminder of my mother’s teaching: to help the small circle of people before you, and then to watch that circle get bigger and bigger.

I lived in Ohio before moving to Chicago. For many years I volunteered at a food pantry and delivered meals to the elderly and people living with disabilities. I wanted to continue my ministry here in Chicago. A friend guided me first to Sheridan Market – still Lakeview Pantry at the time – until the Hub opened. I love to cook and make healthy meals, so volunteering at the Hub gleaning food makes me happy to know that our clients can be provided with quality food.

Feeding the poor has always been my most rewarding ministry. I grew up in Colombia, South America, where poverty and hunger are so devastating; I knew I needed to get involved here and do as my mother taught me.



I am a retired teacher. I love to read, cook, and play tennis, but Nourishing Hope allows me to not only meet other volunteers but to know and understand more about the needs of the community we live in.

Watching Nourishing Hope be what it is today from when I started in 2015, not only a place where those in need can get food but many other resources, is truly amazing to me. It continues to prove to me that little by little, organizations like this will always be a source of hope for those in need, and I am proud to be a small part of such a huge endeavor.

Rocio, thank you for all you do to support Nourishing Hope’s mission!

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