March Televisions Distributed to food pantry clients in need.

April   June December Food Tuna, peanut butter, tomato sauce, canned vegetables (corn, green beans, peas), macaroni and cheese, , spaghetti, powdered milk, apple sauce, breakfast cereal, oatmeal, cooking oils. Turkeys, Hams, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie mix, and stuffing appreciated in November.

May Office Supplies Xerox paper, message pads, 8.5*11 Manilla Envelopes, blank floppy discs, mailing labels (1*2.63”), CD-R writeable discs, computers & Monitors (must be functional).

July  House Keeping Paper towels, glass cleaner, dish soap, brown bags, toilet paper, all purpose cleaners.

August School Supplies Backpacks, socks, notebooks, pens, pencils, scissors, glue stick, lined paper, binders, calculators, crayons.

September Transportation Bus passes for important client appointments.

October Toiletries toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, razors, feminine hygiene products, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, lip balm, and soap.

October  Halloween Candy Children in the Uptown make it a tradition to stop by the Ministry for the best candy.

November Winter Warmers Hats, gloves, scarves, socks *although we give some out to children from the food pantry, the majority are distributed at holiday dinners and in the drop in center for homeless adults.

December Toys For all ages through 18. Toys for teenagers and boys are usually the most needed. These toys stock our Toy Store which low income families 'shop' for a small suggested donation.

December Holiday Gifts Approx.150 Gifts are distributed to our Seniors, ESL women, after-school Juntos Kids, Volunteers, Grow Group and AA members receive gifts during the holidays.

December Homemade Holiday Cookies A tradition during the holiday to have homemade cookies available in the drop in center.

Other Ways to Get Involved

• Join us for a 'Brunch on Us' by organizing 8-15 friends from your church or organization to come to the Ministry for a Saturday brunch. You'll get a tour of the Ministry, brunch on us, and most importantly community members will be present to tell their story. Walking tours of Uptown are also available. For details contact Shawna Tuttle at 773.271.3760
• Organizing a Martha Dinner for a Saturday, preparing food for about 50 people to begin serving at 12 pm at the Uptown Ministry.  There is also generally an entertainment segment with the event ending around 2 pm.  Reserve early, dates fill up quick! For details contact Michelle Simmons.
• Solicit volunteers to participate in the ‘Church World Services’ Annual Cropwalk in October Either to walk in the crop walk or to sponsor Ministry youth who will be walking in the event.
• The Greater Chicago Food Depository also opens their doors to volunteers who would like to work at the Depository located in South Chicago in exchange for a reduction in our monthly food bill. For details click here.
• In Honor - A meaningful, living gift to a friend, relative, or colleague through a donation honoring anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, weddings, holidays, or any special occasion. Include your designation with your gift.
• In Memory – A personal remembrance that honors the life of a friend, relative, or colleague with a gift of love and hope. Include your designation with your gift.
• Donate to your church to your outreach or mission envelope or directly to the Ministry!
• Budget Line Item - Consider making Chicago Uptown Ministry a line item in your organization’s annual budget.
• Volunteer or Solicit Volunteers to work for at the Ministry tutoring with the after school program, the ESL women’s class, during drop in hours, grant writing, newsletter editing, or organizing the food pantry.
• Donate Professional Services such as medical services, legal, photography, website maintenance, and more.

*Unless otherwise indicated, interested parties can contact Shawna Tuttle for further details on any of these opportunities.