ICWEN continues serving our ICWEN community. Since the pandemic, every week we pick up food from various food pantries and deliver to families, sick and elderly clients who are in need of food.
We have introduced our Integrative Nutrition Health Program to coach clients with eating healthy and addressing issues and concerns they are struggling with that have magnified
since the pandemic.
It is not just about the nutritious foods on our plate, but everything else that fills us up and make us feel whole. We address areas of emotional and mental well being, relationships, career and the sense of balance and belonging.
Our mission continues to be to serve women and their families and offering a holistic approach to staying healthy and whole.
We look forward to continuing to serve our community believing "With One Hand Helping Another- Everyone Can Win With ICWEN"!
Preparing food bags for delivery to senior citizens, disabled, homeless shelter, sober living transitional house for men and domestic violence home for women and children.
Impact of the ICWEN Community Fridge:
We are consistently serving up to 50 families per week - (200 - 250 families per month).This initiative touches so many lives with all types of situations and circumstances.
As we evaluate distribution, it shows us that our food recipients have a broad range of issues and illnesses. We serve dialysis patients, kidney recipients, lupus patients, people with dementia and/or alzheimer, grandmothers who are raising their grandchildren, exhausted caregivers, working mothers who need a little more food on their tables, a sober living transitional house for men, homeless communities, baby boomers that receive social security but it's not enough to purchase food and medicine too, diabetes patients, veterans, physically challenged disabilities, mental health issues, multiple sclerosis patients, people with sleep disorders, depression and a spectrum of other illness and issues.
Food opens up people to communicate with each other. Nutritional knowledge helps to understand the body better. Knowing what proper nutrition is, what to eat and how to take care of the body increases energy, eliminate fatigue and stress, gets rid of digestive issues, acne and a host of other aliments.
Stress has a direct affect for causing illnesses. When the body is healthy, the mind is healthy and a person is happy. Happy individuals make happy families. Happy families create happier communities.
There's always discussions on food intake, calories and food choices at the Community Fridge.
Senior men fit in at ICWEN fridge:
Families visit ICWEN Community Fridge. Mothers, fathers and children learning about healthy eating together.
Conversations around the Community Fridge. So much information to learn and to share...........
Having fresh foods readily available makes a big difference in what we put into our bodies daily. ICWEN Community Fridge 2020 Vision: Focus on Intuitive Eating - LET's STAY HEALTHY! Our Motto: With One Hand Helping Another, Working Together to Make it Happen -- Everyone Can WIN with I C WEN".
Donations from individuals, groups and restaurants like Starbucks given to the ICWEN Community Fridge. The impact of food donations allows the team to distribute to people that walk in and deliver to seniors and those with disabilities that can't come to the Fridge.
Icwen Community children
ICWEN COMMUNITY
Thanks to ChangeX
The funding for the Chicago Sustainability Challenge sponsored by the Microsoft Datacenter Community Development Team and ChangeX has provided a much needed service to the ICWEN Community with the establishment of the ICWEN COMMUNITY FRIDGE. Women and their families in need of a little more on their tables are able to get fresh nutritious fruits and vegetables to eat. This provides not only nourishment the body, but with the trainings, programs and support systems offered by the Inner City Women's Empowerment Network they also receive nourishment for the mind and spirit too.
The ICWEN Community Fridge Initiative has provided a great benefit to the Inner City Women Empowerment community. We are providing fresh fruits and vegetables, breads and packaged meals to women and families that need it. ICWEN is partnering with local food pantries and churches to receive excess food they acquire from the Greater Food Depository after they give through their Food Pantry.
We work collectively with several sororities, fraternities and the 200+ Seniors Association on their food and supply giveaways. ICWEN is contacting and partnering with local restaurants to receive over produced or left over packaged items for our community fridge.
The food we receive has not gone to waste. It has serviced over 100+ families (approximately 225 people and growing) per month.
Many of the recipients are referrals. Some come directly to our community fridge, but many are referred via conversations around the fridge. We deliver to senior citizen's and people with disabilities that need fresh fruits and vegetables but cannot come to our location. Some already receive Meals on Wheels deliveries, but the fresh nutritious fruits and greens, beans, peas, potatoes, carrots, etc. adds variety and make delicious healthy meals. They are excited to get the food and like talking about vegetable gardens, preparing meals and cooking with spices. ICWEN will continue this service to our seniors and disabled.
There is a huge need within the Inner City Women Empowerment Network of women and their families for the community fridge. Although there are food pantries throughout the Chicago area, they are limited to distribution by zip codes. The Greater Food Depository is not accepting partnerships at this time.
The advantage of the ICWEN Community Fridge is that we serve all women and their families, no matter where they live. There is no limit to how many families can be helped as we continue to grow this ICWEN Community Fridge Initiative and Food Pantry.
There is so much work to be done. We are motivated and energized to getting more fresh foods donated and volunteers to serve.
The funding for the Chicago Sustainability Challenge sponsored by the Microsoft Datacenter
Community Development Team and ChangeX has provided a great service for ICWEN community and will continue to have a powerful impact for many years to come.
Thank you Microsoft and ChangeX,
