Media contact:
Greg Trotter, 773-850-9745
greg.trotter@nourishinghopechi.org
Lakeview Pantry rebrands as Nourishing Hope, plans to serve more people in need
Nourishing Hope also opens new headquarters and online market pickup site with goal of expanding food, mental wellness and social service programs to communities across the city
Lakeview Pantry is changing its name to Nourishing Hope and opening a new centrally located headquarters as it grows to serve more people in a time of heightened food insecurity.
Founded in 1970, Lakeview Pantry has come to be known as one of the largest, most innovative and longest continually operating food pantries in the city. But the organization has grown and evolved to become more than a North Side food pantry, as it provides free food, mental wellness counseling and other social services, such as job and housing assistance, to people throughout the city.
As Nourishing Hope, the organization seeks to grow its impact at a time when many Chicagoans are struggling to consistently afford nutritious meals while navigating other complex challenges. The location of the new 21,600-square-foot headquarters, at 1716 W. Hubbard Street, is significant to Nourishing Hope’s plans of building more partnerships with organizations — and ultimately serving more people — on the South and West Sides.
“Far too many of our Chicago neighbors are experiencing hunger, mental health challenges and unstable housing on any given day,” CEO Kellie O’Connell said. “As Nourishing Hope, we plan to provide more families with nourishment and hope for a brighter tomorrow. Our name has changed, but our values and our passion for this work remain constant.”
Nourishing Hope began the process of rebranding in 2019 after coming to the realization that its legacy name, while strong in reputation, no longer represented the work of the agency and was limiting plans to scale its impact. Rebranding took a backseat once the pandemic hit in March 2020, as the organization focused all of its efforts toward meeting the unprecedented need for food assistance. In January of this year, the rebranding effort was relaunched in partnership with Substance, a Chicago-based branding firm known for its work with nonprofits.
On March 29, Lakeview Pantry’s board of directors unanimously approved the new brand and name, Nourishing Hope, which is official as of today.
“Nourishing Hope is what we do and, in many ways, what we’ve always done,” said Casey Herman, president of Nourishing Hope’s board of directors. “By providing families with food, mental health counseling and other supportive services, we’re nourishing hope for a brighter collective future.”
Nourishing Hope’s new headquarters is its fourth and most center-city location. Between the two buildings on the property, it includes capacity for food storage, administrative offices, mental wellness offices and the online market program.
Twice a week at the site, Nourishing Hope will provide a drive-through distribution of food for people who order food through the online market program. Launched in 2019, this first of its kind program in Chicago offers online choice of groceries for pick up at multiple locations.
Nourishing Hope receives more than half of its donated food from its longtime partner, the Greater Chicago Food Depository; the rest comes from major grocery retailers.
“For more than four decades, the Greater Chicago Food Depository has been proud to partner with and support the vital work of Lakeview Pantry,” said Kate Maehr, executive director and CEO of the Food Depository. “We are now proud to partner with Nourishing Hope as they evolve their brand and expand their services during a time of elevated need. We look forward to the combined impact we will make on our community today, tomorrow and until we end hunger and its root causes.”
Nourishing Hope also provides food, social services, and mental health services at three other locations: the Sheridan Market in Lakeview; the Fresh Market in partnership with La Casa Norte in Humboldt Park; and the Hub, which is not a walk-in food pantry, but a warehouse and online market pickup site.
Nourishing Hope intends to grow its online market and home delivery programs out of the new headquarters, forming new partnerships with other nonprofits, schools and senior living facilities on the South and West Side. Since 1989, Nourishing Hope has provided home delivery to older adults and people with disabilities. This program doubled in size during the pandemic; the need is expected to continue to grow.
For more information, please visit our new website at nourishinghopechi.org or follow our new social media handles, @NourishingHopeChi on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn and @NourishHopeChi on Twitter.
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About Nourishing Hope
Nourishing Hope, formerly known as Lakeview Pantry, is a dynamic social services organization providing food, mental wellness counseling and other social services, such as job and housing assistance, to our Chicago neighbors in need. Founded in 1970, we strive to serve the needs of the whole person. We do this through providing food assistance and social service programming for our neighbors throughout the city at multiple physical sites, as well as through an online market and home delivery program.
Nourishing Hope provides about 4 million meals a year, in proud partnership with the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the food bank serving Chicago and Cook County. This year, we also expect to provide more than 6,000 case management and free mental wellness services to our neighbors.