Before Melina Wilson (pictured) visited Sheridan Market, she’d been living without help from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for months. Her benefits had been cut, and the application and paperwork to reapply for the program has been difficult for her – in part because of her housing status.
That challenge brought Wilson, 57, to Nourishing Hope for support earlier this year.
“I kept going to bed with no food in my stomach, so I turned to y’all for help. ‘Cause there was nowhere else to turn to,” Wilson said.” I’m glad for y’all’s support – y’all was there for me.”
Wilson was receiving around $200 a month in SNAP benefits to buy her groceries, an average of about $6.45 a day. She was often going to bed hungry even with support from that program.
Wilson has faced many challenges. But no matter what happens, it’s in her nature to find the silver lining. She’s experienced homelessness, but has a place to stay for now. Her friends and family live out of town, but she can sometimes afford a Metra ride to go visit. In many ways she feels alone, but Wilson said she feels joy when she visits Nourishing Hope.
Her eyes lit up when she unpacked her grocery order outside Sheridan Market on a recent afternoon.
“I feel happy. Happy knowing that I’ll get meals to eat. Knowing that my belly will be filled up, no malnutrition, got some nutrition in it – it makes me feel happy,” she said.
Melina Wilson selects her preferred grocery items at Sheridan Market.
Excited to see her fresh breads and vegetables, Wilson said that she likes to cook when she has access to a kitchen. She uses the vegetables and potatoes she receives to make one of her favorite meals, veggie stew. She likes to make the stew because it can last her a while. “I’ve been coming here once a month, or sometimes I get another package, depending on how low I am, down on food,” she said.
All neighbors who receive food from Nourishing Hope are eligible for a full order of groceries once a month, which includes shelf-stable items, fresh produce, frozen items, bread, dairy products, hygiene items, and more. And they all may return once a month for a bonus pickup of fresh produce, bread, and supplemental items.
Wilson advocates for other unhoused people. She believes that everyone deserves nutritious food and resources.
“I’m glad for y’all being here for the homeless – we need support when we’re down and low on food,” she said.
Nourishing Hope volunteer, Judy F., helps a neighbor check-in at Sheridan Market.
If neighbors are experiencing homelessness or don’t have access to a kitchen to cook meals in, Nourishing Hope has a ready-to-eat grocery selection with shelf-stable, pre-packaged, and microwavable foods.
Before she left Sheridan Market with full grocery bags on both arms, Wilson turned back and asked about support with social services: “Do y’all have other resources too?”
Nourishing Hope staff gave her a flyer with information on how to connect with the social services team. Wilson smiled. “Wow, OK – housing, mental health, food stamps, OK wow – thanks a lot,” she said.
Nourishing Hope has a full time housing case manager to support neighbors like Melina Wilson, along with six additional case managers and seven therapists. If you know someone who’s seeking mental health and/or social services, encourage them to reach out to our team at [email protected] or by calling 773-525-1777 ext. 300.
(All photos by Alyssa Schukar for Nourishing Hope.)