NORTH PARK — There's never been a better excuse to treat yourself.
On Monday, Beijo de Chocolat will donate half of its sales to the families left homeless by the Nov. 9 North Park apartment fire that claimed the life of 10-year-old Peterson Elementary student Ans Khan and sent 11 other people to the hospital.
Beijo, at 3334 W. Foster Ave., is open 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Stop by for a latte, handmade chocolate or pastry to contribute to the effort.
"Chicago may be a big city, but it's times like these when neighborhoods band together," owner Laura Case posted on the shop's Facebook page.
The Friends of Peterson organization continues to accept tax-deductible monetary donations for the families via its website. Checks can be mailed to Peterson Elementary, 5510 N. Christiana Ave., Chicago, IL 60625, c/o Friends of Peterson, with "Fire Victims Fund" written in the memo field.
Individuals who know of rental opportunities or are interested in offering legal expertise or other assistance to the affected families should email petersonfriends@gmail.com.
In a message to members of the community, Catherine Korda, vice president of Friends of Peterson, noted, "While tangible gifts and money are very helpful to each family ... we cannot underestimate the power of encouragement."
Those who have words of sympathy or support to share with the families can send letters to the school that will be delivered by the Peterson Crisis Response Team, Korda said.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
