THE LOOP — Diana York loves the opera.
She's seen more than 150 shows here in Chicago, some of them up to five times. Including repeat trips, she estimates she's been to the opera more than 1,000 times.
But since York, 92, moved to a Montclare nursing home eight years ago, she hadn't seen any operas at all.
Until last week, thanks to a new Chicago charity.
One Dream, founded by suburban Norridge resident Melissa Cosentino, crowd-funds to turn senior citizens' wishes into reality. The first beneficiary was York, who got to see "The Passenger" Thursday at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, 20 N. Wacker Drive.
"It was a very good day because it was something different that I hadn't done in so long," York said.
Dave Matthews says York enjoyed the show:
Nick Cosentino, One Dream's president and Melissa's husband, said his wife, a social service director at a Norridge nursing home and Loyola University graduate student, was inspired by a school prompt to come up with her own nonprofit organization, and the fact that more than half of this country's senior citizens live in poverty.
"It’s probably a bigger problem than we can fix on our own, but at least we can bring some smiles and experiences to people who otherwise couldn’t afford to do that on their own," Nick Cosentino said.
One Dream assists Chicagoans and suburbanites at least 65 years old living on less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The charity also focuses on storytelling as a way to crowd-fund online to realize seniors' dreams.
A Promotional One Dream video for York's Opera trip.
One Dream accepts modest donations online, but hopes it will receive grant funding and notice from "bigger donors" as the charity builds momentum. But for now, One Dream has two new exciting projects on deck: a woman who wants to ride in a Chicago traffic helicopter, and a cancer survivor who wants to treat her loved ones to dinner at an Italian restaurant.
"We're just getting started," Nick Cosentino said.
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