LINCOLN SQUARE — Neighborhood charities need love during the holidays just as much as neighborhood businesses.
On Giving Tuesday, a global movement to give back to people and charitable organizations, here are a few ideas for how you can donate local.
• Help keep your neighbors from going hungry by giving to area food pantries (click here). Additionally, the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce will be collecting non-perishables on behalf of the Lincoln Square Friendship Center and Common Pantry, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday, 2611 W. Lawrence Ave.
• World Relief Chicago provides support to low-income immigrants and refugees. In 2017, the organization expects to resettle 500 refugee families and has an extensive Christmas "wish list" (click here). Items can be dropped of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays, 3507 W. Lawrence Ave.
• Ravenswood-based Jane Addams Resource Corporation teaches workers the skills they need to earn a living wage (specifically targeting the manufacturing sector), connects trainees with employers and helps clients create long-term financial plans.
• Night Ministry, 4711 N. Ravenswood Ave., provides housing and health care to adults, teens, pregnant women and new moms.
• Hands to Help assists homeless people or individuals in danger of becoming homeless. By providing wrap-around services, Hands to Help gets these folks on sturdier ground.
• Albany Park Community Center offers a wide range of programs and services including a computer lab that provides free Internet access to adults, job training, counseling for children and teens, GED classes, English as a Second Language classes and early childhood education.
• Carlson Community Services in Irving Park operates an after school program, hosts fine arts and theatrical performances free of charge, and runs an organic community garden that provides fresh produce to the Irving Park Community Food Pantry.
• Bikes 'N' Roses in Albany Park is one part full-service bike shop, one part youth mentoring program, training the next generation of bike mechanics and entrepreneurs.
• Awakenings Foundation, 4001 N. Ravenswood Ave., provides a home for art by survivors of rape and sexual abuse. On Dec. 11, Eats & Sweets Cafe is co-hosting an Awareness Dinner with the foundation, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost is $35 for the four-course prix fixe menu (BYOB), with $10 going to the foundation. To RSVP or for more information, email margaret@eatsandsweetscafe.org or call 313-204-3289.
• Park advisory councils and civic associations are the engines behind so many of the events and so much of the advocacy that make our neighborhoods feel like small towns in a big city. And they do it all on teeny tiny budgets. Consider boosting their bottom lines this holiday season.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here.
