More than 200 volunteers filled the gym at Forest Park Middle School on Martin Luther King Jr. Day for District 91’s third annual Day of Service on Jan. 19.
During the event, volunteers packed non-perishable meals and collected essential household and toiletry items for members of the community who are currently experiencing food or housing insecurity.
Organized by the Forest Park PTO and District 91, the event was attended by students, families, D91 staff and community members.
Rachelle Ernst, director of engagement for D91, said volunteers packed about 35,000 meals, which consisted of pasta with Tomato Basil sauce.
After the event, the meals were delivered to the Forest Park Community Fridge, the Howard Mohr Community Center food pantry, and the St. Bernardine Parish food pantry.
“I am so proud of how our community showed up for each other and I have no doubt that this will continue to grow and be something that people look forward to every year,” Ernst said.
According to Ernst, the event has grown in size and impact since first being established three years ago. Volunteers packed 1,650 meals during year one and 9,500 meals during year two.
“This year, we met our 30,000-meal goal through fundraising initiatives,” Ernst said.
Kc Mutchler, president of the Forest Park PTO, said they partnered with an organization called Feed6 for this years’ Day of Service. Feed6 is a Chicagoland hunger-relief initiative that hosts large-scale meal-packing events that provide nutritious meals to families in need.
“We had 14 long tables with assembly lines set up,” Mutchler said. “There were 10 to 12 volunteers at each table and a table lead that helped keep people on track.”
Mutchler said numerous local organizations and small businesses helped sponsor the event, including U3 Coffee and the Park District of Forest Park.
“D209 and Proviso East sponsored a whole table and staffed it with all the volunteers,” Mutchler said.
At each table, volunteers measured, poured and sealed individual bags of pasta meals.
“I think we have an incredibly unique district,” Mutchler said. “We’re in this beautiful little pocket — this area that’s both urban and suburban — but it really does feel like a small community. We take care of each other.”
Ernst said incorporating local sponsors helped increase the number of meals that they were able to pack and donate this year. Sponsoring a table for $500 resulted in 1,250 packed meals and co-sponsoring a table for $250 resulted in 625 packed meals.
“The Day of Service is a great example of what happens when parents partner with the school district to plan and execute an event that really embodies what we stand for as a district,” Ernst said. “This event directly benefits people in our own community.”
