growing home benefit June 6th

On a typical night in Chicago, more than 21,000 people are homeless. Only a fifth of that number are served in shelters, and the total number skyrockets when the number of “underhoused,” ie., families living on top of each other, is taken into account. With the demand for public housing doubling the number of units available in the city, housing is literally impossible for thousands of people.

Growing Home, an offshoot of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, has taken on the mission “To provide job training and create employment opportunities for homeless and low-income people in Chicago within the context of an organic agriculture business.” The organization has been around for more than ten years, training its program participants on three farms, two of which are actually in the city itself, and growing the high-end, organic, sustainable produce that it sells at farmer’s markets.

Since 1992, they have “Seen a 90% success rate in participants improving their living situations, either by finding stable long-term housing or renting their own apartments,” and have also helped their graduates secure employment in many different fields, accomplishments that have been recognized nationally and internationally.

Their annual benefit is being held on June 6^th, featuring a gourmet meal prepared by chefs such as Shawn and Holly McClain (Green Zebra) and Paul Virant (Vie) and a keynote address by Chef Art Smith. Visit www.growinghomeinc.org for more information.

You can also support their efforts to end homelessness in several other ways:

*Contribute – Donations and gifts make it possible to purchase necessary supplies.

*Volunteer – Whether as a mentor or working on the farm. Contact Rebekah Silverman at (312) 435-8601.

*Educate – Yourself and others: learn more at growinghomeinc.org

*Buy – Growing Home sells its locally grown, organic produce at the Green City Market in Lincoln Park every Wednesday and Sunday during the summer months. You can also support the Coalition for the Homeless by purchasing free-trade organic coffee through their site, www.chicagohomeless.org