Octoberfest 2022 Fundraiser

We are fundraising to help support rising costs due to the increased number of families that turn to the Pilsen Food Pantry for emergency food services. Prior to COVID, the pantry helped 160-180 families weekly; now we average 360 households. In September, we broke records with over 400 visitors. To respond to our neighbors' needs, we have hired more staff and even purchase fresh produce. Our biggest zip codes are 60608, 60616, and 60632, communities with few to no food pantries for struggling families. Please help us meet our fundraising goal and continue to provide the support families experiencing poverty need to be healthy and well. Food is a human right!

The Pilsen Food Pantry is the largest program of the Figueroa Wu Family Foundation Foundation', an emergency food pantry open Monday through Friday. Each week, the Pantry distributes over 24,000 pounds of food to families in need, plus more than 2000 pounds of food/supplies to fellow mutual aid organizations and street medicine groups. Of course, food insecurity is a proxy for poverty and we have worked to respond to other community needs. Other programs include a free clothing program, a pro bono physical therapy and medical supply program, literacy services (book box, Headstart enrollment, and school supplies), free food delivery for homebound clients, and seasonal distributions (holiday meals, December gifts, and more).

The Figueroa Wu Family Foundation was founded in 2017 by Drs. Evelyn Figueroa & Alex Wu, two family physicians from immigrant families. They have worked in safety net settings their entire careers and strive to improve community health. Again and again, they saw how the health of their patients suffered due to decreased access to basic human needs. In 2018, Evelyn and Alex formed an antipoverty organization that mainly serves people on the lower west side of Chicago. Community needs continue to grow and in 2021 the Foundation provided over $2.6M of services to 23,000 families. Addressing social determinants of health is the public health crisis of our lifetime and the Foundation is committed to creating sustainable solutions for directing community resources equitably.