ONS supports PADS

Phyllis and Betty join forces to stock PADS

On Monday, March 14th, Phyllis Young helped us deliver the kitchen equipment to the PADS day center in Wheaton. The facility had been redone and most of the older kitchen equipment was about to "expire". Based on our work with PADS, a request was made for an entire kitchen "wish list". Because they serve so many meals each day at lunch, industrial strength and equipment up to code for restaurnat standards was required. Operation New Start stepped up and donated a part of their budget at the last meeting. Thank you to all at ALCW for raising the money, buying the items, and carting them to the day center.

                    ---Submitted by Betty Cronin 

PADS DuPage Executive DIrector Carol Simler was extremely grateful for the collaborative effort.  Operation New Start donated the funds that allowed Betty Cronin to shop for items on the extensive PADS wish list. For 25 years, DuPage PADS has provided hope for people who are homeless in DuPage County by offering an array of services that builds towards self-sufficiency and helps to stop the cycle of homelessness. 

Betty & Phyllis:

It is with humble appreciation that I thank you for the generous kitchen shower for our newly renovated Support Center!  I went this morning to talk to Sue & Jen and was overjoyed at what you have provided. 

Please extend our thanks to the member of the Assistance League for providing us a "new start" in our new space.  Our staff can't wait to get all the items put away and being to use them.  PLUS! When I was there the UPS truck pulled up with the coffee grinder.  Wow, down to the last detail.

We are certainly blessed by your hard work and your saying "yes" to help us begin again.

With sincere thanks!

Carol Simler

Executive Director 
DuPage PADS

Here is the "wish list" we fulfilled: It is a long list----

Kitchen Wish List

Dutch Oven (large heavy kettle) 5 qt – stainless steel w/copper bottom

Knives – 8 or 10 inch chefs, 3 or 4 inch paring, and serrated knife for slicing bread

Assorted oven-safe and microwave safe mixing bowls, at least 2 very large (monster) size

Liquid and dry measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Bunn type coffeemaker, at least a 2 burner

Coffee grinder

Blender

Food processor (chopper)

Baking sheets – large commercial and large personal use kitchen sizes

Disposable aluminum food servers (large and small)

Toaster slice- bagel size slots (4 slice)

Food thermometers

Stainless steel colander

Assorted stainless steel or aluminum slotted and regular spoons, ladles, serving forks, all with long handles

Plastic resealable containers to store sugar, coffee and leftovers

Metal tongs with blunt and scalloped edges

Scoops for sugar, coffee, etc

Kitchen shears

Various sizes of funnels

Tea/Juice/Drink-Mix pitchers

Vegetable peelers

Casserole dishes for microwave and oven

Heat resistant spatulas

Heavy duty can opener

Cutting boards – different colors for different types of foods

Resealable plastic bags (quart and gallon size)

Commercial size aluminum and plastic wrap

Small bowls or containers to hold sugar/sweetener packets, salt/pepper packets, creamer packets, etc

Serving platters and bowls

Cleaning Supplies

Sponges

Kitchen towels

Dish soap

Bleach

Cleanser

Sink strainers

Scrubbers

Paper products

Trash bags (tall kitchen and 45 gal)

Small pails

Stand alone paper towel roll holder

Commercial dish drainer for dishes to air dry

Stainless steel cleaner

Oven cleaner

In the Spotlight: Phyllis Young

Phyllis with Marguerite Spangehl, who honored
Phyllis with a lovely presentation 

At our March chapter meeting, we celebrated the many contributions of member Phyllis Young, and expressed our gratitude for her years of leadership for ALCW. 

Phyllis is both a fundraising giant and a philanthropy guru.  For two years, she co-chaired the extremely successful Books and Brunch Silent Auction. Her dedication and creativity in this job led to profits of more than $20,000 in each of these years.

At the end of her tenure with Silent Auction, she immediately took on the co-chairmanship of Operation New Start.  She is, in the words of Meg Cooper, "the shopper to end all shoppers". 

Phyllis has worked hard to build relationships with suppliers.  She has helped to set up a "team" system for deliveries, which has allowed so many of our members to take a meaningful role in serving the clients of this program.

Team members say that she has shown herself to be incredibly responsive to their needs, with a wonderful non-complaining attitude.

Dee Dugo helped sum up the positive force that Phyllis has been for ALCW.  "Her self sufficient style and open flexible attitude have made difficult projects look like easy tasks.  Frequently we don't know how much work has gone on behind the scenes.  Phyllis has a natural warm kindness and has been a great asset.  We are fortunate to call her a member."

Member in the News -- Carla Feinkind

Town Column: Resident honored for her relentless work to help others

March 10, 2011 The Doings Newspaper 

By SARA CLARKSON Town columnist

Often those who work to give voice to those without one speak quietly of themselves, and that trait can be called the quality of humility. It is satisfying when those soft-spoken yet empowering people are recognized for their contributions as Carla Feinkind of Hinsdale was March 3 in Chicago.
Feinkind was one of a score or so people honored with The Giving Voice Award from SHALVA on the occasion of its 25th anniversary. SHALVA is a Chicago organization that aims to fight domestic abuse in homes, especially Jewish homes. The name means two things. In Hebrew, it is the word "tranquility," and for the Chicago nonprofit it is an acronym meaning SHelter, Assistance, Legal advice for Victims of Abuse. During the course of its 25 years, the organization has served close to 5,000 victims of domestic abuse.
The Giving Voice Award was presented to members of the greater Chicago area in recognition of their efforts to make a difference in the lives of other people.
"Carla came to mind because this is an individual who has dedicated her life to helping other people," said Helene Paris, a former Hinsdale/Clarendon Hills area resident and the member of the board who nominated Feinkind. Paris and Feinkind go way back, in fact. Paris is a charter member of the Assistance League of Chicagoland West chapter which was founded more than 15 years ago. She met Feinkind six weeks after the assistance league's founding when Feinkind joined, and today, Feinkind is the president of the Hinsdale-based chapter of the league.
Thrilled, honored and humbled are the words Feinkind used to describe how she felt about the recognition. For one thing, Feinkind, who is Jewish, said the organization strives to serve the Jewish community as well as the area as a whole and for another, just to be recognized when it feels like there are people out there who do more, was surprising. The Hinsdale chapter of assistance league last year provided coats to more than 2,000 needy students in the greater Hinsdale/Clarendon Hills and Burr Ridge area and has outfitted kitchens for dozens of people making the transition from homelessness to their own homes, and that's just two of the group's initiatives.

ALCW inTribLocal Hinsdale March 10

Ricki leads the way

Ricki Lessig

                                                                                                                                                                Treasurer Ricki Lessig called a meeting on March 8 to plan the 2011-2012 budget. There was a lot of thought and advance planning during the 2 1/2 hour session, but in true ALCW fashion, a lot of smiles and camaraderie too.

Carla Feinkind 

Laurie Cleary 

Diane Mrozek 

Maria Kim and Meg Cooper