Leading with Empathy: How buildOn Chicago Students are Addressing Food Insecurity

Have you ever worried where your next meal will come from, or how you’ll put food on the table for your family? That’s the reality for 1 in 5 households, and 1 in 4 families with children in the Chicago area who are food insecure, with the crisis disproportionately affecting people of color.

Homelessness is also on the rise, with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) identifying more than 24,000 students as homeless during the 2023-24 school year. That’s a 57% increase from the previous school year and the highest number ever recorded. The migrant crisis is also notable, with many more families seeking care and support. 

But when our communities are in need, buildOn students get moving! Recently, they took to the streets of Downtown Chicago to assemble food packages and distribute them to their hungry neighbors. 

Tackling Hunger Head-On

“I thought it was important to educate our students about food insecurity as well as the influx of migrants and break down some misconceptions,” says buildOn Engagement Specialist and service lead Ahnika Franklin. “I have witnessed how people treat newcomers. I sensed a general disdain and heard a lot of misconceptions about why they’re here.” 

Welcoming Recent Migrants

Ahnika identified a section of downtown where a lot of recent migrants would hang out, because they didn’t have anywhere else to go. “Making sure they have food was just one way to show we care and really embody the spirit of a welcoming city,” she says. “The looks of gratitude on the faces of the people who received the food from our students was priceless and the whole reason we did the service. It’s about letting people facing insecurity know that people care for them, and they are not discarded or forgotten.” 

Once the students assembled the food packages, it didn’t take long to distribute them. Many students and staff were surprised by how many people they encountered who were in need. This is a hallmark of buildOn’s Service Learning Program which operates in six major U.S. cities. buildOn staff help students identify the greatest challenges facing their communities, and then they give them the tools and opportunities to take action. Once they’re done with service, they take time to reflect on the experience and what they learned. 

Learning From Service

Ciara, one of the students who participated in this summer service, said she would love to get out there and do it again.

“Handing out food to the people experiencing homelessness was humbling for me,” she says. “It put into perspective the problem of homelessness in our city and how it is a major issue. It warmed my heart to see the smile on these people when we handed them a lunch bag.”

“The purpose of educating our students was about solidarity,” Ahnika shares. “It was about getting to know more about our neighbors past the sensationalized headlines so that we can recognize a common humanity and lead with empathy.” 

You can help buildOn students give back to their communities by making a donation to buildOn today.