IC-SS Weekly News: November 6, 2023
Help New Neighbors in the Cold
People in our community are volunteering to assist migrants in Chicago, including Mary Naftzger, Joyce Mannis, Doug Bishop, Lisa Rademacher, Alexandria Suchy-Mabrouk, Nate Hauger, and many others, including IC-SS Co-Leader Teri Watkins. Please let us know about your own work! Teri writes:
Asylum seekers and unhoused citizens are still staying at police stations. But since many buses continue to be sent to Chicago from Texas, there are hundreds of people awaiting shelter placement at each police station, and they cannot all fit inside the police station buildings.
Watch ABC-7 brief report
The recent drop in temperature is a problem; people are trying to live in tents while the weather dips into the 30’s (read Sun-Times story; see ABC-7 brief report). This is a problem you can help with relatively easily, and you can help right now.
In June, Brenda Delgado spoke to IC-SS about the District 2 & 3 effort
WAYS TO HELP
Support the purchase of needed supplies: At an Indivisible Chicago-South Side event in June, we heard from Brenda Delgado, lead volunteer for Chicago Police Station Response Team in police districts 2 & 3.
Ms. Delgado is now purchasing items to fulfill specific needs at these police stations. These crucial supplies include clothing, tents, tarps and other items to make living outside in Chicago fall endurable.
- To help pay for needed items for asylum seekers in 2nd & 3rd police districts, you can send funds to Brenda Delgado via Venmo.
Donate coats and other items.Contact us for South Side drop-off information for coats and other cold-weather gear. Then scour your closets for clean, gently worn warm clothing, inner wear, and outerwear. This would include thermal underwear, socks, jackets, coats, sweats, hoodies, scarves, hats, gloves, and boots. People also need warm blankets, sleeping bags, and ground tarps.
Sort clothing by size, bag them up, and label your bags by size and gender (if applicable). Again: Be sure to contact us to receive drop-off information!
SPECIAL NOTE: Please donate ONLY the requested cold-weather items. (Don’t include summerwear, dress clothes, or other non-requested items.) THANK YOU!
More Ways to Help
There are many ways to assist our new neighbors as well as our fellow community residents.
Volunteer on Wednesdays: SPR Food Pantry
Every Wednesday afternoon in Hyde Park-Kenwood, St. Paul and the Redeemer Episcopal Church (SPR) operates a small-scale food pantry serving the community in conjunction with the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Recently, the SPR pantry has seen a dramatic increase in clients, mainly because so many migrant families have been staying at the Lake Shore hotel shelter since September.
Can you carry a box of food or assist English-speaking community residents? Can you speak Spanish? To volunteer,email Linda Wheatley-Irving.
Linda Wheatley-Irving, a lead volunteer, says the SPR food pantry is in extreme need of more volunteers for tasks such as carrying and opening food boxes, setting up the pantry, breaking down boxes, and assisting people with food selection. While bilingual volunteers are especially needed, SPR will gratefully welcome any eager volunteers.
SPR is located at the corner of 50th and Dorchester. Volunteers are needed every Wednesday between the hours of 2:30 and 6:00 pm; partial shifts are possible. To volunteer,email Linda Wheatley-Irving.
Other Ways to Help
Here are other opportunities to help ensure our new neighbors survive this winter.
- The Hyde Park Herald lists multiple ways to help, including expanded services and volunteer opportunities at the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club.
- The Chicago Police Station Response Team shares this info about its work and asks for donations at their new donations page.
Ceasefire: Share Your Views
With the death toll rising over 9000, the crisis in Gaza has worsened. In a recent CNN interview, Senator Dick Durbinseemed to call for a ceasefire tied to release of the Israeli hostages; he was the first senator to say a ceasefire was needed.
Since the interview, however, Senator Durbin appears to have walked back his ceasefire wording and is now supporting a “short-term cessation of hostilities” to allow for humanitarian aid, among other goals.
Senator Tammy Duckworth signed the same statement; she has refused to call for a ceasefire. Per video shared by investigative journalist Carlos Ballesteros of Injustice Watch, Senator Duckworth specifically refuses to call for a ceasefire.
In the U. S. House, Congressman Jonathan Jackson (IL-01) has joined Illinois lawmakers Delia Ramirez (IL-03) and Jesus (Chuy) Garcia (IL-04) in co-sponsoring Congresswoman Cori Bush’s House resolution calling for a ceasefire.
At yesterday’s town hall for the 1st Congressional District, Congressman Jackson reiterated his support for a ceasefire (H. Res. 786).
Rep. Jackson lists his support for a ceasefire among legislative accomplishments
View the House ceasefire resolution and the full list of co-sponsors — and be aware that more Illinois lawmakers may be signing on.
Illinois lawmakers need to know what their constituents think. Share your own message with them here:
Congressman Jackson’s Town Hall
Yesterday (November 5th), Representative Jonathan Jackson held a town hall in South Shore for the 1st congressional district. The town hall focused on housing, health, and the migrant crisis in Chicago. For a quick summary of Rep. Jackson’s presentation, read our Twitter thread.
Organizations and Opportunities
Indivisible Chicago-South Side shares information and actions from other organizations on issues important in our country, state, city, and communities.
AI & Democracy: This Wednesday, Nov. 8
From the League of Women Voters of Chicago: Does artificial intelligence put democracy at risk? Join LWV with UChiVotes to discuss the effects of AI on elections, featuring University of Chicago Chief Information Officer Kevin B. Boyd and Chief Information Security Officer Matt Morton.
Gather Wednesday, Nov 8, at 5:30pm at UChicago’s Regenstein Library, 1100 E. 57th Street, Room 122, or attend virtually. Either way, you need to register: RSVP here.
Data Entry for Pretrial Fairness: Thurs., Nov 9
Readabout the Pretrial Fairness Act, which is now in effect in Illinois. Then volunteer to support the implementation of the new system by doing data entry from home.
From the Coalition to End Money Bond: The Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice has completed its first round of community court watching. Volunteers across the state observed pretrial hearings under the new system to ensure the law is properly implemented. Now we need your help processing the data!
Data Entry Days are spaces to collectively enter court-watching data so that our policy team can advocate for proper implementation of the law with court stakeholders. We received observations from our court-watchers as pictures of printed forms, so it is necessary to digitize this data in a usable format for cleaning and analysis. With over a thousand observations submitted, it would be impossible for us to process all of this data without your support.
VOLUNTEER: The next volunteer opportunity is this Thursday, November 9th, 5:30-7:30 pm on Zoom. If you can’t make it then, check the box indicating you’d like to learn about future opportunities. Sign up here.
Write Cards to Incarcerated People: Mon & Thurs
From the Chicago Torture Justice Center: Send cards to incarcerated loved ones. Join the Chicago Torture Justice Center every week through November to write holiday cards for our loved one and community members inside.
Drop by the Chicago Torture Justice Center (6337 S. Woodlawn) every Monday & Thursday in November any time from 10 am – 6 pm to help send a holiday card to the 100+ incarcerated people on our mailing list. The Center has the cards, envelopes, postage, and pens ready, so all you have to do is bring yourself!
Questions? Email latanya@chicagotorturejustice.org
Tues, Nov 14: District Council 2 Meeting
If you live in Chicago’s 2nd police district, attend the in-person meeting of the 2nd District Council on Tuesday, November 14th, 6:30-8:00 pm (doors open 6:00 pm) at Wabash Avenue YMCA Building, 3763 S. Wabash. (You can also attend remotely – sign up here for the Zoom link.)
Don’t live in the 2nd district? Find your police district here. Connect with YOUR District Council on this page and get meeting announcements and minutes. Learn more about the role of Chicago’s 22 district councils and the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) here.
Indivisible Chicago-South Side
Email: Indiv.Chi.South@gmail.com
Follow IC-SS on Facebook & Twitter
Co-Leaders: Sarah Lincoln, Esther Peters,
Betsy Rubin, Teri Watkins
About: Group & Co-Leader Statements
Newsletter Notes
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