Strides for Peace Teams Up With CPD, IDPH Taste for the Homeless & Radio's Hot Rod

CHICAGO - March 18, 2021 - PRLog -- WHEN: Saturday, 3/20, 12-2:00PM.  SET UP: 11:00AM

WHERE: W. Madison St. and S. Springfield St. (Springfield will be shut down) in West Garfield Park

WHAT: Provide Household Covid-19 Care Kits, meals, music, blankets, coats, info re: community resources and survivor support. IDPH Covid-19 Mobile Testing Unit will provide free testing and Hot Rod will provide music from the Peace Mobile!

WHO: Strides for Peace, CPD Area 4 Community Engagement (Deputy Chief Cato and Sgt Jermaine Harris), Chicago Public Library, BUILD, The BASE, HotRod, IDPH, Marianos, Paving the Way, Purpose Over Pain, Taste for the Homeless, Institute of Nonviolence.

WHY: The pop-up brings resources and love to a block in Chicago that has struggled with opioid abuse, violence, health disparities and a lack of positive alternatives, health care and social support.

The initial idea was the brainchild of Pamela Bosley, founder of Purpose Over Pain and Violence Prevention Director at St. Sabina, who grew up in the area and wanted to show the community some love last summer when gun violence was escalating.

While a street festival was not possible at the time due to the pandemic, Strides for Peace Executive Director Mary Stonor Saunders loved the idea, especially as she had Covid-19 Care Kits (sourced and donated by the Craig Leva/Leva Foundation who used his chocolate manufacturing facilities, Long Grove and Arway Confections, to produce the kits) to distribute to communities where the need is the greatest.  Months later, when Stonor Saunders connected to Deputy Chief Cato at a community holiday event, she shared the idea with Cato who offered to have his ACES Team (Sgt Jermaine Harris) help with logistics to bring the idea to life.

Inviting members of the Strides for Peace and local community to join, the Pop-Up has grown to include community organizations and friends in West Garfield Park and beyond, a testament to the belief that we are stronger together, and we all have a stake in a building a city where all can thrive.

About Strides for Peace: Founded in 2014, Strides for Peace envisions a Chicago where all can live and thrive, free from the fear of gun violence. Our mission is to increase the collective impact of organizations working to end gun violence in Chicago.  Strides for Peace produces the annual Race Against Gun Violence that raises funds and awareness for more than 50 nonprofits throughout Chicago.

http://stridesforpeace.org