Thank you for visiting this page. It means that you are interested in making a difference. Whether through donating food or supplies, volunteering, donating money, or being an advocate, thank you for your interest and your action.
Volunteer
We love volunteers! There are many ways to get involved with our programming. Visit our volunteering page to get started.
Donate Food or Supplies
Donation Information: Drop off hours are on Tuesdays between 12-7:30pm and Thursday morning from 9am-12pm. Donations should be dropped off at our entrance at 1757 W Wilson. For larger canned food drive donations, please schedule a drop off time through email: info@ravenswoodcommunityservices.org
Our wish list includes, but is not limited to:
- Plastic jars of peanut butter (18 oz)
- Mac and cheese box kits (7oz)
- Canned pasta sauce
- Kid friendly cereal boxes (9-150z)
- Personal Hygiene items: new and unopened toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, soap, shampoo, deodorant, etc., including travel-sized items.
- Excess produce from summer gardens
Items we cannot accept include:
- items that are opened, damaged, expired or perishable (frozen or refrigerated)
- clothing
- furniture
- housewares
- toys
- infant equipment
Make a Donation
There are a number of ways to support RCS financially.
Donate Money
Tax Deductible Donations: Financial contributions fuel RCS’ work! Donations are tax deductible to the extent the law allows and every contribution, regardless of size, helps us serve those in need. Donate online, through Network For Good (donations can be one-time or monthly recurring) or if you would like to send a check or money order, send your payment to:
Ravenswood Community Services
4550 N. Hermitage Avenue
Chicago, IL 60640
No Cost Donations
Do you shop on Amazon?
If you shop through the Amazon SMILE program, RCS will receive a portion of each of your purchases, at no cost to you.
Raise Money
Host a fundraiser for RCS: Hosting a fundraiser is a great way to support RCS financially and to help spread the word about our work in the community.
Host a Virtual Food Drive: Skip the grocery store and donate online! Rather than collecting canned goods and delivering them to the pantry, encourage friends and family to join you in donating to a virtual food drive. Let people know that with just $1, RCS is able to purchase 10 pounds of food! Tap into the purchasing power that comes with RCS’ network of partners and stock our pantry with food and supplies via an online platform. You can conduct an email campaign and encourage your network to make donations here, or use another online platform such as Facebook.
Hunger Walk Event
Join our Hunger Walk Team: In September (Hunger Action Month), the Greater Chicago Food Depository hosts the Hunger Walk at Soldier Field. This is a 5k walk to raise awareness of hunger issues in the Chicago area and raise money for pantries, including RCS. We earn food credit with the GCFD for each person who registers to walk with us, so bring your friends and join us for a walk along the lakefront. Learn more about this annual event here.
Be an Advocate
Add your voice to others in support of hunger relief programs.
Locally, you can help RCS by sharing information about RCS’ work and operations with your friends and neighbors in the community. Invite people to volunteer and learn more about hunger in our community.
On a broader scale, learn about hunger policy and advocacy efforts at the state and federal level by visiting the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s website.
