RAVENSWOOD COMMUNITY SERVICES INC

We strive to offer services and connections to resources that can help people realize health, stability and self-sufficiency.

RCS provides access to groceries and meals through a weekly choice-model food pantry and community kitchen dinner, a monthly Saturday Pantry, and multiple After School pantries. The weekly pantry includes support from an on-site social worker available to connect neighbors with other resources as needed.

RCS is a member agency of The Greater Chicago Food Depository's network of hunger relief agencies which provide access to significant amounts of high quality, nutritious food at little to no cost. It is fortunate to have the volunteer support of more than 500 volunteers annually and the generous financial support of local individuals, businesses, and foundations.

Since its first distribution in 1993, the food pantry operated by Ravenswood Community Services has grown from providing groceries donated by volunteers to a handful of neighbors each week, to serving 200-250 neighborhood families every Tuesday evening with food supplied through donations, USDA commodities, rescued produce and other food items, and purchased staples including fresh produce, milk, and bread. In addition to the expansion of its food pantry services, RCS also added a weekly hot meal service (served family-style for 125) and an on-site social worker to connect neighbors with resources in the community for things like housing, health care, and job training. In 2009, RCS added a Saturday Pantry to its programs, serving families from the grounds of Ravenswood Elementary. And in 2021, RCS launched a series of After School Pantries in partnership with 3 elementary schools in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood to reach busy families as they were picking up kids from school. RCS programs, run by a small group of volunteers 25 years ago, now benefit from community support including partnerships with local schools, businesses, youth groups, community groups, other non-profit agencies, and individuals. RCS will continue to evolve its service offerings, according to the needs of our neighbors, using a combination of providing additional services in-house and leveraging services already available from other local agencies. Plans for the expansion of services are evaluated according to two key criteria: effective service delivery and efficient use of scarce resources.