Jean is no stranger to service – or to epidemics, for that matter. Jean is a longtime volunteer for Heartland Alliance’s Vital Bridges food pantry, which provides food and community to individuals living with HIV and AIDS. Jean has been working quietly against the AIDS crisis for years – working with courageous champions like our own Lori Cannon.
In fact, Jean has been serving since the program was called Open Hand Chicago in the 90s. With the exception of one or two service trips to Africa, Jean has been at our northside pantry every Tuesday without fail for the past two decades. She still gets excited for it every single week.
“Every Tuesday for the last 20 years, my first thought is, ‘It’s Tuesday, today I get to be at the food pantry.’ I get a little bunch of butterflies in the stomach, and I’m excited to see the boys.”
Vital Bridges was founded to be more than just an anti-hunger initiative–it was designed to build community. In the 80s and 90s, when stigma still shrouded the AIDS epidemic, the LGBTQ community was left on its own to fight the disease. Vital Bridges was designed specifically to give friendship to those who were dying alone – often when an open hand was more comforting than a free meal.
Jean saw the impact of that stigma firsthand. As a manager of ballet companies and arts-oriented nonprofits, she worked closely with individuals who were directly impacted by the epidemic.
“The ballet world was decimated by HIV and AIDS. We lost so many talented, beautiful people – and nobody knew it was happening because stigma kept people from talking about it. That’s why I chose this work. That’s why I volunteer here.”
Jean spends her Tuesdays bagging groceries and preparing them for pick up. It’s a long day of work at Vital Bridges, running until early evening, so Jean makes sure to bring in lunch for her fellow volunteers.
“That’s such a powerful feeling, that people who come to us for food want to stick around and volunteer,” Jean said. “Many of the fellas volunteer that whole day, so what I love to do is bring in comfort food. You know, something that Mom would make.”
Jean brings in something different every week, but she makes sure it’s always something good. Mac and cheese, meat loaf sandwiches, crock pot meals – she makes sure that lunch is something that will stick to the bones while everyone spends the day packing dozens of meals for people in the community.
Even today, as we face the COVID-19 pandemic, Jean prepares lunch for her fellow volunteers. Nowadays, the pantry has shifted its model to be more like it was back during the height of the AIDS epidemic. Social distancing is critical for those with compromised immune systems, so clients come to the pantry door to receive bags of pantry staples, protein, and fresh produce. For others who are not so mobile, Jean and her colleagues deliver groceries to their homes.
“Why? Somebody has to do it. These people rely on us, and somebody has got to pack the groceries and get them to our community. If we’re not here, then many would be in a very, very bad situation.”
At 84 years old, Jean finds herself in the role of an essential volunteer for the LGBTQ community of Chicago. These past decades, Jean has seen countless people come and go at Vital Bridges. She’s lost friends to AIDS, but she’s built countless more relationships along the way. For her, food brings people together, and her service simply underscores how important that mission is for her.
“Food is primary. Food is essential. I love to cook, and I love my community. Nothing makes me happier than this.”
