Who: Dana Rzeznik, 49, of Lake Zurich is a volunteer with Emmaus House of Hospitality, a Lake Zurich not-for-profit registered charity fighting poverty and homelessness in the northwest suburbs, particularly southwest Lake County.
What she does: Rzeznik, the mother of two grown sons, works for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, owns a restaurant with her husband, Joe Rzeznik, and is a Lake Zurich village trustee. Next month she will take over as board president for Emmaus House.
“I thrive on chaos,” she said.
Emmaus House has two main purposes. The first is to provide grants to families facing eviction or foreclosure and help them stay in their homes, Rzeznik said.
The second is hunger-related efforts, said Bob Gorman, board president.
A community dinner feeds more than 200 people every Sunday evening in the basement of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Lake Zurich. Volunteers cook and serve the food, then families can visit the Harvest Room and pick up food that has been donated from local groceries, bakeries and pizza places.
“The purpose of the dinner is really twofold,” Gorman said. In addition to providing a hot meal, the dinner provides a sense of community.
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“We have longtime guests who come back week after week, who know each other and know each other’s kids, and know the challenges others face,” Gorman said. “The sense of community is really important.”
Rzeznik writes grant proposals to secure funding and works on events such as the annual rummage sale.
“The rummage sale is not only about raising funds but also providing household items to people who can’t afford them,” she said.
As president, she would like to step up the grant-writing process and get more funding. She would also like the board to look at more efficient ways to use their funding and new ways to help community members, such as collecting shoes for schoolchildren.
Rzeznik also wants to recruit more volunteers and is planning a roundup on Sept. 20 where people can have brunch and learn about different programs.
“As president, I try to bring people in and groom leaders for the future,” Gorman said. “I am very, very happy I can hand this off to somebody as competent and caring as Dana.”
How you can help: A Parking Lot Benefit Party will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Moe’s Southwest Grill, 21720 W. Long Grove Rd., Deer Park. There will be games, giveaways and music by the rock cover band Right of Forty. Admission is free. For information or to volunteer, visit emmaus-house.org or call Rzeznik at 847-726-0224.