A Chicago food bank is planning to help provide nutritious food to Chicago children and teens who will be impacted if the teachers strike happens as expected on Thursday.
The Greater Chicago Food Depository will partner with libraries, parks and the YMCA of Metro Chicago to provide light snacks, fruit and, in some cases, cold meals starting Thursday if the strike occurs, according to a release from the organization.
The food depository works with more than 700 organizations, including food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters, to provide food across Chicago and Cook County.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Wednesday morning that Chicago Public Schools classes will be canceled Thursday, saying the city and the Chicago Teachers Union have not been able to come to an agreement ahead of the union’s impending strike deadline of Oct. 17, though the groups were set to resume talks Wednesday.
A strike would affect about 300,000 CPS students and their families, as well as about 25,000 teachers.
The food bank plans to provide food Thursday and Friday, and will “monitor and respond accordingly” if a strike continues longer than that, the press release said.
Fruit and snacks will be provided at 15 Chicago Public Library branches, 11 YMCA sites and 21 Chicago Park District locations. Some library branches and YMCA locations will provide a cold meal, such as sandwiches and wraps, for people 18 and under.
Here is a list of places were the food will be available:
Chicago Public Library branches
North Austin, 5724 W. North Ave. Cold meals from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
RMD, 733 N. Kedzie Ave. Cold meals from 1 to 2 p.m.
Little Village, 2311 S. Kedzie Ave. Cold meals from 1 to 2 p.m.
Toman, 2708 S. Pulaski Road Cold meals from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Kelly, 6151 S. Normal Blvd. Cold meals from 1 to 2 p.m.
Greater Grand Crossing, 1000 East 73rd St. Cold meals from 1 to 2 p.m.
Thurgood Marshall, 7506 S. Racine Ave. Cold meals from 1 to 2 p.m.
Woodson Regional, 9525 S. Halsted St. Cold meals from 1 to 2 p.m.
West Chicago, 4856 W. Chicago Ave.
Austin, 5615 W. Race Ave.
West Englewood, 1745 W. 63rd St.
Whitney Young, 7901 S. King Drive
South Chicago, 9055 S. Houston Ave.
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Pullman, 11001 S. Indiana Ave.
Sulzer Regional, 4455 N. Lincoln Ave.
YMCA locations
1) Rauner, 2700 S. Western Ave. Cold meals from noon to 2 p.m.
2) West Communities, 6235 S. Homan Ave. Cold meals from noon to 2 p.m.
3) High Ridge, 2424 W. Touhy Ave. Cold meals from 3:15 to 3:45 p.m.
4) Kelly Hall, 824 N. Hamlin Ave. Cold meals from 5:30 to 6 p.m.
5) South Side, 6330 S. Stony Island Ave. Cold meals from noon to 1 p.m. and 3 to 4 p.m.
6) Irving Park, 4251 W. Irving Park Road
7) Lake View, 3333 N. Marshfield Ave.
8) McCormick, 1834 N. Lawndale Ave.
9) Leaning Tower, 6300 W. Touhy Ave., Niles
10) Lattof, 300 E. Northwest Highway, Des Plaines
11) North Lawndale, 3449 W. Arthington St.
Chicago Park District sites (Cold meals provided by the Park District will be available from 3 to 5 p.m. at all sites)
Warren, 6601 N. Western Ave.
Garfield, 100 N. Central Park Ave.
Rosedale, 6312 W. Rosedale Ave.
Margate, 4321 N. Marine Drive
Riis, 6100 W. Fullerton Ave.
Gompers, 4222 W. Foster Ave.
Hamlin, 3035 N. Hoyne Ave.
Warren, 6601 N. Western Ave.
Taylor, 39 W. 47th St.
Dvorak, 1119 W. Cullerton St.
Columbus, 500 S. Central Ave.
McKinley, 2210 W. Pershing Ave.
Archer, 4901 S. Kilbourn Ave.
Humboldt, 1400 N. Humboldt Drive
Washington, 5531 S. Martin Luther King Drive
Hamilton, 513 W. 72nd St.
Ridge, 9625 S. Longwood Drive
West Lawn, 4233 W. 65th St.
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Trumbull, 2400 E. 105th St.
South Shore CC, 7059 S. South Shore Drive