Moved by the struggles of homeless veterans she sometimes saw on the streets, Jeannie Olson, an Evergreen Park village trustee, wanted to help.
She got that chance at the start of the pandemic when friend and fellow Evergreen Park resident Viviana Rodriguez had an internship with Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Affairs Hospital in Chicago’s west suburbs.
Soon the two were busy organizing a village-wide donation effort that is still going strong, enlisting volunteers from all facets of the community.
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“Homelessness is an issue, especially in Chicagoland for veterans, and it’s just something small we can do for an impact,” Olson said while collecting donations last weekend during Evergreen Park’s Oktoberfest. “There’s a special place in my heart for veterans.”
Rodriguez, who is about to start at a job at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, was helping vets find housing, set up medical appointments, and get counseling through her work at Hines. Homeless veterans can come to the hospital to shower, wash their clothes and pick up toiletries and other supplies, such as detergent. She noticed some of the needed items were lacking.
The hospital also offers immediate help with food and shelter, job training and education, navigating the justice system, health and dental care, as well as addiction and depression treatment.
During the first year, the two Evergreen Park residents started a donation drive at the village’s Yukich Field that drew people regionally and garnered support from 100 students and other residents who helped unload and package the dropped off items.
Donations included body wash, body and hand lotion, bar soap, lip balm, shampoo/conditioner, toilet paper, tampons/sanitary napkins and deodorant, as well as bath/hand bathroom towels, dishwashing soap and cleaning products.
“I think everybody has been generous, everybody sees the need and it’s something they always buy on a regular basis, so it’s not like they’re going out of their way to get additional stuff,” Rodriguez said.
Sharon Smith, a friend of Rodriguez’ who also helped out at the event, said she had two brothers who were vets and one was homeless for six years before she found out where he was and took him in. He got help at Hines, she said.
“It was a tough time,” said Smith. “They do a lot for the veterans.”
Students from Evergreen Park Elementary District 124, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, St. John Fisher School, Queen of Martyrs Catholic School, Brother Rice High School and Evergreen Park Community High School have helped out over the three years.
Several showed up just before the Oktoberfest event and made short work of sorting a room full of supplies, finishing in just over an hour.
J.D. Maloney, a sophomore at Brother Rice High School whose uncle and grandfather are veterans, said it was all about “being able to help out all the veterans in any way.”
He was joined by Annie Olson, Jeannie’s daughter, a freshman at Evergreen Park Community High School, who said it was good to help people who needed the resources, and Hannah Pikus, an eighth grader at Central Middle School.
Olson oversaw their sorting.
“The schools have been really helpful,” said Olson. “We’re pretty fortunate to have a community here that helps us.”
Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.