GNCK has always understood that our patrons’ needs exceeded the benefits of a daily hot meal. If we were to truly give life to our mission of providing a nutritious meal and building a just community we needed to understand more about the struggles our patrons face and we needed to do more to help them reach their potential. Today, the Good News Community Kitchen has become far more than simply a place that serves meals to the needy. At any given time 20-30 patrons are engaged in individualized case management services to assist them with stabilizing their housing, food stamp and other entitlement program applications, job readiness and employment searches, obtaining clothing, school enrollment, child custody and visitation advocacy, landlord/tenant dispute mediation, substance abuse treatment services, mental health support, legal advocacy, budget counseling, parenting assistance, debt resolution and other social service needs.

Recently, an elderly Kitchen patron came to GNCK and reported that her debit card number had been used without her permission to buy more than $400 worth of goods at a local grocery store. After an investigation it was learned that an employee of the grocery store pocketed the patron’s debit card receipt from a previous purchase the patron made and used the card number to illegally spend the patron’s money. The Kitchen helped the patron file a police report and file a complaint with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. After receiving a letter from the Attorney General, the store owner refunded the patron’s $400 and the employee was fired.

Through providing these important case management services, GNCK develops deepen relationships with our patrons who often have a difficult time trusting others and we learn about trends that can help us modify our service delivery to be more responsive to patron and community needs.