South side

South Side Church's Mission to Help Needy Residents More Critical Than Ever

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A South Side church has dedicated itself to serving vulnerable populations, but the need is even greater now amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“They’re afraid to come out of the house,” Pastor Kenyatta Smith, who ministers at Another Chance Church in Chicago, said. “So they have no resources or means to come out of the house to get food.”

Seeing elderly and vulnerable populations in need of services, the church has been actively packing up and delivering food to those residents.

“They need someone to bring food to them, so we’re boxing up food,” Smith said. “We call them and tell them ‘there’s enough food for two weeks. Come out and get it and keep our social distance.’”

The church, which has not been holding services during the coronavirus crisis, is hoping to fill up the sanctuary with food donations so that they can continue their mission to help some of Chicago’s neediest residents.

“That’s not enough food to scratch the surface of this need,” Smith said.

Parishioners are stepping up to help in a big way.

“We believe there’s more people in Chicago that will help,” one said. “They just need to know where there’s a need.”

Church leaders say they will accept mailed donations to the church, or residents can text “AC Giving” to 44321.

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