WKA met with Care for Real staff – Jake, Karen, Nate, Jari, Max, Michael, Izzy, Marsha, Shana, Jen, Gregory, Alex, and Caroline to discuss the goals/vision for programs and services at 5838 N Broadway.

1. IN THREE WORDS:  Why are you part of the Care for Real community?
   Community; we live near Care for Real; welcoming; giving back to the community; it’s personal – this is our community – we see that there is a need; service; fulfilling; grassroots; collaborative; dignity; listening; learning/education; flexibility/pivoting – space – supply/demand; response to changing needs; program overlap; remain 1 team; space not too serious/personalization; interconnected with neighbors; we take care of people with dignity; we quickly respond to our clients; we are efficient; community focused; space should be inviting.

WHAT is the most important component/vibe for you? WHAT will define success for this project?
1. Flexibility that allows the organization to evolve
2. Flexibility that allows Care for Real to address the needs of our clients.
3. Community first
4. Fun space; sense of community evident.
5. Exterior shelter
6. Remains grassroots
7. Staff remains connected to each other despite being separated by a floor
8. Everyone gets food! and everyone gets as much time as needed to select food.
9. Speed is important at Care for Real
10. Digital display – visible from outside

• WORKFLOW – Front of House

FOOD PANTRY – EDGEWATER Mondays 4-7PM; Wednesdays 9-12noon; Saturdays 9-1PM; ROGERS PARK Tuesdays 12-2PM; Thursdays 4-6PM;
1. Client (new and returning) register with staff or volunteer
2. New client intake/registration – privacy is important (if possible, intake/registration takes place inside in an acoustically separate space. It is important that the client and intake personnel are seated at the same level
3. Intake typically – 3 volunteer/staff AND 1-2 – registration. Tablet used to input information. Receipts (with name, dietary restrictions, family size, special requests etc) are printed inside and picked up by a “volunteer shopper”.
4. Carts are pre-filled with basics and “volunteer shopper” fills the order based on receipt. Meat is added last to the cart
5. “Volunteer shopper” takes the cart outside to the client and places food in bins. The client chooses what they want from the bin
6. The “return team” takes the items not taken from the bin and returns the items to the distribution flow

WORKFLOW – Back of house

Food – GCFD Thursdays AM – by 10AM – 7-15 pallets (48″x 40″?) – 20,000lbs of food; 1 or 2 box truck(s) with lift gate. With additional space GCFD deliveries could increase.

• -GCFD food pallets are dropped of outside – then moved inside by CfR staff using 1 electric pallet jack (CfR) and 2 or 3 manual pallet jacks. Empty pallets are suppose to be stored inside.
• -Food rescue – 4 supermarkets – 7 days per week. Pick up by CfR staff using banana boxes in 2 refrigerated vans and 1 non-refrigerated. CfR has a fleet of 3 vans with a desire to grow by 1 truck.
• Food Sorting/gleaning area
• -Provide a sink, whiteboards, areas/storage for boxes and bags

HOME DELIVERIES – Sundays – 60 families (waitlist) – food storage space and staff are the limiting factors to filling the waitlist.

MARIE’S CLOTHING CLOSET– Thursdays and Fridays
1. Clothing shopping does not overlap with food distribution
2. Clients schedule an appointment for the closet during food distribution.
3. Clothing donations M-F 12-3PM; donations accepted (new space) only during hours of operation

The existing clothing closet size is ok; there is a need for a larger sorting/gleaning area. No sink is necessary in the sorting/gleaning area.
The current space is too narrow. The new space should allow for someone in a wheelchair to move freely; provide enough space for a shopping cart.
Include a check-out table and an area for bags/boxes
* CfR no longer distributes housewares/ goods

Security:
– Provide secure access for staff – key fab
– Entry door (staff/volunteer/clients) include camera and buzzer
– Delivery door include camera and buzzer
HOW DO YOU THINK PEOPLE SHOULD FEEL?

• WHAT DO YOU WANT THE CfR PROGRAMS AND OR SPACE TO BE?
• – Warehouse space for more food/properly stored, more shelving and tabletop space
• – Improved/easier food receiving; separate receiving and packing area
• – More packing space, more storage
• -Quiet meeting space
• – Indoor client registration, improved client experience
• -More client space, better organization
• – Create a safe space
• -More space for volunteer onboarding/training
• -Restroom – easy client access to restrooms

STAFF HOMEWORK:
WHAT (equipment etc.) do you need to do your work? i.e computer, file cabinet, printer etc.

Zip codes served – 60640, 60660, 60626, 60659, 60645