Higher education
Metropolitan Chicago Synod and the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago started in 2007. Led by campus pastor Ben Adams and two student leaders, the ministry has connected students from Chicago’s South Loop (primarily Columbia College Chicago, DePaul University, Robert Morris University Illinois and Roosevelt University) to service opportunities and faith-form- ing activities. It also connects them to their South Loop neighbors—in par- ticular, those who live on the streets. Kerrigan Tobin, a junior at Roos-
Neighborly love
College students, homeless people create community in Chicago
Text by Erin Strybis Photos by Chris Ocken I
t’s a Sunday night in downtown Chicago and pouring rain. College students, outfitted with hoodies,
ponchos and umbrellas, take turns pushing a shopping cart down the slick city streets. As they walk, they dodge puddles, stop and chat with people who look like they need a helping hand. Not many people are out in these
conditions, but the students come across a man and woman sheltering themselves from the rain under a storefront overhang. “Would you like some food?” one
student asks. “We also have hoodies,” another
pipes in. The couple says yes to both and
the first student reaches into the shopping cart and selects two brown bags, each containing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, juice and chips, and hands them to the woman. Just an hour ago, the students made and bagged this simple meal. The man has already stood up and is trying on hoodies, eventually selecting one before thanking the students. This is “Takin’ it to the Streets,”
a program of South Loop Campus Ministry, a joint effort of the ELCA
South Loop Campus Ministry, a joint initiative funded by the ELCA Metropolitan Chicago Synod and the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, touches about 50 to 100 people each week. For its “Takin’ it to the Streets” service opportunity, students make sandwiches (right) that they hand out to homeless people (above and far right).
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evelt, started participating in “Takin’ it to the Streets” to fulfill hours for her service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega. Yet it soon became much more than that. “I was raised Catholic and ever since [I’ve come here] it’s bringing religion back into my life,” she said.
It started with a meal
South Loop students like Tobin have been “Takin’ it to the Streets” since 2012. It started with Tom Gaulke, then campus pastor, whose original idea had been to host a free meal to attract students. “It didn’t work, but it did attract
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