Smack Dab packs nearly 500 pounds of food for Rogers Park neighbors

Smack Dab, a Rogers Park brunch restaurant, held a Day of Service in Chicago and filled a nearby Love Fridge with nearly 500 pounds of groceries for neighbors to take home. The effort aimed to support food access by giving people ingredients for multiple meals, not just one hot meal.

Why it matters: - Food insecurity is not only about not having a meal in front of you. It can also mean not having enough ingredients at home to cook. - Smack Dab’s donation gave Rogers Park residents proteins, grains and vegetables they could turn into multiple meals. - The project also showed how a neighborhood restaurant can act as a local food-access resource.

What happened: - Smack Dab, an independent, queer woman-owned brunch restaurant in Rogers Park, held a Day of Service focused on getting nourishing food directly to neighbors. - On Wednesday, volunteers led by Erin packed 350 pounds of rice, beans and lentils, 80 pounds of fresh chicken and 60 pounds of frozen vegetables. - The team loaded the food into a nearby Love Fridge for community members to take home. - The total came to nearly 500 pounds of food prepared for local residents.

The details: - The food drive cost about $550, including food, packaging and labor. - Teeny, Smack Dab’s co-owner, said the team saw value in giving people ingredients they could use for multiple meals. - Teeny said most people who use the Love Fridge can cook, but often do not have enough food in their kitchens. - Smack Dab said the goal was not to limit service to one meal, but to provide proteins, vegetables and pantry staples people could use in ways that fit their households. - The restaurant plans to support future service projects through its Mutual Fund and through donation add-ons when customers dine there. - Smack Dab also asked community members to help fund future efforts by contributing to the Mutual Fund on the restaurant’s website or by adding a donation to their order.

Between the lines: - The service day points to a broader approach to food relief. Ingredient-based support can stretch farther than a single prepared meal. - Smack Dab framed the effort as part of an ongoing neighborhood commitment, not a one-off giveaway. - The restaurant’s community work also reinforces its brand identity as more than a brunch spot. - In a food-access gap, local restaurants can fill an immediate need while staying close to the people they serve.

What's next: - Smack Dab plans to keep exploring future Days of Service and other ways to support food access in the community. - Teeny said the restaurant hopes to return with a hot meal next month. - Community members can support the next round of food efforts by donating to the Mutual Fund or adding a donation to their order.

The bottom line: - Smack Dab used a small-dollar volunteer effort to turn nearly 500 pounds of food into a flexible food-access lifeline for Rogers Park neighbors.