Sims Metal has been proud to support the Pilsen Community since 2021 when Matthew Holzhueter, Commercial Manager at Sims Metal, met Evelyn Figueroa, Director of the Pilsen Food Pantry, for the first time. Matt, his young son, and many local Sims Metal employees helped the Pilsen community with various maintenance projects such as mowing the grass, hauling supplies, and recycling. Since that meeting, Sims Metal in Chicago has supported the Pantry and its staff in expanding their operations which were in greater demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sims Metal has established a recycling program at the Pantry by providing drums to collect cans and miscellaneous metal items no longer needed at their facilities. Any metal collected in these drums generates a payout directly into the Pantry’s budget.
Sims Metal supports the Pilsen Food Pantry in their new project: the Food Pantry Relocation. This month our employees came together to support the Pilsen Community in moving the Pilsen Food Pantry to a new location that will now accommodate the food pantry and a clothes closet, as well as various wellness programs. The new site requires significant renovations; our employees helped tear down old cabinets and walls to make room for new construction in the kitchen area, and Sims Metal donated $50k to support the whole project.
The Pilsen Food Pantry: A Small Organization, Making a Big Difference
The Pilsen Food Pantry has four employees and is supported by many volunteers, including students, health professionals from the nearby Illinois Medical district, and many community members. The Pantry’s primary purpose is to provide food and resources to those in need within the local Pilsen community.
Founded by the Figueroa Wu Family Foundation in 2018, the Pilsen Food Pantry is an extension of the foundation’s mission to bring anti-poverty services into areas of unmet need. In 2022, the Pantry served nearly 28,000 households in the area from the Lower West Side of Chicago.
Donate to Help Pilsen Pantry Reach $75k
Sims Metal donated $50k to support the Pantry’s new location. If you want to help us raise an additional $25k to match funds from an anonymous donor, please donate by visiting the Pilsen Food Pantry Website.
Donations play a huge part in fulfilling these services, and something as small as an $8 donation supports a visit that distributes over 60 pounds of food for a family. All contributions toward the food pantry go directly into day-to-day operational costs.
Sims Metal is delighted to support and engage with the Pilsen neighborhood. Listening to and engaging with our people helps us make informed decisions and, in turn, forge a lasting positive impact. We are committed to building a stronger and more resilient future for the communities such as Pilsen, where we live and work.