The Four Seasons Hotel provided the setting for the Dec. 15 Heartland Health Outreach "Celebrate the Spirit" brunch.
The event commemorated 25 years of service to people with HIV/AIDS through the Vital Bridges Center on Chronic Care. After a quarter-century of work, the organization has provided 12 million meals, 700,000 nights of shelter and 250,000 hours of counseling to more than 10,000 people. Annually, it comes to the rescue of 1,800 people impacted by the disease.
Lori Cannon co-founded Vital Bridges in 1988—then under the name Open Hand Chicago—along with Paul Adams, Ron Arunno, Gabor, Matthew Hamilton, Annette Smerko Henry, Bill Holt, Tom Tunney, Lauren Verdich and Greg Harris. It has since been the city's only Meals on Wheels and grocery program for the AIDS community. This past Thanksgiving, staffers handed out more than 400 turkeys. "When we started this program we were able to offer compassion and dignity and, for those who lived in isolation, a smiling face from a volunteer," Cannon said. "It was as meaningful then as it is now."
One of those volunteers, Troy Gore, said he believes it to be an integral part of the community. "It really helps a lot of people who are displaced and don't have things that they need," he said. "They help with housing, they offer a food pantry and case management."
[See additional photo spread at the link: www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/photospreadthumbs.php .]
Looking toward the next 25 years, Heartland Health Outreach Chief Program Officer Ed Stellan said that the work has just begun."There are some who think the HIV crisis is over," he said. "But for folks who are really low income, for people who have multiple barriers in their life, it is not over." He believes that, ultimately, HIV/AIDS can come to an end. "Only through really engaging people and building networks of care that meet their needs," he said.
Heartland board member Amy Brierly agreed. "The organization has evolved so much over the years," she said. "It's gone from hand delivering hot meals to people, to grocery centers to finding housing to healthcare. We want to be able to sustain that."
Cannon's priorities do not revolve around spreadsheets or statistics. In 1982, her friends were dying of AIDS and since then, she said, her work has always been about the people who find themselves on the street without a supportive family and with nowhere else to turn."I find it unfortunate that, to some people, AIDS has become history," she said. "But it's living. It's not over. People still need to eat. They still need housing."
The brunch opened with Brierly and fellow board member Doug Elliot looking back on the organization's inception. "Much has changed and been accomplished since that one Christmas Eve 25 years ago, when a group of friends got together to deliver warm meals and compassion to people who were dying of AIDS," Elliot said. "We continue to evolve as our clients' needs change. Now we are in the position where we can provide food, housing, counseling and medical care."
Heartland Alliance Chief Development Officer Debbie Hinde presented two "Food for Life" awards. The Greater Chicago Food Depository was honored for its steadfast advocacy and commitment to providing nutritious food to meet the dietary needs of Heartland's clients. "We could not provide the services we provide were it not for the Greater Chicago Food Depository," she said.
The depository's CEO, Kate Maehr, accepted the award. "I can remember thinking to myself 'how are we going to respond to the incredible need across the community,'" she recalled. "Today, it's close to 900,000 people that we are serving. But we are a better organization because of Vital Bridges and because of Debbie."
Michael Leppen, described as one of Chicago's most important philanthropists, was honored for being a champion in the field of AIDS advocacy. Introducing him, Elliot honored his legacy of support. "For three decades, Michael has been a friend," he said. "He has been improving the condition of those suffering from the disease."
Accepting the award to a standing ovation, Leppen said that as a young child, he learned to give until it hurts. "When you give until you feel that hurt, you are giving the greatest gift of your heart," he said. "It's not about us. It's about them."A "Fund the Need" drive at the event raised more than $50,000 in just a few minutes.
A "Fund the Need" drive at the event raised more than $50,000 in just a few minutes.
Special surprise awards were presented by Ron Nunziato to Vital Bridges staff members Cannon and Hinde.
For more information, go to www.heartlandalliance.org/vital.
Videos by Jean Albright and Tracy Baim for Windy City Times at the links:
Vital Bridges 12-15-2013, Awards to Michael Leppen and Food Depository Part 1 of 3 at the link: www.youtube.com/watch .
Vital Bridges Holiday Brunch 12-15-2013, Award to Debbie Hinde Part 2 of 3 at the link: www.youtube.com/watch .
Vital Bridges Holiday Brunch 12-15-2013, Award to Lori Cannon Part 3 of 3 at the link: www.youtube.com/watch .
