In Englewood, Chicago, community care runs deep. Reverend Gwen wanted to maintain and strengthen her late mother’s, Sam Ella Mackenzie, initiatives with All Things Through Christ Outreach Ministry (ATTCOM). She aimed to achieve this through the tried-and-true manner she knew well. This is faith-based community work made to leave a long-lasting impact.
SamElla Mackenzie started a food pantry initiative through the Church. The initiative aimed to serve mothers all throughout the greater Englewood community. They provided a bag of groceries to mothers every Saturday morning. Reverend Gwen has valiantly continued this mission. She brings together volunteers from the community each week. Their efforts help feed local families every Saturday morning.
The Food Pantry will remain and persist for years to come, and Reverend Gwen couldn’t help but think of new ways to continue supporting her community. In a neighborhood where fresh food access is limited, she dreamed of a place that would nourish the body, uplift the spirit, and beautify the community. With support from The Nature Conservancy Illinois Chapter (TNC), ATTCOM and TNC this vision came to life in the form a vibrant community garden, in hopes of not only providing a beautiful scenery for community members to admire, but access to fresh and organic food for them to gain nourishment from.
Creative Capitol, deeply committed to environmental justice and sustainability storytelling in Chicago, was honored to document the project. Our team captured both the day-to-day work of the food pantry and the excitement of the community garden’s launch through high-quality photography and video production.
While one can witness for themselves the top-quality video produced from the project, more than that, genuine relationships were formed with community members. From the camera crew connecting with the community, the media assistant bonding with Reverend Gwen, to even our project manager doing a push-up contest with one of the community members and volunteer for the garden, everyone on-site was genuinely invested in the work that was being done, far beyond a surface level. So much so, at the end of Creative Capitol’s time on-site, the team, TNC, and ATTCOM broke bread together over lunch and embraced what it really means to build community.
Looking forward
A major goal for the All things through Christ Outreach Ministry is to break ground on the SamElla Hope Center, which will provide a safe space for young women to find resources, shelter, and community. Creative Capitol will continue supporting ATTCOM through their foundation of the Center in any way we can. So, stay posted for an announcement on its grand opening day!
Sneak peek at SamElla Hope Center
Watch the full video to see how faith, food, and fresh ideas are transforming Englewood.
Creative Capitol is here to support our community; in every way we can. Have a community event in need of multimedia coverage? We want to be there, get in touch today as we build a stronger community everyday.