The Salvation Army and Chicago Bears hosted multiple meals on Tuesday, November 21 and Wednesday, November 22 for migrants who now call Chicago home. 

LaVillita Corps, Temple Corps, Freedom Center and Irving Park Corps each welcomed 200 migrants with a meal sponsored by the Chicago Bears. The traditional Venezuelan cuisine was catered by rica arepa chicago, and included yuca frita, tequenos, plantains, beef, chicken and rice. A total of 800 meals were distributed over the two days. 

Tuesday at LaVillita Corps in Little Village, Chicago Bears players, DJ Moore, Khalid Kareem, Daniel Hardy, Velus Jones Jr. and Roy Mbaeteka were on hand to serve the meal. While there, the players danced, posed for photos and signed autographs. It’s safe to say that the players enjoyed the day as much as the guests.

Three separate meals were prepared on Wednesday, including at Temple Corps where former Chicago Bears wide receiver Wendell Davis and fan favorite, mascot Staley Da Bear, joined in on the fun. At Freedom Center, Chicago Bears alumnus Steve Edwards went table-to-table delivering food and then handed out stocking caps to all the kids in attendance. At the Irving Park Corps, former Chicago Bears tight end Kaseem Sinceno mingled with guests and helped serve dinner.

All four events were filled with food, fun and fellowship. Toys, coats, boots, hats, blankets, hygiene kits and diapers were also handed out. — Report taken from The Salvation Army North & Central Illinois Division

Cowboys in the Community

Mentorship is Daron Bland’s playbook for shaping brighter futures. Daron, a cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys, chose The Salvation Army North Texas Empower Youth to sponsor, committed to mentoring young people off the field. 

The Salvation Army operates youth programs in low and moderate income neighborhoods. These programs provide children with a safe place to play and learn in a supervised and constructive environment. The Salvation Army North Texas is striving to change generations by giving children from poverty-stricken environments the chance to get a start in life in a very different place than where their parents may have begun.

Season of Hope

The Salvation Army partnered with Erin Napier, co-host of a national home renovation series and co-owner of the Laurel Mercantile Scent Library, to feature a limited-edition Christmas candle: Season of Hope. Launched in November, the candle aimed to raise awareness for the organization’s efforts to meet the needs of vulnerable communities.

Named for the hope that The Salvation Army and its supporters bring to those in need by providing countless services to others in need, the candle was the newest addition to Scent Library’s beautiful collection.

“It is such an honor to release this candle in collaboration with The Salvation Army,” said Napier. “This scent is very personal to me—it reminds me of the hope and comfort I felt in my home as a child during the holiday season making orange and clove pomanders with my mama.” 

To shop other items from the Scent Library, visit laurelmercantile.com.