Fundraiser supports Wheaton agency
Judy Bonelli’s career was spent surrounded by lawyers and doctors — a living she says left her comfortable and taken care of when she retired nearly 10 years ago.
But she knows many people in DuPage County are not as lucky, and she’s chosen to spend her retirement helping those in need. She volunteers in the food pantry at the People’s Resource Center in Wheaton.
“I have been blessed in my own life,” she said. “It was just time I could give back and have fun with my work. It has turned out to be a joy because it has benefited so many people.”
On Wednesday, June 15, a program Bonelli and a partner created returns as 11 restaurants in Carol Stream, Winfield and West Chicago participate in Dine Away Hunger, which has raised more than $100,000 for the center’s food pantry since its debut in 2003. The restaurants will donate 10 percent of all sales that day to the pantry, with Central DuPage Hospital matching all donations up to $10,000.
The money will go toward buying “nutrient-dense” food for the nearly 3,000 families that use the pantry each month.
Since its inception, Dine Away Hunger has had four fundraising days per year at restaurants throughout DuPage County. This year, in addition to those four larger efforts, the program will include a monthly fundraiser at single restaurants.
Bonelli said the community has supported the drive since it first began.
“These people who are in need, many of them are families whose husband and wife work, but it’s still difficult to make ends meet in this area,” the 69-year-old Wheaton resident said.
Bonelli was friends with one of the owners of Egglectic Cafe in Wheaton and it was through that friendship that the idea for the event was born. She said asking for help was easy because of the relationship.
When the dust settled on the first fundraiser, which included Egglectic and Muldoon’s in Wheaton, Bonelli’s idea had raised $3,000 for the pantry, and she was ready to try to expand it.
“We had nothing to lose and we were so excited,” she said. “We had no idea we would make that much money.”
In 2004, she added restaurants in Carol Stream and it has expanded ever since.
“This has not been a hard sell,” she said. “The restaurants latched on to this idea.”
The People’s Resource Center is a 35-year-old organization that offers services, including help with job placement and emergency rent and mortgage assistance, to families and individuals in need.
Executive Director Kim Perez said efforts like Bonelli’s help the center establish partnerships with businesses that want to aid the community.
In the summer months, the problem gets more dire because many of the families rely on the school system to help provide their children with food, she said.
“This is a need that affects a growing number of people within DuPage County,” Perez said. “We want to be put out of business, because that would mean people are not hungry. But the reality is that the need continues. People are hungry and need help.”
Efforts like Bonelli’s help provide that assistance.
“She is a perfect example of someone taking the initiative and a seedling of an idea and creating something to give back in their own creative way,” Perez said. “This has become a staple event for the PRC, and without Judy’s creativity and blood, sweat and tears, we would not be where we are today.”
Bonelli does what she can to deflect the praise.
“I feel lucky to have the opportunity to do this,” she said. “It’s the thought of, ‘Why them? Why not me?’ I just feel very blessed.”
Participating restaurants
During the Dine Away Hunger fundraiser, 11 restaurants in DuPage County will donate 10 percent of their sales on Wednesday, June 15, to the Peoples Resource Center.
Carol Stream
Ÿ Albertos Restaurant, 150 S. Gary Ave.
Ÿ Culvers of Carol Stream, 290 S. Schmale Road
Ÿ Manhattans, 300 S. Schmale Road
Ÿ Red Apple Pancake House and Restaurant, 414 S. Schmale Road
Ÿ Village Tavern and Grill, 291 S. Schmale Road
West Chicago
Ÿ Hawthornes Backyard Bar and Grill, 1200 W. Hawthorne Lane
Ÿ Pal Joeys, 440 E. Roosevelt Road
Winfield
Ÿ Caliendos Restaurant and Bar, 0S050 Winfield Road
Ÿ Johns Restaurant and Tavern, 27W842 Jewell Road
Ÿ Oakfield, 27W229 Geneva Road
Ÿ Pepper Jacks, 0S050 Winfield Road